The Laredo College Board of Trustees voted to disband multiple sports at a meeting Thursday.
The Laredo College Board of Trustees voted to disband all of its sports programs while instead substituting them with esports at a meeting Thursday night.
Among the athletic teams that the Palominos have moved on from include baseball, soccer, softball, mens’ and women’ tennis and volleyball.
Therefore, the contracts of any athletics personnel will not be renewed. Their contracts may be reassigned elsewhere in the college.
The 7-1 decision came after a 67-minute executive session in which the Board discussed a new proposal relating to athletics.
During December, the Board had voted 5-2 to bring back athletics after a nearly two-year hiatus.
The possibility of disbanding some sports at the time was legitimate. Now, the cancellation of all sports has become reality.
Instead, Laredo College will have an esports program as students will instead compete in video games. TAMIU has had recent success with its esports program, even competing at a national tournament. Of course, the Dustdevils still also have an 11-team athletic program.
The Board had no discussion open to the public. It came out of the executive session, voted and moved on to other agenda items.
Coaches and players spoke at previous meetings in support of the decision to bring their sports back and applauded the Board’s December decision.
All athletes were given permission to transfer out to other schools. The ones who stayed will now have to find a new home if they want to continue their athletic careers.
Laredo College has made the decision without the approval of its future president. LC revealed the finalists for the position just over a week ago as a trio of females are vying to become the first woman leader in the school’s 75-year history.
LMT will have more information as this story develops.
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Marcus Trevino is a sports reporter at the Laredo Morning Times.
