Azusa Pacific University has shut down its football program, the school announced in a release.

The football program had been competing for 55 years in the NCAA and NAIA.

“This is an extremely difficult decision,” said Director of Athletics Gary Pine. “I love Cougar football, and it has meant a lot to all of us. Unfortunately, the long-term trends of college football in California have eroded the fiscal sustainability of many programs, ours included, and caused annual departmental deficits. The strategic reallocation of funding strengthens our Athletics portfolio and overall commitment to student-athletic success. These measures create the right environment for the next chapter in Cougar Athletics.”

Azusa Pacific University is a private college of 5,000 undergraduates located in Azusa, California. The football team competed in the Division II’s Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

The most famous APU football alum is former 6-year NFL veteran and 2-time Pro Bowl running back Christian Okoye. He retired as the Chiefs all-time leading rusher with 4,897 yards on 1,246 attempts. Priest Holmes later broke Okoye’s record.