GRAND FORKS, N.D.  (UNDsports.com) – The University of North Dakota Athletics Department announced on Wednesday, following the discontinuance of its men’s baseball and golf programs in the prior fiscal year, that it will discontinue its varsity women’s hockey and men’s & women’s swimming & diving programs, effective at the end of the 2016-17 academic year as part of the University’s ongoing budget restructuring efforts.  The continuance of the men’s golf program is contingent upon its successful fundraising efforts.

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Grand Forks  (CSi)  The University of North Dakota is to restructure the athletic program, and is planning to cut the women’s hockey program.

The Grand Forks Herald reports, the cuts are part of a school-wide effort to trim budgets because of an anticipated drop in state funding.  The women’s hockey team is taking the biggest hit in program cuts.

Brad Schlossman, reporter for the newspaper tweeted, ” The UND women’s hockey team has a recruit on an official visit right now. Landed at 12:30 p.m.”

“For all the tweets about UND getting cut. No they do not know because they are still on the ice preparing for the upcoming season” tweeted Gracen Hirschy shortly before noon.

UND President Mark Kennedy told the athletics department it needed to cut $1.3 million out of its budget and asked athletic director Brian Faison to send him proposals.

Faison sayd, increasing costs including UND changing conferences, as the challenge continues in finding new revenue sources.

The women’s hockey team’s season ended in March at the Western Collegiate Hockey Association tournament.

UND is now at 17 sports with the limit 16.

In addition, they said that it will discontinue its varsity women’s hockey and men’s & women’s swimming & diving programs, effective at the end of the 2016-17 academic year.