San Jacinto College Phasing Out Sports Program at Main Campus

PASADENA, TX -- After more than a half-century, San Jacinto College is phasing out their men's basketball program and women's volleyball program

The announcement came Monday, and followed news earlier this year that the school's nine-hole golf course was closing.

San Jacinto's Central Campus plans is to keep both sports going through the 2016-2017 and the 2017-2018 seasons before officially shutting them down, the Pasadena Citizen reported.

"It kind of hit me blind side. Nothing's ever been mentioned about doing away with the athletics program," Assistant Basketball Coach Scott Hortsman told the Citizen. "First thing to hit my mind is how are they going to do it?, why are they going to do it?"

Ultimately, the athletic programs at all three campuses will vanish, with the exception of the baseball program at the north campus, and the softball program at the south campus.

Soccer at the South campus and women's basketball at the North campus will also eventually be shut down.

"I mean I look forward to coming to the games right now. I've already got their games on my calendar. I love junior college basketball and all of a sudden I'll have nowhere to go. I'll find somewhere to go. I'm sad
for the program, but I'm a whole lot sadder for the coaches. It changes the recruiting philosophy, the type of player they'll recruit. These players now are in a limbo," Horstman said.