They’re disappointed, but they’re not surprised.

Citing budget concerns, Southern’s administration announced the slash of women’s tennis at the end of its current season.

“We kind of saw it coming, it’s one thing to hear it, it’s another for it to really happen,” said Alex Lewis, sophomore graphic design major.

Even in the time since Wednesday’s announcement, the team has faced questions about why the athletes are keeping at it.

“We’re pushing ourselves really hard, and people ask, why are you still finishing out the season, It hurts,” said Brianna Tunnell, sophomore undecided major. “We might as well try and stay strong and positive about it.”

Of the six women on the team, two of them, Kati Andersen, sophomore general business major, and Lewis, plan to transfer schools and keep playing. Head Coach Larry McGregor said that finishing strong will be important for their recruitment and next season at a new school.

“It’s taking away part of you, it’s taking away your sport, it’s part of my life and it sucks because you don’t know if you’ll ever play again,” Lewis said. “[My parents] are just sorry that we didn’t pick a better school for me to go to.”

Despite the importance of keeping its record up, the team believes that knowing this season is its last could affect their play.

“How could it not?” Tunnell said. “It’s hard especially when we have bad days playing.”

While they don’t like the decision, the team says they can understand it.

“With the economy the way it is I understand the need for budget cuts,” Andersen said. “While I love it here at Southern, I think I will transfer just for my passion of tennis.”

The students who choose to remain at Southern will have the option of keeping their scholarships. The remaining tennis scholarships will roll back to athletics is hopes of recouping the lost enrollment.

Athletics Director Sallie Beard said the cutting of the team will mean a savings of $20,000 that will go back to the University budget.

“On a personal level it’s really sad,” Beard said. “It was one of the three inaugural sports that we introduced in 1974, and I was the first tennis coach, so I find this to be very painful.”

McGregor said he could “feel her empathy” for the team.

“I know she had a lot invested in all the sports, not just tennis,” he said. “But she did have a personal interest in the team.”

The team will take-on Washburn at 3 p.m. today.”I think they’re not looking at the end, they’re not looking at next year,” McGregor said. “They’ve played hard this year, they’ve got conference to go, they’ve got a lot of tennis yet to play and they’re not looking past that.”

Sports Editor Meagan Morrison contributed to this story.