After another decade, La Salle drops football program, again

Updated: November 19, 2007, 9:29 PM ET
Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA -- La Salle University dropped its football program for the second time Monday, citing a shrinking number of conference foes for shutting down a program it revived in 1997.

La Salle reinstituted football in '97 after a 56-year absence. Two years later, the Explorers joined the 10-school Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The Explorers compiled a 35-76 record in the decade since and had consecutive winning seasons of 7-4 in 2000 and 5-4 in 2001.

The Explorers (0-10) completed a winless season Saturday with a 51-10 loss to St. Francis, Pa.

"This is a very difficult decision, and I announce it with a real sense of disappointment," Athletic Director Dr. Thomas Brennan said in a statement. "The steady dissolution of the MAAC Football League and the changing landscape of collegiate football have negatively affected our program and led us to this decision."

In the last eight years, Georgetown left the MAAC, and Fairfield, Canisius, Siena, St. John's and St. Peter's dropped their programs. Last year, Duquesne decided to change conferences in 2008, a move that would have left the Explorers, Iona and Marist as the only MAAC teams.


Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

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