By Brendan Ward George-Anne staff

Graphic courtesy of Consolidation Implementation Committee

The Armstrong State University/Georgia Southern University Athletics Operational Working Group announced that it will recommend to the consolidation Implementation Committee to end Armstrong State’s intercollegiate competition following the 2016-2017 season.

The decision was announced with a press release on the consolidation website on March 7.

One reason for the recommendation is a concern for the health and safety of student athletes. Recent changes in rosters has caused many sports to not have enough athletes to support a full athletic season, according to the press release.

Women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country and men’s and women’s basketball have already completed their seasons and will not compete again.

Baseball, softball, men’s and women’s tennis and men’s and women’s golf will all be allowed to finish out their athletic seasons.

Autumn Disher, sophomore undeclared, thinks ASU losing its athletics program would be unfair.

“I think it’s a little unfair, because every school should have a right to be able to partake in sports or anything that could help students out,” Disher said.

The discontinuation of Armstrong Athletics will allow any student athletes who transfer at the end of the Spring 2017 semester to take advantage of the dropped sport exception, which will allow them to compete immediately and bypass having to sit a year in residency.

There is a silver lining for Armstrong State athletes. A previous decision by the Consolidation Implementation Committee announced that all athletic scholarships for students affected by the merger will be honored throughout the consolidation process as long as they stay in good academic standing.

Pending approval by the consolidation committee, this athletic season will mark the end of 50 years of Armstrong sports.

For all updates on the Armstrong/Georgia Southern consolidation, visit the

consolidation website

.