North Idaho College cuts golf program

COEUR d’ALENE — North Idaho College announced Wednesday that it will eliminate its golf program after spring 2025, citing an “unsustainable” athletics budget that NIC accreditors recently highlighted as a risk.

Golf is the first program to be cut at the college since NIC eliminated the baseball program in 2002. Cutting golf will save NIC more than $600,000, according to the college.

“This was an extremely difficult decision,” NIC Interim Provost Lloyd Duman said in a press release. “It does not reflect the quality of the program or the people involved in any way. It was designed to impact as few student-athletes and staff as possible.”

Duman said golf has a “relatively high cost per student.” He also said that because of Title IX requirements, eliminating a sport must ensure gender equity. Golf has both men’s and women’s teams.

Although 24 student-athletes currently play golf for NIC, administrators said the program’s cuts would affect no more than 11 student-athletes who could have returned to compete.

“NIC will cover tuition, fees, and room and board for golf student-athletes who elect to remain enrolled at NIC through the fall 2025 and spring 2026 semesters, but golf will no longer be offered as a sport here,” Duman said.

There are no plans to eliminate additional sports programs, Duman said.

“Additional cost-cutting measures will be necessary in the future to establish a sustainable budget for the athletic program, but none that will impact athletics this year,” a news release said.

NIC golf coach Russell Grove declined to comment on the college’s decision Wednesday.

“This will have a negative impact on many people,” Grove said in a public Facebook post Tuesday evening. “The golf program has had zero net income in nine of the last 10 years and has greatly benefited so many people. I am truly heartbroken and at a loss for words. I think the only hope is for the new board to get involved.”

NIC returns to the NJCAA for the first time since the 2014-15 season. The Cardinals moved to the regional Northwest Athletic Conference and won six men’s titles in eight years under coach Russell Grove. The women’s team also won the conference title last season and in 2015 and 2016.

In November, trustees voted unanimously to direct NIC President Nick Swayne “to take the necessary actions to work with athletic department leadership, contain costs, and present a comprehensive review of the athletic program to the board at a future meeting.”

Trustee Tarie Zimmerman said the board will honor the commitments NIC made to all current student-athletes.

Charlie Ward traveled from England to Coeur d’Alene to pursue an NJCAA championship as part of the NIC men’s golf program. His stay could only last until spring.

“I came here to be part of a successful program,” said Ward, a freshman from Manchester. “I wanted to come somewhere and be part of a great program and compete for a national title.”

Athletes learned of the decision Tuesday afternoon via an email from NIC Athletic Director Shawn Noel.

College leaders said the decision to cut golf was part of a larger effort to bring NIC into compliance with its accreditor’s recommendations. NIC remains subject to a sanction for issuance reasons, the final step before loss of accreditation.

Between fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25, NIC’s athletics budget increased from $2.2 million to $6.2 million.

The increase is related to the costs associated with NIC’s return to the National Junior College Athletic Association, as well as the board’s 3-2 decision last year that NIC pay tuition, fees, books, room and board, and a Round-trip airfare is intended to cover all student-athletes playing sports associated with the Scenic West Athletic Conference, regardless of the student’s residence. This represents a commitment of approximately $40,000 per student-athlete.

In a recent report, NIC accreditation panel reviewers said the decision to move athletics conferences and cover all student-athlete expenses “places a multimillion-dollar burden on the NIC budget and imposes a significant hidden tax on the NIC.” NIC’s academic and student support services.”

“NIC’s current budget model, with athletics at its core, remains a risk to the college and is unsustainable in terms of governance, finances and human resources,” the report said.

According to NIC, the golf program costs for fiscal year 2025 are as follows:

– $263,850 for operating expenses, including personnel, travel and other costs

– $174,720 for tuition scholarships

– $144,000 for room and board scholarships

– $9,600 for travel reimbursement

– $9,600 for textbook scholarships

Sports budget figures are based on projected actual costs. Not included are postseason travel and tournament fees, which are estimated at $22,000, according to NIC. This brings the total cost of the program to $623,770.

Of the 24 student-athletes who play golf for NIC, three are from Idaho. The rest are foreign or international student-athletes.

Signing Day for college golfers began on November 13th.

“Due to the lack of communication with us and the school, this is an impossible situation,” Ward said. “We have a handful of kids who turned down offers at bigger schools to stay here and improve their game.”

Ward is in the United States on a student visa. He said he would have to find another college or return to England.

“That’s really what’s made things so difficult,” he said.

Lev Heaney, a freshman from Big Sky High in Missoula, Montana, echoed Ward’s thoughts.

“I had a few offers from a few NAIA schools, but I wanted to come here to work on my career,” she said. “I started my career so late; I came here because I wanted to work on my game and eventually attend a Division I program.”

In a press release, Swayne praised Grove, who is in his 10th season with NIC.

“His golf teams performed exceptionally well and they should be proud of their accomplishments,” Swayne said. “I know it’s me. It is extremely unfortunate, but we are out of options.”

In this May photo, the North Idaho College men’s and women’s golf teams celebrate after each was victorious at the Northwest Athletic Conference Championships at Apple Tree Golf Course in Yakima, Washington. Front row from left are Ava Young, Megan Quinton and assistant coaches Russ Grove, Josh McCartain, Lauryn Bulger and Laila Jalil; and back row from left: assistant coach Brittany Pounds, Rien Solodan, Dyson Lish, Spence Matson, Jarett Giles, Quinn Abbott, Charlie Terwilliger, Sofia Lippiello and head coach Russell Grove. Photo courtesy of NIC.