The coach of a California private school that recently announced it was closing its campus and canceling all sports is raising money to send the men's and women's basketball teams to their postseason tournaments.
Jordan Mast, coach of the Antelope Valley University men's basketball team, told ESPN on Saturday that the school's men's and women's basketball teams have qualified to play in their conference tournaments, but school officials told them that their seasons will be canceled without outside help.
They have until Sunday to leave their dorms, team facilities and campus. The school has not offered alternative accommodations for the affected athletes.
Mast said he was aware of the NAIA school's financial problems, but school officials notified him last week of the dire circumstances. He said he asked leaders of the private, for-profit institution for the opportunity to start a GoFundMe to give their teams a chance to play in the postseason and they agreed.
“All we know is we're supposed to leave on Sunday,” Mast told ESPN. “On a call, they said, 'We don't have funds to continue your season either.' At that point, I just said, 'This isn't right. Can I raise money? Can I do something?' And they said, 'Hey, if you want to try it, go ahead.'”
Mast said he spent the week trying to contact people who can help him raise $40,000, which he said will be enough for both teams to travel during the postseason.
With an 84-75 victory over La Sierra University on Tuesday, the UAV men's basketball team sealed the Cal Pac Conference championship and automatic bid to the NAIA national tournament, but will still participate in its conference tournament. Saturday's home game against Embry-Riddle (Arizona) is the team's senior night, Mast said, and possibly the last game they will play.
The UAV women's basketball team will also clinch the conference championship and travel to the NAIA national tournament with a win over Embry-Riddle on Saturday. With a loss, the women's team would still have a chance to win their conference tournament and secure a spot.
The school told Mast it has to raise enough money for both programs to travel or it will pull them both from postseason tournaments amid the financial mess. The Valley Press reported that lease payments by the Genius Group, which operates the Lancaster, California-based school, were not made and that led to the current situation. Mast said last week that he received only 25% of his normal salary as a result of the school's problems.
Mast said he has received multiple calls from concerned parents and other parties concerned about athletes whose lives could be completely upended in the next 24 hours. He said it's not fair that the athletes, who have paid tuition and lodging expenses, are displaced.
Mast said he has remained calm amid the chaos with the help of other coaches. On a recent coaches call, Michigan assistant Saddi Washington said it's important to focus on today and not the future, a message Mast said he needed to hear to stay “positive” with his group.
“Through all this that's going on, the people who are really important are our players and our young people,” Mast said. “We told them everything we could and I just said, ‘Hey, look guys, I can't promise anything, but this is kind of a microcosm of life.’ I promised them I would give them everything I have to make this happen.”
Mast said he's not sure what will happen Sunday when his players, who live on campus, must leave their dorms and team facilities. But he is focused on raising money to extend their seasons and help the men's and women's teams have the opportunity to pursue their dreams.
“They took out loans. They paid cash,” Mast said. “You know, these players have paid for their housing. This is not a Division I school. Most of them are paying a significant amount of money. And so, not having housing or being told to move without a plan It's just been unfortunate.”
