Jamaican coaches Mark Elliott and Lennox Graham and several student-athletes are breathing sighs of relief tonight after Clemson University decided that it will continue with its men’s outdoor track and field and cross country programmes, reversing a decision it made late last year.

In November 2020, Clemson announced that it was cutting the men’s programme at the conclusion of the 2020-21 season.

“After a long period of deliberative discussion and analysis we concluded that discontinuing our men’s track and field program is in the best long-term interests of Clemson Athletics,” said Athletics Director Dan Radakovich.

“While this decision comes during the significant financial challenges due to the ongoing pandemic, those challenges are just one of many factors that led to this decision.”

However, according to the university, following months of discussion with student-athletes, their representatives, families, supporters and others, Clemson University and the Department of Athletics decided that it will continue men’s outdoor and indoor track & field and cross country programs as varsity sports. 

“In addition, Clemson Athletics will add one or more women’s varsity sports in its continuing commitment to gender equity and to supporting our female students’ championship aspirations. A decision on which sport(s) to be added will be made in the near future,” the university said said.

The decision, they said, comes after revised financial projections show the impacts of COVID-19, while significant, did not harm the University in as drastic a way as anticipated. Last fall, facing significant financial challenges due to COVID-19, the difficult decision to end men’s track & field and cross country was deemed the most prudent path forward. 

The university said significant contributions from philanthropic fundraising, along with state and federal financial support and appropriations, have positioned the University and the Athletics Department to reconsider its decision. Their generosity will allow Clemson to reinvest in supporting the men’s track programs and to expand its women’s sports offerings.

“This is the right decision for our University, our Department of Athletics and, most importantly, for the young men and women who proudly wear the Clemson uniform,” said Clemson President Jim Clements.

“I am thrilled that we are able to continue these men’s programmes and I am excited for the new varsity opportunities we will soon be adding for our female student-athletes.”

Jamaica currently has about five or six male athletes on scholarship at Clemson among them Fabian Hewitt, LaFrenz Campbell, Rayon Holmes, Zico Campbell and Rojae Stona.

Had Clemson not reversed its position, some of these athletes would have had to seek transfers to other schools and Elliott, the Director of Track and Field and Cross Country, would have had to cut the six-member coaching staff by half.