SCAC Statement on Colorado College dropping football and softball

"The SCAC is obviously disappointed to learn of Colorado College's decision to drop its football and softball programs," said SCAC Commissioner Dwayne Hanberry.

"I know this must have been an agonizingly difficult decision for the school to make. It is never easy to take away opportunities from student-athletes, but we understand that Colorado College felt this was a move it had to make to remain competitively viable in its other 17 varsity sports."

The loss of Colorado College in football will reduce the number of football-playing schools in the SCAC to eight beginning with the 2009 season. Although Birmingham-Southern College has two years remaining in its provisional transition to Division III, the conference is in no danger of losing its automatic bid in the sport. The NCAA requires that a minimum of seven participating conference teams are needed in any particular sport to maintain that league's AQ.

Hendrix College is scheduled to add football beginning with the 2011 season.

In softball, the loss of Colorado College will reduce the league's playing membership to 10 schools. With five schools in the SCAC West and six in the SCAC East, it will probably be necessary to move someone from the East to the West in 2010 to balance divisional play. The conference AQ will not be affected by the departure of Colorado College.