Can TSU Include Men’s Soccer?

While Texas Southern University (TSU) has a women’s soccer team, some question why there is no men’s team.

There are college sports that have both men’s and women’s teams, but other sports either have men’s or women’s only, and one of them is the sport of soccer.

Yes, TSU has a soccer team, but it doesn’t include men and women teams.

So, like other colleges in the country, TSU only has a women’s soccer team. Some attending TSU, student or faculty member, addressed why a men’s team is not in place.

TSU graduate student Lora Naranjo said that “the budget” is a reason why there is no men’s team.

Sophomore student and TSU soccer player Valarie Cortez said that there is an “intramural men’s team.”

TSU’s intramural team is the recreational after-school organization, mostly known as a club.

Andrew Roberts, Texas Southern Sports Information Director, said via email, “There is not currently a program at Texas Southern.”

Michael Taylor was the President of TSU Men’s Soccer Club. He said that “historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) do not have men’s soccer.”

TSU athletic director Charles McClelland spoke on the topic.

“The conference does not support soccer.”

McClelland also pointed out factors on the topic.

“From a financial standpoint and gender equity, we cannot add men’s soccer to our athletics program.”

He said, “Women’s soccer was added because of Title IX”.

Title IX is known as the law of an education amendment that prohibits discrimination of sex in any education program or activity. Soccer is where the number of women expanded, and has more women’s teams than men’s in college.

TSU Women’s Soccer Coach Kathryn Saunders thinks there should be men’s soccer.

She said men’s soccer is “a good opportunity and diversity.”

Even Naranjo would like to have men’s soccer as well.

“The men can help out the women,” Naranjo said.

She also said that having men’s soccer will “make each other better.”

But men’s soccer at TSU may not happen. It is unsure if, in the years to come, the school would include men’s soccer.

“The conference does not sponsor men’s soccer at this time,” Roberts said via email.

One thing would be the school’s budget, which is the main issue of adding men’s soccer in the college athletics program.

“They would have to share money,” Cortez said.

There are questions about sharing money once the inclusion of men’s soccer occurs.

McClelland said that “gender equity” is the issue of adding a men’s team to soccer, yet the budget issue is the biggest.

“Limited space, and difficulty,” Saunders said.

“Coaching, staff, the budget, and investing in resources and funds,” Taylor said.

Another thing of the coaching and the staff is that both teams have to share. Adding more coaches is the other element that provides more work for the program.

Since HBCUs do not have men’s soccer teams, especially in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), budgetary reasons also come into play. And time will tell if it can be included to the school.