Boise State cuts hit close to home

Broncos cut baseball, women’s swimming and diving programs for budget reasons

BOISE — Athletes and coaches with North Idaho ties were affected when Boise State announced Thursday it was cutting its baseball and women’s swimming and diving programs because of budget issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A pair of former Coeur d’Alene Vikings were members of the baseball program, a program reinstated this season after an absence of 40 years. Michael Hicks was a fifth-year senior outfielder, and Jayce Bailey was a redshirt freshman outfielder.

Christine Mabile, a former Post Falls High swimmer, has been the BSU women’s swimming and diving coach the past two seasons.

On a video conference Thursday, Boise State athletic director Curt Apsey said cutting the two programs will save about $2.2 million to $2.3 million. The decision to cut baseball should also save the university long-term since it was in the process of trying to build an on-campus baseball stadium.

“We’re probably not even done trying to save money and finding different ways to create revenue because that darn future is just so unclear. Who knows what the fall is going to look like, not just from an athletic perspective but enrollment on campus and state support and those kinds of things,” Apsey said. “We were very fortunate to be able to get to that number, but I still think we need to find ways to save as much as we can, and generate different kinds of revenue going forward not knowing what the future is.”

The school announced in 2017 that it was bringing back baseball after it had been discontinued following the 1980 season. The wrestling program was eliminated to make room for baseball. The Broncos managed only 14 games, going 9-5, before the season was canceled.

Apsey said the conversation with baseball coach Gary Van Tol was especially difficult after he was hired in late 2017 to build the program from scratch.

“I’ve just seen the work that’s been put in by him, especially, and then his staff and his student-athletes so it was, it was a really tough conversation,” Apsey said.

Hicks batted .386 (22 for 57) with one homer and 11 RBIs for Boise State in its 14 games. Spring sports athletes were offered another year of eligibility because their seasons were cut short, and Hicks said he planned to return for another year with the Broncos.

According to BSU, Bailey is playing this summer for the Greeley (Colo.) Grays in the Mile High Collegiate League, a summer wood-bat league.

Women’s swimming and diving had been offered at Boise State since the 2006-07 school year. Mabile was a volunteer assistant at BSU for four years, starting in the fall of 2007.

Apsey said athletes in both sports were informed of the decision via email, text and a video call Thursday. He said the decision on cutting the sports was made recently.

“The university had already been working closely with athletics to create a sustainable budget. The pandemic has made a challenging financial situation unsustainable,” university President Marlene Tromp said. “Ultimately, the reduction of the number of sports in which we compete allows Boise State a better chance of remaining competitive at the highest level and provides a more realistic roadmap to a sustainable future for the university and athletic department.”

Neither program had an on-campus facility. The baseball team played at Memorial Stadium, home of the Boise Hawks of the short-season class-A Northwest League.

The swimming and diving team trained at a local YWCA.

The school said it will honor all scholarships for athletes in the affected programs, including incoming 2020 signings.