June 30, 2008

Fullerton, Calif. - Cal State Fullerton today discontinued its intercollegiate fencing program, which had eight male and seven female participants during the 2007-08 season.

Fullerton has been the only NCAA Div. I institution in the Intercollegiate Fencing Conference of Southern California for many years with the other programs operating as club programs. The only other NCAA Div. I fencing programs west of the Mississippi River are at Stanford and Air Force.

"We are honoring any fencing student's scholarship and will continue to provide academic advisement and pre-registration for them," said Director of Athletics Brian Quinn. "They may continue to compete in the IFCSC as a club team.

"This decision was difficult, but we are committed to sponsoring as many Big West Conference sports as budgets allow and with California in a critical funding situation with tuition, fees and housing increases, we have a large financial crisis."

Coach Mike Hinojos has been the part-time head coach the past two seasons. He previously was an assistant to Heizaburo Okawa, who retired after the 2005-06 season, his 26th as head coach of the Titans.

The Titans will have 15 sports in the 2008-09 academic year -- men's and women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, women's volleyball, men's and women's basketball, women's gymnastics, men's wrestling, women's indoor track and field, women's tennis, men's and women's outdoor track and field, softball and baseball.