UPDATED: Friday, 1:56 p.m. ET.

The University of California announced today it will not reinstate its baseball program despite vigorous fundraising efforts to save it from the chopping block.

Cal announced in September that it would cut five athletics programs after the 2011 season in order to save $4 million annually. Athletics supporters quickly mobilized to form Save Cal Sports, which secured between $12 million and $16 million in pledges but fell short of the university's stated goal of $25 million needed to save all five programs.

Cal chancellor Robert J. Birgeneau issued a statement Friday saying that enough funds were raised to reinstate men's rugby, women's gymnastics and women's lacrosse, but not baseball and men's gymnastics.

"Regrettably, in spite of the best efforts of a number of their key supporters, men’s baseball and men’s gymnastics fell far short of raising the necessary philanthropic support," Birgeneau said in the statement. "Accordingly, students and staff associated with these teams must now be allowed to move forward to make other plans as these teams will cease competition as intercollegiate varsity sports for the university at the end of this academic year." [...] Continue Reading »