STAFF REPORTS
PHOTO BY PETER SPURRIER
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The Dartmouth College men’s lightweight rowing program has been eliminated according to a letter from the president posted Thursday afternoon.
“In consultation with the Dartmouth Athletic Advisory Board, they [the Dartmouth athletic department] reluctantly concluded that the best path forward is to reduce the number of varsity teams rather than spread recruiting and budgetary reductions across all teams,” Dartmouth President Philip Hanlon wrote.
“This will maintain the strength of varsity athletics into the future, instead of diluting the talent and competitive experience of all teams. While the elimination of teams is the most painful option, I agree that this approach is in the best long-term interest of both athletics and Dartmouth.”
The letter acknowledged that lightweight rowers are eligible to try out for the men’s heavyweight team but concluded that the “inherent safety risks” of rowing prevented the possibility of creating a men’s lightweight rowing club program.
