Is Iowa next baseball program in state to go?

CEDAR RAPIDS - They held a press conference Monday afternoon to promote the last Corridor Classic. It's April 28 at Memorial Stadium, if you didn't know.

It's the last Classic because, of course, the University of Northern Iowa is dropping baseball after this season. The final death verdict was officially handed down last week, when UNI officials rejected plans by supporters to keep the baseball program funded through mostly outside means.

That casts a pall over this last game between UNI and Iowa. Everyone feels sorry for Panther coaches and players, not to mention feeling sad there's just one Division I baseball program left in the state.

"A lot of thoughts go through my head every day (about this)," said UNI Coach Rick Heller. "But, honestly, I feel better for our kids because there's closure. It was really hard knowing that you had a chance, at least a perceived chance. The kids were distracted, and we were away from home all the time. We were home seven days in March, so you're trying to fight this battle on the road.

"The kids were also getting calls from all over the country. So (imagine) being in that predicament."

A natural question now is if the U of I will be the next baseball program in the state to be faced with the predicament of having to raise a substantial amount of money in a short period of time to stay in existence.

Iowa Athletics Director Gary Barta is being forced to cut his department's budget next year because of tough economic times, though he has said he doesn't foresee or want to drop any programs. Hawkeyes baseball coach Jack Dahm was asked Monday if he has any worries about the possibility of meeting his friend Heller's fate.

"I feel very good about where the University of Iowa is with baseball," Dahm said. "That's one of the advantages (I have). I came from the Missouri Valley Conference at Creighton. Going through the financial pinch there when Creighton basketball wasn't very good, it was always an issue. But we've met with Gary Barta, and he has assured us he doesn't want to drop programs at the University of Iowa.

"Now that's the same thing Rick heard. But the thing we have going for us a little bit, of course, is being a BCS school, (and) there's some different revenue streams ... I feel very good about where we're at. I think Gary does also."

According to documents sent to the NCAA by Iowa and obtained by The Gazette through the Freedom of Information Act, expenses in 2008 for the baseball program were $1,022,966 dollars, which includes things like coaches salaries, travel, etc. Revenues were $151,120.

Dahm said he does some fundraising, primarily with a winter baseball banquet each year, but that's money that he can use to improve physical things within his program, such as seat backs at Duane Banks Field.

When he was at Creighton, Dahm said, he had to raise $100,000 a year just to meet his program's operating budget.

"Northern schools  have to travel so much," Dahm said. "They talk about a commitment to winning, but we have to put so much money into travel, to go down south to play games. Just the way (college) baseball is structured, we've got to spend the majority of our money, besides scholarships, on travel. So the way the college baseball season is (structured), I think because of that, it becomes a natural sport to look at (cutting)."

Dahm did admit to having thoughts about his program's future, especially in light of what has happened at Northern Iowa. Vermont recently announced it is dropping the sport, and there are rumors of the University of Massachusetts doing likewise.

"With other universities dropping baseball, it's one of the sports you have to look at," Dahm said. "I know wrestling went through this for a long time, too, but Dan Gable has done such a good job putting together a group together, some of the best Title IX people, that they've been able to fight it and get some of their programs back.

"I think every sport is worried. I don't think it's done, I think you'll hear of a couple more people dropping baseball. Hopefully not too many."

Dahm said if he has to start doing more fundraising, as he did at Creighton, he gladly would.

"It wouldn't bother me if we do," he said. "We've raised some money to upgrade some things in (our) facilities ... We'll do what we have to do to be successful. But, again, they do a very good job of giving us a budget to be successful."