Nevada Might Not Make It To The Mountain West

The Universtiy of Nevada has been a pretty competitive mid-major school in both football and basketball in recent years. They've had a run to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament back in 2004 in basketball and the football team has made a few bowl appearances in the past few years.

You think with that recent success while competing in the WAC and moving to the Mountain West in 2012, they would have a few dollars in the athletic department coffers. Not so fast. The Wolfpack might be in danger of losing their status in Division I athletics.

Athletic director Cary Groth says the school is facing a $1.5 million cut in state-appropriated funds that could "change the face of the department."

The cuts, which are part of a proposed $59 million university-wide budget reduction at UNR, could threaten Nevada's ability to maintain Division I status or force the department to cut another sport. The reduction is contingent on the state legislature's final higher education budget and board of regents deliberations.



"I would say maintaining the integrity of a Division I program is our main focus right now," Groth said. "We're right on the line of a few things as is."


In the past three years, the Wolf Pack's state-appropriated funds have decreased from $7.054 million to an estimated $3.817 million for the 2012-13 fiscal year.

The school doesn't have too much margin for error financially, so it may have to cut sports or reduce scholarships. Hopefully the move to the Mountain West can pump more money into the school, that's if they make it there.