In an email sent to its students, Dowling announced that the school would cease all operations as of June 3rd, 2016.
The news comes after months of speculation regarding financial troubles. The enrollment had plummeted 50 percent since 2009, according to Newsday.
They had been seeking outside investment and appeared to have a suitor in March, but talks did not materialize.
The school is more than $54 million in debt and were forced to close after 48 years–nearly cancelling their 2016 graduation.
The news comes at an inopportune time to us as Baseball on the Island. Our Battle of the Border was among the several sporting events planned at the campus this summer that needed to be cancelled, in addition to the Long Island Championship for girl’s lacrosse.
We will have a new venue secured and the game will go on as planned this Sunday.
As for Dowling’s players who have NCAA-eligibility remaining, they will be forced to find somewhere else to play.
Their top two pitchers, Cody McPartland and Chris Cepeda, will be highly-sought after and are already garnering interest from the top programs.
It will be one of the many story lines to follow this summer for baseball fans on Long Island.
