Historically Black Delaware State University Eliminates Two Mostly White Athletic Teams

Delaware State University, the historically black educational institution in Dover, is eliminating two of the school’s 17 intercollegiate sports in an attempt to lower the costs of athletic programs. Men’s tennis and the women’s equestrian team will be eliminated after the current academic year. The university is expected to save $700,000 by eliminating the two teams.

The student body at Delaware State is 10 percent white. But the two teams that will be cut are almost all white. There are no African Americans on the men’s tennis team. On the equestrian team, just two of the 21 team members are African Americans. The equestrian team only started competing intercollegiately in 2006. At that time, there were only 23 universities nationwide with a varsity equestrian team.

Members of the equestrian team have threatened to go to court if the university fails to reconsider its position.

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