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Sports
Despite playing with six players, the Lady Raiders keep game close until closing minutes
By Dana Finkler
Collegiate Staff Writer
was much closer than the nal score. With only 5:45 remaining in the game the Raiders trailed by only two points 88-86. But shortly after Janele Johnson-Ellis fouled out with 3:04 remaining. Then Jordyn Priestly fouled out with 1:53 remaining. From there Jackson CC took advantage launching a bevy of three pointers to close out the game. Jackson CC took a total of 61 three pointers making only 18 of them. Real tough game, but Im so proud of my girls for competing hard the entire game, Womens head coach, Eric Taylor. Johnson-Ellis led the team with 20 points followed by Priestly who had 19. The Raiders lost to Lansing CC on Saturday 52-60. The Raiders are currently 8-9 overall and are 3-5 in the conference. The next home game is Wednesday at the Ford Fieldhouse against #17 Lake Michigan CC. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 P.M.

The Collegiate

February 1, 2012

Womens basketball ghts to 8-9 record

The GRCC womens basketball team lost to Jackson Community College on Wednesday, January 25 in which the team nished the game with only three players. The Raiders were short-handed to begin the game only suiting up six players to start the game and nished with only three. The team was down freshman Destiney Robinson who is recovering from an ankle injury and sophomore Tatiyana Walker, who received a one game suspension after being ejected in game against Glen Oaks. The Raiders lost 113-90, but the game

What really happened to GRCCs football program?


Sports Column by Austin Metz
Editor in Chief
Eighty years of football at GRCC is gone. Beginning next fall, Grand Rapids Community College will move forward without a football team. The argument is over and the decision has been made, football is gone. In case this is new to you, this was the announcement made by GRCC President Steven Ender on January 9, 2012. Following a perfect 11-0 season, Ender cited the cost, travel issues and violations of Title IX as reasons behind the decision. Title IX states that a schools student body male-to-female ratio has to equal the student athlete male-to-female ratio and GRCCs ratio didnt meet the regulations. Athletic Director Charles Wells said in Canceled football program violated 5 NJCAA bylaws on page 1, that canceling football has been discussed since 1985. If this is the case, the question then is, why now? If this decision has been discussed since 1985 because of money issues and travel, what made this year different? Lets start with three issues that havent changed. First, every year the team has cost the school money. There just werent enough fans attending or enough general revenue to cover the cost of the team. Second, every year the school has had to pull players out of class to travel by bus to North Dakota, Georgia or Iowa. No traveling by plane for this team, way too costly. And third, every year since 1972, the program has forced GRCC to be in violation of Title IX. Every year. Then the question is, what made this year different from the rest? The answer appears to be two-fold. The rst difference is following this past season, the school found out that it would lose its head coach. Because Coach Tony Annese moved to Ferris State University, the college was not forced to re him or the majority of the assistant coaches within the program. President Ender said in a story posted at www.thecollegiatelive. com, that most assistant coaches followed Annese to Ferris and those who remained with the school were employed in other capacities. Problem solved. The second difference appears slightly more problematic. How about the threat that the program allegedly owed money to Beckett Property Management Company for football players housing? Faculty Association President Fred van Hartesveldt seemed to think this played a bigger role in canceling the program. When Beckett threatened to sue, it lead the school to scrutinize the program and interview everyone in the Fieldhouse van Hartesveldt said. Ender didnt start looking into seriously canceling the team until the threat of the Beckett lawsuit. Whether an actual lawsuit was led or not is not clear. To me it appears the school is using Title IX and money issues as justication for the canceling of the program, van Hartesveldt said. Ender is the one who ended the program and it wasnt done in regards to the budget. Both Ender and Athletic Director Wells were quoted as saying the Beckett issue had nothing to do with canceling the program. So, with all that said, what really happened? Was the program causing the school problems? Yes. Was it creating these same issues for many years? The answer is also yes. It may not be crystal clear, but it appears the player housing problem caused more of a stir than we were lead to believe. Maybe even enough of a stir to cancel the program.

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