July 27, 2002	  	 
   

Life University athletes stunned to learn 
entire program scrubbed

MARIETTA ã Two Life University basketball players are looking to 
transfer to other schools now 
07/26/02

By Phillip Giltman
Marietta Daily Journal Staff Writer
 
MARIETTA ã Two Life University basketball players are looking to 
transfer to other schools now that Life has been forced to close its 
athletic programs.
„I don¼t think any of the players were prepared for this,¾ said 
freshman Justin Thomas.
Thomas and freshman Lesley Code said they learned that Life 
University will close its athletic program from Thomas¼ mother, who 
spotted it in the news.
„We had to find out from people not even affiliated with athletics,¾ 
Thomas said. „It¼s like the coaches didn¼t even want to tell us.¾
Women¼s basketball head coach John Ishee said he held a team 
meeting Tuesday at 6 p.m. announcing that unless Life University¼s 
Board of Trustees decides differently, the school will not have a 
women¼s basketball team this fall.
„Without question, they knew that the program was going to shut 
down,¾ he said. „Now I have to find homes for 14 ladies.¾
Life University Athletic Director Roger Kaiser and men¼s basketball 
head coach John Barrett were not available for comment Thursday 
afternoon.
The school decided on Tuesday to do away with the sports 
programs, a move that would save $1.8 million as part of the 
school¼s effort to cut expenses and „refocus¾ its resources on 
academics.
Code, of Denver said she lost respect for many of her coaches 
because they failed to disclose that Life was even considering 
closing its athletic programs.
„I¼m disappointed, not by the fact that they are shutting down, but 
by the fact that they didn¼t even have the decency to tell us,¾ she 
said. „Even when you approach your coaches about it, they look at 
you like åhow did you find out?¼¾
Both Thomas and Code are presently on an athletic scholarship at 
Life University that lasts until March of next year, but they have 
been told they must leave their apartments by September.
„Right now, it¼s just a mad scramble to find another school,¾ said 
Thomas, who hopes to transfer to another state school and 
continue playing basketball.
Code is hoping to transfer to Kennesaw State University this fall. 
She said she wants nothing to do with Life University, because of 
the school¼s instability.
„When you make a decision to sign a scholarship and the school 
says they will take care of you for the next four years, and they 
don¼t, it makes you kind of angry,¾ she said.
Code said the school kept the information hidden so the students 
would refrain from transferring.
„They kept it hidden because they wanted us to stick around,¾ she 
said. „We really had a good team last year. I worked for what I had, 
and it was just all taken away.¾
The university was stripped of its chiropractic accreditation in June 
and saw its enrollment drop 17 percent this summer ã a loss of 
about $2 million in tuition revenue. 
Cutting athletics will affect approximately 12 full-time and part-time 
coaches and other staff, as well as between 140 and 150 student 
athletes.
The men¼s basketball team won three NAIA championships, in 1997, 
1999 and 2000, while the men¼s track team won four of the last six 
Outdoor National Championships.
A more extensive list of budget cuts is expected to be released next 
week.
pgiltman@mdjonline.com