ST CHARLES, Mo. — It's a tough time for local universities, facing financial hardships.
Earlier this month, Fontbonne University announced it will close its doors after 100 years, citing slumping enrollment.
Over at Lindenwood University, nine Division 1 sports programs have been put on the chopping block. That includes women's gymnastics, which held its final home meet this weekend.
In December, Lindenwood announced it would disband a total of ten sports including the non-NCAA men's and women's cycling programming, a decision that impacts about 284 students.
Especially with the Paris Olympics this summer, saying goodbye to last year's national gymnastics champions wasn't easy for the Lindenwood community.
Saturday's MIC Championship in St. Charles was the last home meet for Lindenwood University's gymnastics team ever.
Lindenwood's Vice President for Intercollegiate athletics, Jason Coomer, said in the original December 1, 2023 announcement: "As an Athletics Director, this is not a decision you ever want to have to make. Unfortunately, it is critical for the long-term sustainability of the department. I understand there will be considerable hurt felt by the ten teams impacted as well as by our staff and coaches."
Lauren Cartmell, a member of Lindenwood's first gymnastics team, is disappointed the university couldn't stick the landing.
"It was really cool to see the program start with building such a firm foundation and then seeing that legacy being built continuously throughout the years," Cartmell told 5 On Your Side.
With less than 70 D1 women's gymnastics teams nationwide according to USA gymnastics, athletes shared that losing even one makes the sport more competitive to earn a spot.
Universities like Auburn quickly showed solidarity in January by wearing ribbons with the Lindenwood school colors of black and gold during their own meets.
"There's also so many young gymnasts that are coming to watch these programs and that was always my dream to go and compete for a university," Cartmell said. "Being in this arena dreams became reality. Knowing that's being cut for future generations, that's what saddens me."
If young gymnasts in attendance on Saturday could say one thing to the Lindenwood team, it would be, "that you guys are really good," Lillian Hopfinger, who hopes to be a collegiate athlete someday, said. "I love your team bonding."
Standing beside her was friend and local gymnastics teammate Caroline Stutko, who added, "especially because our team is also like them. We're really close, all of us."
Competing at Lindenwood was Rayana Chapman's dream. She trains alongside Stutko and Hopfinger and was the reason all three wanted to attend the Lindenwood meet.
"I'm very upset right now because I don't want them to be cut," Chapman said.
Now she's setting her collegiate sights elsewhere.
Cartmell added there's likely to be even more interest in the sport this summer because it's always a highlight of the Olympics, making the end of this legendary program even more devastating.
This isn't the first major cut at Lindenwood though, as they closed the Belleville campus back in 2020.
5 On Your Side has reached out to the university directly for comment but has yet to hear back.