{This is the first of a three-part series addressing the recent cuts of Quinnipiac’s men’s outdoor track, golf, and women’s volleyball programs.}

James Addison Pellerano checked his inbox on Thursday afternoon to find a breaking news e-mail from The Chronicle that the golf team had been cut. Then he clicked to quchronicle.com.

This is how, a half hour before the team sat down with the assistant athletic director, Pellerano found out that his men’s outdoor track program was cut.

“I saw that golf had been cut, and I just had this sinking feeling,” Pellerano said.

He described the team meeting that followed as “very quiet” and “a more in-shock thing than angry.”

Golf and woman’s volleyball were also cut, but Shawn Green, head coach of the track team, was allegedly assured of safety by administration three days before he was told the opposite.

On the team, Pellerano raced in anything from the 800 meter to the 10 kilometer and practiced at least an hour a day. His decision to attend Quinnipiac was at least fifty percent based on running for track.

He has now applied to Northeastern University as a transfer for the upcoming fall semester, and although he plans on running track if accepted, he says the switch is for more than athletics.

“It’s hard to find track at a school with a Design major,” Pellerano said.

Shawn Green still will continue to coach men’s indoor track in addition to men and women’s cross country. Freshmen team members with athletic scholarships are planning on staying for a year to see if track is reinstated.

According to a memo posted on MyQ following The Chronicle’s story, the cuts were not without difficulty.

“It was an extremely difficult decision,” athletic director Jack McDonald said. “A variety of scenarios were explored to continue to provide gender-equitable and competitive opportunities for the greatest number of male and female student-athletes in these fiscally challenging times.

“The student-athletes, coaches and staff associated with all of the affected programs have continually represented Quinnipiac in the highest manner possible, both on and off the field of competition.”