The total number of sports teams at the University of Maryland is soon to be reduced.

     Effective July 1, 2012, 8 of Maryland’s 27 varsity teams are to be cut. According to washingtonpost.com, fundraising for Maryland athletics has gone down 40 percent in the past four years, leading to the necessity of cutting the sports.

     The sports to be cut are mens indoor track and field, mens outdoor track and field, mens cross country, mens swimming and diving, womens swimming and diving, mens tennis, womens water polo, and acrobatics and tumbling.

     At a news conference on November 14, Maryland President Wallace Loh said that the decision was “perhaps one of the most painful and heart-wrenching decisions I’ve made.”

     According to a report posted by Loh, 90 student-athletes will be affected by the cuts. The student’s scholarships and all affected coaches contracts will be upheld.

     Though the athletes’ scholarships will be upheld, current Maryland womens lacrosse player and former North Harford student Mary Angstadt said that most of the athletes are looking for new colleges.

     “It’s really sad,” Angstadt said, “a lot of people don’t want to go to Maryland anymore. Everyone’s really upset because they have to look for new schools.”

     The teams were given an opportunity to raise the funds that they need. If they do not want their sport to be cut, they have to raise eight years worth of funds for their sports by June 30, 2012. Mens and womens swimming must raise $11.6 million, mens track and acrobatics and tumbling must raise $9.5 million, and water polo and mens tennis must raise $8 million. The total amount of funds that need to be raised to save all the programs is over $29 million, according to figures provided by the school.

     University of Maryland Athletic Director Kevin Anderson believes that the programs will raise enough money to stay alive.

     “I would not be sitting up here if I didn’t think we had the possibility to raise these funds,” Anderson said during a news conference, “I think that we will be successful.”

     Angstadt is not so confident.

     “They said they [the teams] could do fundraisers,” Angstadt said, “but it’s just too much money. There is really nothing they can do.”