Why Small Colleges Are Closing (And What Recruits Must Know)

College Closures Are Rising: How Recruits Can Vet School Stability (D2/D3 Focus)

Keith Mondillo, with 31 years in college athletics, discusses the growing wave of college closures and mergers, especially among small, tuition-dependent Division II and III schools.

He explains how higher education is in a major reset, cites examples of recent closures and restructuring (including Cabrini University and multiple Pennsylvania public-school mergers), and breaks down why institutions fail after years of enrollment decline, heavy tuition discounting, deficits, shrinking reserves, and rising debt pressures amplified by the pandemic.

Using the recent announcement that Lourdes will close in spring 2026 as a case study, he urges recruited athletes and families to evaluate whether a school will be stable for four years.

He offers practical steps: review a nonprofit college’s IRS Form 990 via ProPublica, search audited financial statements, check enrollment trends through IPEDS/College Scorecard, verify accreditation status with regional accreditors, and ask coaches calm, direct questions about enrollment, budgets, cuts, and restructuring.

He also references his book “Don’t Pick The Wrong School” as a guide to identifying red/green flags and making objective, long-term college decisions.