Urbana University in Ohio will close its doors permanently at the end of the spring 2020 semester. The closure is a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Located in Urbana, Ohio, the college is a private Division II school, with an athletics program that competes in the Mountain East Conference. The school was purchased by Franklin University in 2014, continuing to operate under its own moniker even after being officially classified as a “branch campus” some three years later, in 2017.
In a statement posted to the university website, the school gave the following reason for the campus closure: “Like many small rural campuses across the country, the Urbana University Branch Campus has experienced low enrollments for many years. Franklin University’s efforts to stabilize the Urbana campus have met with some success in recent years. However, the global coronavirus pandemic has added a level of stress and uncertainty to Urbana’s prospects that make it impossible to sustain, compelling Franklin University to discontinue physical operations on the branch campus effective after the May Spring 2020 semester has ended.”
The Urbana softball program reflected a 22-member roster for the 2020 season, including ten freshmen and two seniors. After posting a 6-46 record in 2019, the team was off to a solid 4-6 start before the sudden end to the 2020 campaign.
Head coach Brooke McCartney was in her second season leading the program during the 2020 season; an Ohio Dominican alum, she previously served as an assistant coach at D3 Defiance as well as at her alma mater.
