STATEMENT FROM THE MIDWEST SPRINT FOOTBALL LEAGUE REGARDING THE CLOSURE OF FONTBONNE UNIVERSITY AFTER THE SUMMER OF 2025:

"Sprint football has never been stronger than it is today, with two thriving and growing leagues. Unfortunately, the economic realities of higher education have resulted in closure announcements for two universities that sponsored sprint football: Alderson Broaddus University in the CSFL and, as we learned Monday (March 11), Fontbonne University in the MSFL. We in the MSFL are saddened by the loss of these two sprint football institutions and the opportunities they made available to student-athletes. The MSFL is committed to expanding the footprint for sprint football in the Midwest and the Upper South."

Ron Prettyman, Commissioner of Midwest Sprint Football League

More from Fontbonne University

The Fontbonne University Board of Trustees has voted to declare financial exigency and cease operations after the summer 2025 term. After many years of declining enrollments and a shrinking endowment, the financial position of the university was determined to be unsustainable for the long term. The university will not admit a fall 2024 class.

Washington University has entered into a purchase agreement with Fontbonne University to acquire the 16-acre Clayton campus in the coming months. ?We are so grateful to Washington University for this partnership which will allow Fontbonne to continue to teach classes through summer 2025,? said Dr. Nancy Blattner, Fontbonne University President.

This arrangement will enable as many current students as possible to complete their degrees and graduate while also providing employment for many staff and faculty. In addition, to assist students in completing their coursework on campus, the university will provide scholarships to all undergraduate students for the summer 2024 and summer 2025 sessions to cover the cost of tuition. Multiple graduation ceremonies will be held in 2024 and 2025 to celebrate student accomplishments at Fontbonne University.