East Carolina University cuts 4 sports as part of plan to save $4.9 million…Difficult decision to cut sports hits Pirate Nation hard; Emotional day for Gilbert, Pirates…Cutting tennis, swimming could cost East Carolina more money than it will save…USF athletics bracing for budget cut as pandemic lingers…Rutgers AD Pat Hobbs trying to stretch dollars in pandemic …Associate professor: Some colleges are ‘using pandemic as an excuse’ to eliminate athletics programs…Son: Ex-ECU & Auburn coach Dye has coronavirus, is asymptomatic…Michael McMorris pulls out of transfer portal, will remain part of Navy football program…Carolina part of NFL coach hiring spree that led to Rooney Rule change…Michael Jordan vs. NASCAR? Racing at Darlington again dominated TV ratings Wednesday

Pirate Press: ECU Headlines

ECU Athletics Announces Program Changes ecupirates.com

ECU Athletics will cut four programs, effective immediately The East Carolinian

ECU cutting tennis, swimming and diving programs Fayetteville Observer

ECU cuts four athletic programs due to COVID-19 budget restructure process  WNCT 9

ECU cuts four athletic programs amid financial restructuring, COVID-19 WITN 7

ECU drops swimming and diving, tennis for both men and women WCTI 12

East Carolina University cuts 4 sports as part of plan to save $4.9 million WGHP

Cutting tennis, swimming could cost East Carolina more money than it will save Durham Herald-Sun

Raleigh News and Observer

• East Carolina dropping swimming, tennis in attempt to stem athletic budget deficit
• Cutting tennis, swimming could cost East Carolina more money than it will save

East Carolina eliminates men’s and women’s tennis and swimming and diving programs Winston Salem Journal

ECU will drop swimming and tennis teams Salisbury Post

East Carolina cutting four athletics programs due to budget shortfall WECT

East Carolina University Cuts Men’s & Women’s Swimming and Diving Swimming World

ECU Announces The Elimination of Swimming and Tennis Rivals

247 Sports

• East Carolina University cuts four sports
• Difficult decision to cut sports hits Pirate Nation hard
• State of facilities played ‘large factor’ in slashed sports
• Christian Jayne transfers out of ECU baseball program
• ECU Football 2020 Player Expectations: LB Chad Stephens
• ECU Football 2020 Player Expectations: LB Delvontae Harris
• Redshirt freshmen we shouldn’t forget about in 2020
• Pat Dye Jr. says he expects his father will be home soon
• Three-star D.C. defensive back commits to Temple

Son: Ex-Auburn coach Dye has coronavirus, is asymptomatic Lindy’s Sports

Associate professor: Some colleges are ‘using pandemic as an excuse’ to eliminate athletics programs USA Today

East Carolina eliminates swimming and diving, tennis programs ESPN

NC Dinos Korean baseball team has big following in North Carolina WCNC

Greenville Daily Reflector (sub req’d)

• Emotional day for Gilbert, Pirates
• ECU eliminates swimming, tennis to save money
• Swimming, Tennis eliminated as Pirates make cuts

Around the American Athletic Conference

The Player’s Lounge – SMU Quarterback Shane Buechele American Athletic Conference

American Athletic Conference Moving HQ From Rhode Island to Irving D Magazine

UC Bearcats’ Luke Fickell tops CBS Sports’ AAC football coach rankings Cincinnati Enquirer

Tampa Bay Times

• USF athletics bracing for budget cut as pandemic lingers
• A 2020 college football season is a step closer to reality after NCAA vote

Orlando Sentinel

• UCF athletic budget projects fans at football games during upcoming season
• UCF guard Darin Green Jr. returns to school after exploring NBA

Temple gets commitment from highly touted running back Johnny Martin Philadelphia Inquirer

Memphis Commercial Appeal

• Penny Hardaway talks Michael Jordan, Eddie Murphy and R.J. Hampton on ESPN’s ‘The Jump’
• The highest-rated recruit in Memphis’ 2020 signing class says he’s transferring
• Memphis football’s indoor practice facility is almost done. It’s become a tribute to perseverance.

Tulsa World

• Guerin Emig: Philip Montgomery waiting longer to welcome back TU players is grace under pressure
• TU athletes will return to campus no earlier than July 6

Michael McMorris pulls out of transfer portal, will remain part of Navy football program Annapolis Capital

 

Regional Headlines: The Carolinas and beyond

Raleigh News and Observer

• NCAA votes to allow voluntary workouts on campus starting June 1
• Westover’s D’Marco Dunn has offers from UNC and Wake Forest. Where did he come from?

U.Va.’s Bronco Mendenhall awaits opportunity to get players on campus for voluntary workouts, but future remains uncertain Norfolk Virginian Pilot

Clemson pitcher with extra year of eligibility ponders future, MLB Draft Charleston Post Courier

Reliving the Clemson-Alabama 2017 title game. What stands out from ESPN rewatch  Columbia The State

Atlanta Journal Constitution

• A captivating photo of Georgia Tech from 1918 and the story behind it
• Georgia Tech adds basketball series with UAB, starting next season

Rutgers AD Pat Hobbs trying to stretch dollars in pandemic Charlotte Observer

Will Muschamp on playing in empty stadiums: ‘If it’s not safe for our fans, how is it safe for our student-athletes?’ | Commentary Orlando Sentinel

Focus of college football shifts toward contingencies for 2020 season Huntington Herald-Dispatch

How a year without football would impact University of Texas athletics Houston Chronicle

Samson: The issue with Ohio State’s plan to have 20,000 fans attend football games this fall CBS Sports

Which fans can attend a CFB game this fall? Can social distancing work? al.com

How the Outback Bowl is handling the coronavirus pandemic, college football uncertainty Tampa Bay Times