MASON CITY - NIACC announced today that it is dropping its football program, citing budget cuts as the primary reason.

NIACC was 3-6 a year ago under first-year coach Steve LaLonde.

LaLonde had signed 21 recruits to national letters of intent in February.

The Trojans were slated to open their 2009 season at home against traditional power Georgia Military Academy on Aug. 29.

With NIACC dropping the football program, Iowa Central, Ellsworth and Iowa Western are the only junior colleges in Iowa that field teams.

Iowa Western, which is coached by former NIACC coach Scott Strohmeier, is starting its first season in the fall.

NIACC currently has volleyball, men's and women's cross country and track and field, men's soccer, men's and women's basketball, wrestling, baseball, softball and men's and women's golf.