Florida Tech drops football program

One of Florida’s two Division II football programs was officially eliminated Monday, May 11, as the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne announced a series of cuts brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

In a public letter, FIT President Dwanye McCay announced that along with the football program being cut, The Ruth Funk Center for Textile Arts will also close and additional staff will be furloughed. 

"The unprecedented uncertainty created by COVID-19 makes these moves prudent, but no less painful," said McCay in his letter. "We must do what is necessary to preserve resources critical to our educational mission and ensure our ability to successfully serve students when face-to-face instruction resumes this fall. I appreciate each of you, and I am humbled by your hard work and sacrifice."

The football program, which was founded in 2011 and plays in the Gulf South Conference, fields 120 student-athletes, including three from the West Orange area — including freshman linebacker Cameron Williams (Dr. Phillips), junior linebacker Evan Thompson (Foundation) and redshirt freshman center Simon-Peter Sutherland (West Orange). Those athletes on scholarship will have their scholarship awards honored for up to four years.

Just as current players are scrambling to find new programs to call home, future prospects are doing the same — Foundation Academy’s Michael Lemieux-Bott is among them. The senior signed with the team in February, but is now looking for other options to continue his football career.

“I just want to say thank you to the coaches at FIT for giving me an opportunity to play football at the next level,” said Lemieux-Bott in a tweet. “Due to the unfortunate and unexpected circumstance I need a new home! My recruitment is completely open and I need a new place to ball!”