Wichita State ends golf programs in athletics cost-cutting move
Wichita State is ending nearly a century of college golf tradition.
The university announced Tuesday that it is discontinuing its NCAA men’s and women’s golf programs, effective immediately, in a cost-cutting decision that reflects the mounting financial pressure now facing athletic departments across the country.
The move ends a men’s program that had been in operation since 1935 and a women’s program that started in 1974, wiping away two sports that combined for more than two dozen conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances in WSU history.
The move also leaves Wichita State with no remaining cushion in its athletics portfolio. After adding women’s bowling as an NCAA program last school year, WSU will now sponsor 14 varsity sports — the minimum required for Division I membership.
“Today marks a difficult moment for our department. This decision was not made lightly and reflects deep and deliberate consideration,” WSU athletic director Kevin Saal said in a statement. “I have the utmost respect for Head Coaches Judd Easterling and Tom McCurdy and our student-athletes. Our men’s and women’s golf teams have a proud tradition and history and have represented Wichita State with integrity and distinction.”
WSU framed the decision as the result of a “careful and comprehensive evaluation” of its athletics portfolio and resource allocation, saying the school is balancing rising operational costs with the need to preserve the long-term financial stability and competitive strength of Shocker athletics.
The school did not provide specific cost-savings figures in its announcement.
But the move appears to eliminate more than $1.1 million in annual operating costs, according to WSU’s most recent published athletics financial report. In the 2025 fiscal year, Wichita State reported $540,586 in total operating costs for men’s golf and $569,468 for women’s golf, while neither program reported generated revenue. That is not unusual for golf, which is considered a non-revenue sport, but it underscores the financial calculation now facing athletic departments trying to fund a broad menu of sports in a more expensive Division I landscape.
The elimination of the programs came just over three months after WSU had already reduced its investment in golf. In late January, sources confirmed to The Eagle that WSU cut five athletic department positions, including assistant coach positions for both the men’s and women’s golf programs, as the department began trimming expenses amid university budget reductions.
“The expenses required to operate and maintain an NCAA Division I program are growing at a pace that exceeds cost-containment efforts across the athletics program,” the university said in its release. “In this environment, the university must make difficult but necessary choices to uphold its broader commitments to financial stability and institutional priorities.”
The announcement comes during one of the most volatile financial periods in modern college athletics, as schools adjust to the post-House settlement era and the coming reality of direct revenue sharing with athletes. That has forced athletic departments across the country to reexamine everything from roster sizes to scholarship allocation to the number of sports they can afford to sponsor.
Wichita State is not alone in making that kind of cut. Arkansas, an SEC school, announced on April 24 that it will discontinue men’s and women’s tennis at the conclusion of the 2026 spring season, citing the post-House settlement environment and rising expense pressures in college athletics. Stephen F. Austin also moved to cut multiple sports as schools across Division I reassess their athletic budgets.
For Wichita State, the decision removes a men’s golf program with deep roots in Wichita and a decorated history.
The men’s golf program was one of the school’s most successful programs during its time in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Shockers made 22 all-time NCAA Tournament appearances, won 20 MVC championships and produced eight All-Americans: Johnny Stevens, Judd Easterling, Ryan Spears, Jamie Thompson, Gary Navarro, Don Lee, Rod Nuckolls and Dustin Garza.
The program’s defining modern run came under Wichita native Grier Jones, who took over in 1995 and restored the Shockers into one of the Valley’s premier golf programs. Under Jones, WSU won Missouri Valley championships in 13 of 16 seasons and reached 11 NCAA Regionals. Jones was named MVC Coach of the Year 12 times.
The women’s golf program also built its own legacy, winning five conference titles and making three NCAA team appearances.
Now both programs are gone, effective immediately.
The decision directly impacts WSU golfers who still had college eligibility remaining. On the men’s side, that includes junior Emilio Arellano Lamas, sophomore Caden Cox and freshmen Jace Chaney, Rhett O’Rear and T.J. Quinn. On the women’s side, that includes junior Manon Guille, sophomores Kayla Van de Ven and Amelie Paul and freshmen Mackenzie Thomas and Magdalena Domine.
Those athletes now face an abrupt decision: remain at Wichita State and continue toward their degrees or pursue an opportunity to continue their college golf careers elsewhere.
WSU said it is committed to supporting all affected student-athletes during the transition. The school said golfers who choose to remain at WSU will continue to receive their existing financial assistance, subject to NCAA and university eligibility standards and requirements. For those who want to transfer, the university said it will provide individualized guidance and support services.
“Supporting our student-athletes throughout this transition remains our top priority,” Saal said. “We are committed to providing the tools, guidance and support necessary to help them make informed decisions about their next steps.”
The university said dedicated support staff will work directly with each student-athlete to address academic, athletic and personal needs during the transition.
The move also ends the WSU tenures of both head coaches. Easterling, a former Shocker All-American himself, led the men’s program. McCurdy led the women’s program.
“We are deeply grateful to the student-athletes, coaches, alumni and supporters who have contributed to the legacy of Wichita State golf,” Saal said.
WSU said it remains committed to sustaining a “competitive, broad-based NCAA Division I athletics program” aligned with the university’s mission and long-term institutional priorities.
But Tuesday’s announcement made clear that in the new economic reality of college sports, history alone is no longer enough to protect a program.
This story was originally published May 5, 2026 at 5:43 PM.
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