WHITTIER, Calif. (Nov. 12, 2022) - Miguel Santana, the Chair of Whittier College's Board of Trustees, announced Tuesday that the school's football program has been discontinued. Below is Santana's letter in its entirety:

Dear Whittier College Community: 

After a three-year review process and much careful deliberation, Whittier College announces the discontinuation of Poet football. In addition, men's lacrosse and men's and women's golf will be discontinued at the end of their seasons. This was a difficult decision, backed by the Board of Trustees, that aims to direct investment to the things that make Whittier College exceptional: our academic programs, our high-touch student experience including an expanded effort to support student Health and Wellness, and the 18 NCAA sports which will remain an integral part of the Whittier experience.

It is important to note that the decision to end football, men's and women's golf, and men's lacrosse at Whittier involves challenges specific to these three programs and does not speak to our overall commitment to Poet intercollegiate athletics. Over the last 135 years, sports have been an integral component of the Whittier College experience and this mission will continue with the remaining 18 NCAA Division III athletic teams.

Why the Decision was Made
According to data from the Aspen Institute and the National Federation of State High School Associations, football is in decline across the United States. From 2008-09 to 2018-19, the total number of youth aged 6 to 18 playing tackle football fell by more than 620,000 participants from about 2.5 million to less than 1.9 million. Over the same decade, attendance at top-level college games declined by almost 10 percent. 

Among higher education, Whittier is not alone in evaluating its football program. Over the past 30 years, 14 California four-year colleges, including SCIAC rivals Occidental and CalTech, have dropped football from their intercollegiate rosters. In addition, there is growing concern around contact sports – lacrosse and football—and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease found in athletes and others with a history of repetitive brain trauma. When it comes to the health of our student-athletes, we must take this concern seriously.

At a time when Whittier is continuously examining how to serve the most students possible with the resources at hand, we must continue to make difficult decisions for the benefit of the greater student body. Admittedly, the Poet programs sunsetting at this time are disproportionately more expensive to sustain than other sports that have thrived and remained competitive within our SCIAC conference. Our goal is to focus on the athletic teams that can be best supported on campus and via conference play.

Poet Legacy
As we move forward, we want to acknowledge the thousands of Whittier student-athletes, parents, and friends who have competed for the Purple and Gold.

Poet football has a 100-plus-year tradition on campus and has produced great athletes and successful alumni. The College's most storied rivalry involves Occidental College and the "Battle for the Shoes." Dating back to 1946, the Poets and Tigers annually competed for ownership of a pair of bronzed cleats once worn by Whittier graduate Myron Claxton '40. During their last showdown, the Poets were victorious in recapturing the trophy. Occidental has since discontinued its own football program, leaving Whittier in perpetual ownership of "The Shoes."

Two of Whittier's younger teams, men's lacrosse and golf, have an established trajectory that will leave a lasting legacy in Whittier's athletic history. Notably, the Whittier men's lacrosse program, established in 1980, won ten club championships between 1980-1999. The 2003 men's lacrosse team also earned a spot in the Hall of Fame in 2018 for making it to the semi-finals of the NCAA Division III National Championships. 

Current Student-Athletes and Coaches
We recognize that this decision will have an impact on the current members of the Poet football, lacrosse, and golf teams, their families, and the coaching staff. Whittier College coaches and players were informed prior to this announcement's wide release. In anticipation of the announcement, we have created an advising plan that involves one-on-one meetings with each player to help them navigate these changes, answer any questions, and create a space to develop an individual academic plan moving forward.

Our coaching staff has shown great dedication and effort for their respective programs over these last few years and this decision is not a reflection of their work. The same holds true for our student-athletes. Our current Poet athletes have proven to be dedicated young men and women who've continually shown their commitment to the ideal of the student-athlete, embodying excellence on the field and in the classroom.

Health and Wellness at Whittier College
Whittier remains committed to supporting Poet Athletics and the 18 intercollegiate varsity sports in which our student-athletes will continue to compete. There are no plans to discontinue additional athletic programs at the College. Going forward, Whittier will expand its commitment to health, wellness, and recreation. We are reinvesting our resources and efforts in programs that will impact even more of our students. We are also looking to the future—we have an active eSports team, dance activities, and weekly yoga classes on campus. We will continue to be open to other innovative developments that meet our students' needs.

We understand that for many this is very difficult news to hear and we ask for your understanding as we work through this process. Be assured that College staff will work closely with our student-athletes to ensure that they continue to find success at Whittier College.

We will keep the community informed of any new developments and announcements regarding our wellness efforts.

Photo: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com