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Stanford Announces Plan to Cut 11 Varsity Sports Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Stanford is planning to cut 11 varsity sports due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

University president Marc Tessier-Lavigne, provost Persis Drell and athletic director Bernard Muir announced the move Wednesday in an open letter.

"We now face the reality that significant change is needed to create fiscal stability for Stanford Athletics, and to provide the support we believe is essential for our student-athletes to excel," the letter read.

The 11 sports are as follows:

  • men's fencing
  • women's fencing
  • field hockey
  • lightweight rowing
  • men's rowing
  • co-ed sailing
  • women's sailing
  • squash
  • synchronized swimming
  • men's volleyball
  • wrestling

Stanford said more than 240 student-athletes and 22 coaches made up the 11 teams.