Saint Louis University pulled the plug on its NCAA Division I men's and women's tennis programs Monday night, effective immediately, wiping two Billiken teams off the books and leaving 19 student‑athletes suddenly searching for a plan B. According to the university, five players are set to graduate this spring, while the rest are now weighing transfer options or other academic paths.
SLU's rationale
In a statement released through SLU Athletics, Director of Athletics Chris May said, "After a thorough and strategic review of our NCAA Division I sport offerings, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue the men's and women's tennis programs." The review, according to the statement, looked at facilities, operations and community engagement, and concluded there are limited opportunities for the tennis teams to consistently compete at a high level.
Who is affected and what comes next
The Billikens' combined rosters featured 19 student‑athletes, 10 men and nine women, and the university publicly thanked head coach James Tobin along with staff members Lizzie Barlow and Emilien Burnel on their way out. The school confirmed that the full‑time head coach job and the part‑time assistant position are being cut, and that every current player with remaining eligibility can jump into the NCAA transfer portal immediately under the discontinuation‑of‑sport exception. Those details were reported by FOX 2.
Part of a wider trend
SLU is not alone in walking away from college tennis. The move lands in the middle of a wave of program cuts nationwide, as recruiting and tennis insiders note the sport has taken a particularly hard hit amid post‑NIL, revenue‑sharing budget reshuffles. Just last week, the University of Arkansas said it would drop both of its tennis teams, and several Division II schools have also announced eliminations this month. Reporting by TennisRecruiting situates SLU's decision squarely inside that broader shakeup.
What SLU says about other sports and fundraising
For fans worried this might be the start of a larger rollback, SLU is insisting that is not the case. The university says it has no plans to discontinue any additional sports and will continue to sponsor 16 Division I programs going forward. The release also makes it clear that no amount of fundraising is expected to bring tennis back, and that administrators and support staff will sit down one‑on‑one with affected student‑athletes to sort through their academic and athletic options. Those points were outlined by SLU Athletics.
Where they played and what's lost
The Billikens closed out what turned out to be their final campaign at the 2025‑26 Atlantic 10 Conference Championships last week, as covered by FOX 2. Home matches have been staged at the Dwight Davis Tennis Center in Forest Park, a public 18‑court complex that regularly hosts United States Tennis Association events. USTA tournament records list the center's address and facilities.
