The NCAA recently released its sports sponsorship and participation rates report and the numbers confirmed what we all knew – tennis, especially men’s tennis, is on the decline. The report tracks student-athlete participation by sport and gender dating back to the 1981-82 season and tracks teams dropped and added since 1988-89.

Here is some of the highlights or should I say lowlights of the report:

In 2014-15, the sport with the highest number of women’s teams dropped was tennis with nine, followed by golf and lacrosse. The women’s sports that have been dropped the most since 1988-89 are cross country and golf with 241 programs dropped and indoor track and field with 239 programs eliminated in the NCAA.

The sport with the highest number of men’s teams dropped in 2014-15 was tennis with 10 teams eliminated, followed by indoor and outdoor track and field. The men’s sport that has been dropped the most since 1988-89 is indoor track and field with 319 teams discontinued in the NCAA.

Historically, the women’s sport with the greatest net gain since 1988-89 is soccer with 649 teams. Conversely, the women’s sports with a net loss of teams in 2014-15 were skiing (-2), tennis (-1), rowing (-1), rifle (-1) and equestrian (-1).

In 2014-15, the men’s sport with the greatest net gain was outdoor track and field with an increase of 23 teams. Historically, the men’s sports with the greatest net gains since 1988-89 are indoor track and field and lacrosse (185 each). On the other hand, the only men’s sport with a net loss of teams in 2014-15 was tennis with a net loss of five teams. Since 1988-89, the men’s sport with the greatest net loss of teams is wrestling (-101). Other men’s sports with notable net losses of teams since 1988-89 are tennis (-65), rifle (-50), gymnastics (-38), skiing (-28), fencing (-25) and water polo (-19).

1981-82 to 2014-15 Men’s Participation

D1 Members: 276 to 345
D1 Teams: 267 to 258
% of Total Members: 96.7 to 74.8
Total athletes: 2884 to 2678
Average squad size: 10.8 to 10.4

D2 Members: 192 to 323
D2 Teams: 172 to 176
% of Total Members: 89.6 to 54.5
Total athletes: 1684 to 1759
Average squad size: 9.8 to 10.0

D3 Members: 284 to 451
D3 Teams: 251 to 331
% of Total Members: 88.4 to 73.4
Total athletes: 2772 to 3774
Average squad size: 11.0 to 11.4

Overall Members: 752 to 1119
Overall Teams: 690 to 765
% of Total Members: 91.8 to 68.4
Total athletes: 7340 to 8211
Average squad size: 10.6 to 10.7

1988-89 to 2014-15 Men’s Teams Dropped vs. Added
D1: 81 vs. 23 = -58
D2: 114 vs. 95 = -19
D3: 111 vs. 123 = +12
All Divisions – 306 vs. 241 = -65

1981-82 to 2014-15 Women’s Participation

D1 Members: 276 to 345
D1 Teams: 246 to 318
% of Total Members: 89.1 to 92.2
Total athletes: 2649 to 2912
Average squad size: 10.8 to 9.2

D2 Members: 192 to 323
D2 Teams: 145 to 236
% of Total Members: 75.5 to 73.1
Total athletes: 1408 to 2068
Average squad size: 9.7 to 8.8

D3 Members: 284 to 451
D3 Teams: 219 to 376
% of Total Members: 77.1 to 83.4
Total athletes: 2542 to 3980
Average squad size: 11.6 to 10.6

Overall Members: 752 to 1119
Overall Teams: 610 to 930
% of Total Members: 81.1 to 83.1
Total athletes: 6599 to 8960
Average squad size: 10.8 to 9.6

1988-89 to 2014-15 Women’s Teams Dropped vs. Added
D1: 29 vs. 17 = -12
D2: 92 vs. 124 = +32
D3: 103 vs. 132 = +29
All Divisions – 224 vs. 273 = +49

I had the link to the report above but here it is again as well – thanks to US College Tennis for tweeting it out yesterday.

Here is a link from 2013 from the ITA that shows the actual schools that dropped the sport though I see it has UC Davis listed as dropping the program in 2010 and that didn’t actually happen.