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Message from the President: ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV’s varsity football program

April 04, 2023

Dear ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Community,

I am saddened to share that we are announcing the end of ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV’s varsity football program. ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV is incredibly proud of our long football history, student-athletes, coaches and alumni. 

This is a difficult decision, and not one taken lightly. With the recent announcement that the team has not been invited to continue in the Lone Star Conference, we do not have a conference to play in beginning in 2024. The ongoing uncertainty creates an unacceptable experience for students. The university has carefully considered all available options and as a leadership team we concluded that football is no longer a feasible sport for ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV.

We made this decision now to give students time to make other plans for their athletic careers if they so choose. All students impacted are being supported with one-on-one guidance regarding next steps. We will support football athletes who want to explore options outside of ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV, and will honour athletic scholarship commitments for those who choose to remain at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV and meet eligibility requirements for the 2023-24 school year. 

¶¡ÏãÔ°AV is Canada’s only NCAA team. We are committed to excelling in the NCAA Division II in 18 varsity sports, with more than 300 student-athletes. In recognition of this loss to the ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV community, the ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Athletics Awards and Hall of Fame banquet, scheduled for April 5, has been postponed until the fall. ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV Athletics will engage with the ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV football community on how best to celebrate more than 50 years of history in this sport. More details will be shared at a later date.

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of our football legacy. We are so grateful for everything you have contributed to the university, both on and off the field. 

Sincerely,

Joy Johnson
President & Vice-Chancellor
¶¡ÏãÔ°AV