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Wright State drops softball and tennis programs

Wright State is dropping its softball and men's and women's tennis programs as part of a plan to cut $2 million from its athletic department budget.

The Dayton, Ohio, school is reducing expenditures across the board because of decreases in enrollment and state funding due to the coronavirus pandemic. The move affects 39 athletes and six coaches.

Wright State will have 11 sports and must be granted a waiver from the NCAA to remain in compliance with Division I requirements. Division I schools are required to sponsor 14 sports.

The university will honor scholarships of athletes who want to remain at Wright State. They would be immediately eligible at another school.

Associated Press research shows 10 Division I schools have dropped a total of 22 sports because of budget reductions caused by the pandemic. Of those 22, 16 are men's sports. A total of 99 sports have been cut in all divisions of four-year schools.