But thriving doesn't mean gymnastics isn't a shrinking sport, too.

Recently, Rhode Island announced it was going to drop its program after the 2008 season, news that shocked coach Chelle Kassabian, her gymnasts and their fans.

School administrators cited a lack of interest. Gymnastics will be replaced by lacrosse, a sport that like gymnastics offers 12 scholarships. However, unlike gymnastics, those 12 scholarships can be divided among the 28 athletes the sport allows, offering more opportunities.

"It's a shock, but we're trying not to think about it and make it through the season," said Kassabian, in her 16th year with the program. "It's difficult for the team because they feel like they are being replaced, and that is sad."

In recent years, James Madison and Massachusetts eliminated their women's gymnastics programs, joining the trend that has seen programs gradually eliminated despite the leverage that Title IX gives Olympic sports.

In 1982, there were 99 women's Division I gymnastics programs; currently, there are just 64.

"It's very discouraging," Utah coach Greg Marsden said. "It's something I've been frustrated with throughout my career, especially because where schools are committed to the sport, it does well."

The best example of that success is Arkansas, which hired respected gymnastics coaches Mark and Rene Cook and qualified for the 2007 NCAA Championships in just its fifth season and is averaging 3,469 fans since its inception.

"Teams have shown the potential the sport has," Marsden said.

However, the sport does have downsides, including equipment expense and specific facilities required.

Rhode Island also was hurt by a lack of a gymnastics championship in the Atlantic 10 since George Washington and Temple are the only other programs left that sponsor the sport. There is a conference championship in lacrosse, with eight of the league members fielding teams. Altogether, there are 84 Division I lacrosse teams.

The decline in gymnastics comes as 876 women's teams were added between 1995-96 and 2004-05 and participation of female athletes increased by approximately 25,000, according to a report by the Women's Sports Foundation. Squash, tennis, skiing, rifle, sailing and fencing were among the sports the study cited as either maintaining or showing no growth.

Soccer, rowing, softball, swimming and lacrosse were found to have some of the largest gains.

Utah athletic director Chris Hill said he isn't surprised gymnastics continues to be eliminated by schools, pointing out the rapid growth of lacrosse makes it an attractive alternative. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, it is the fastest-growing high school sport over the last 10 years, with an estimate of 117,021 high school players in 2006. By contrast, there were just 19,722 high school participants in gymnastics, although that number might be low partially since private clubs draw the elite gymnasts.

"Athletic directors look at what sports are growing, and lacrosse is growing at the high school level in large numbers," Hill said. "There is some responsibility to address those interests."

Adding another women's sport is fine, said SUU gymnastics coach Scott Bauman, but it shouldn't come at the expense of the gymnastics program. He said he already has written a letter to Rhode Island administrators in support of the gymnastics program.

"It's ridiculous," he said. "We could be in the same boat since we're both small schools, but I'm really lucky that we have a great administration that backs us and supports us."

The Thunderbirds are averaging 3,068 in home attendance this year, a number Bauman uses as proof of the sport's popularity.

"Gymnastics is always one of the first sports to sell out in the Olympics; it's not a dead sport," he said. "They say it's because of a lack of interest, but let's face it, if you don't want a program, it's easy to not promote it and market it and make it look like a lack of interest."

At Rhode Island, parents and supporters are pushing school officials to change their mind so gymnastics won't be replaced.

However, Kassabian isn't getting her hopes up.

"It's scary to think about," she said. "We're trying to make some plans, but focus on the season, too."

lwodraska@sltrib.com