Once Emerging, Now Fading

When it comes to athletics, it's easy to see Title IX has devolved into nothing more than a quota system.  Championing equal facilities, budgets, coaching, scheduling, etc. have taken a back seat to pushing proportionality.

NCAA schools were encouraged to add equestrian in an attempt to meet one (1) of Title IX's three (3) prongs.

Bad news, folks.  It looks like the "emerging" sport of gallopin' & jumpin' is headed fer the glue factory.

More here and here.

For the first time since 2000, the school will be without an equestrian program. K-State Athletics confirmed the information given to the Collegian with a press release at 9:31 p.m. on Monday.

Due to a recommendation from the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics, K-State Athletics will part ways with its equestrian program after next season’s scheduled competition. The department will search for a women’s soccer coach in early 2015 and plan for the team’s arrival the following fall semester. 

The Wildcats will dump equestrian and add soccer, but Oklahoma State isn't ready to part with their Tack Pack just yet.

“The status of equestrian as an NCAA sport is still to be determined,” said Gavin Lang, OSU associate athletic director, media relations. “… That recommendation (by the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics) must be accepted at several levels before being implemented. There is no timetable.”

KSU dropping equestrian leaves OSU, Baylor and TCU as the only Big 12 schools with equestrian teams. Due to Title IX, KSU is adding a women’s soccer team to replace equestrian.

If OSU’s equestrian team were to be discontinued, the university would have to add another women’s sport due to NCAA requirements. The assumed replacement would be volleyball, as OSU is the only Big 12 school without a women’s volleyball team.

(via The Trademark Blog)

It's only a matter of time before the Kansas State faithful start hollerin' "Save our horses!  Start a polo team!"