Trinity Bible College has announced it is folding its football program, effective immediately.
As with other colleges that have shuttled their football programs in recent days, numbers and player safety were the reason the program shut down. TBC said it competed with less than 27 players for the past four seasons.
"Playing with so few of players puts the student-athletes at tremendous risk of serious injury. The college cannot, in good faith, continue to subject the players to this risk. There have been two NCAA Div. 3 programs that have ended/canceled in the last five years that have cited player safety because of low numbers. We have been under their 'threshold for safety' for the last 4 year," the school said in a statement. "Football has been an important part of the community of Trinity Bible College for over 30 years and will be missed tremendously."
Located in Ellendale, N.D., TBC competed in the National Christian College Athletic Association. The Lions went 3-4 this season under head coach Tanner Twigg and closed their final campaign with a 22-20 loss to the University of Colorado Springs on Saturday.
Trinity Bible is the third college program to close its doors this season and the second this week, following Lindenwood-Belleville and Cincinnati Christian. NCAA Division III program Grinnell College also canceled the remainder of its season due to a shortage of players.
In addition to head coach Twigg, Trinity Bible listed only two assistant coaches -- defensive coordinator Zach Marengo and assistant Justin King. Rounding out the staff were four student managers: Alison King, Maegan Bjerke, Lynne Borowicz and Carrie Bartz.
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