Simon Fraser University plans to suspend operations of its football program, sources told FootballScoop on Tuesday. Sources tell FootballScoop the program will not compete on the field this season.
Simon Fraser is the only NCAA member located in Canada. The Burnabay, B.C., based school competes in Division II -- and has had tremendous trouble doing so in recent years. The program was forced to play home games across the border in Washington State due to COVID-19 restrictions by the Canadian government. The dissolution of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference's football offering has also placed a heavy burden on the program; instead of playing road games in California, Oregon, and Washington, SFU was forced to join the Lone Star Conference, which, in 2022, requires two trips to Texas and one to New Mexico.
Simon Fraser went 1-9 in 2022, the program's seventh straight season winning one or fewer games. SFU did not win a game from Oct. 25, 2014 to Sept. 1, 2018 -- a string of 33 straight losses -- and has not enjoyed a winning season since joining the NCAA in 2010.
When reached by FootballScoop on Tuesday afternoon, an SFU spokesman said the university is not permanently shutting down the football program, adding that they plan to issue a release later this afternoon.
We will update this story following release of that statement.
In the meantime, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.
Update: Here is the statement from SFU president Joy Johnson:
Dear SFU Community, I am saddened to share that we are announcing the end of SFU's varsity football program. Simon Fraser University is incredibly proud of our long football history, student-athletes, coaches and alumni.
This is a difficult decision, and not one taken lightly. With the recent announcement that the team has not been invited to continue in the Lone Star Conference, we do not have a conference to play in beginning in 2024. The ongoing uncertainty creates an unacceptable experience for students. The university has carefully considered all available options and as a leadership team we concluded that football is no longer a feasible sport for SFU.
We made this decision now to give students time to make other plans for their athletic careers if they so choose. All students impacted are being supported with one-on-one guidance regarding next steps. We will support football athletes who want to explore options outside of SFU, and will honour athletic scholarship commitments for those who choose to remain at SFU and meet eligibility requirements for the 2023-24 school year.
SFU is Canada's only NCAA team. We are committed to excelling in the NCAA Division II in 18 varsity sports, with more than 300 student-athletes. In recognition of this loss to the SFU community, the SFU Athletics Awards and Hall of Fame banquet, scheduled for April 5, has been postponed until the fall. SFU Athletics will engage with the SFU football community on how best to celebrate more than 50 years of history in this sport. More details will be shared at a later date.
Thank you to everyone who has been a part of our football legacy. We are so grateful for everything you have contributed to the university, both on and off the field.
Sincerely,
Joy Johnson