Citing issues with funding, Savannah State is eying a move from Division I to Division II, the university announced Wednesday.
Reports indicate that SSU — unless there is a change in the school’s financial outlook — will drop all of its sports to Division II by 2019.
Currently, Savannah State is a member of the MEAC and would need to secure additional revenue for the athletic program to stay at the Division I level.
Prior to joining the MEAC, SSU held memberships in the SIAC, Division II and the Southeastern Athletic Conference, in NAIA.
The Savannah State football team has not had a winning season since joining the Division I ranks in 2002. Last April, the NCAA announced the football team and men’s basketball team would be banned from postseason play for failing to reach APR benchmarks.
Athletic Director Sterling Steward Jr. came under fire in 2012 for scheduling Florida State and Oklahoma State in obvious money-grab games that then netted the program $860,000.
“We’re going to continue to schedule games we feel help continue to build our athletic program and to make Savannah State as competitive as possible,” Steward said at the time.
According to the U.S. Department of Education latest available data, the athletic department generated only $6.5 million in revenue.
MVSU should consider doing the same.