Staff report

GREENVILLE, N.C. — East Carolina University announced Thursday that it’s cutting swimming and tennis teams in an effort to save money and reduce costs.

By eliminating men’s swimming and diving, women’s swimming and diving, men’s tennis and women’s tennis, the university projects it will save $4.9 million long-term. The decision impacts 68 student-athletes and nine coaches.

The cuts would leave ECU with 16 sports — nine women’s teams and seven men’s teams. Sixteen is the minimum number required to remain a Division I FBS school.