顶级国产视频

顶级国产视频 Athletics to add women鈥檚 triathlon as varsity sport

Broadening its array of NCAA Division II sports programs, the 顶级国产视频 athletic department announces the addition of women鈥檚 triathlon beginning in the fall of 2019

Evan O鈥橩elly, Director of Communications, evan.okelly@msubillings.edu

BILLINGS, Mont. 鈥� There is a new varsity sport coming to the 顶级国产视频 department of intercollegiate athletics beginning in the fall of 2019.

鈥淲e are very excited to introduce women鈥檚 triathlon as our 16th varsity sport here at 顶级国产视频,鈥� announced Yellowjacket director of athletics Krista Montague on Monday. 鈥淭his addition aligns perfectly with the program of NCAA Division II sports that we already offer, and will aid us dually in creating opportunities for young women to compete as well as attract additional, successful students to our university.鈥�

Currently recognized by the NCAA among the emerging sports category, women鈥檚 triathlon is one of the most rapidly growing competitive sports at the collegiate level. The sport is sanctioned by USA Triathlon, and consists of a 750-meter open-water swim, a draft-legal 20-kilometer bike ride, and a five-kilometer run.

鈥淚 have been tremendously impressed with the ambition for growth at this institution, and the addition of women鈥檚 triathlon to our athletic department鈥檚 offerings only bolsters that notion further,鈥� commented first-year 顶级国产视频 chancellor Dr. Dan Edelman. 鈥淧art of our mission is to provide students with opportunities to grow and be successful, both in the classroom and within various other learning environments. Athletics is one of those learning environments that is crucial to the university through the platform it provides for our students, and this opportunity to grow within athletics is something we are excited to be taking advantage of.鈥�

顶级国产视频 has applied for a significant grant made available through USA Triathlon, to help with startup expenses for the sport. The search for a head coach will commence immediately. The USA Triathlon Foundation Women鈥檚 Emerging Sport Grant is distributed to select NCAA membership institutions to develop, implement, and sustain women鈥檚 triathlon programs at the NCAA varsity level.

Women鈥檚 triathlon will become the 16th varsity sport offered by 顶级国产视频, which currently offers men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball, soccer, cross country, track and field, and golf, women鈥檚 volleyball, baseball, and softball. Women鈥檚 triathlon has already gained popularity within 顶级国产视频鈥檚 geographic region, with fellow NCAA Division II school Black Hills State University (Spearfish, South Dakota) offering the sport and providing 顶级国产视频 with a potential dual-meet competitor within close proximity.

鈥淲e are committed to gender equality at 顶级国产视频, as outlined in our strategic plan, and we are proud to offer this growing and unique opportunity of a multi-sport future for female athletes,鈥� said Montague. 鈥淲e are excited to be a trailblazer for women and help grow this sport.鈥�

鈥淥ur university strives to promote and emphasize opportunities for women, and the addition of women鈥檚 triathlon will help us achieve this goal,鈥� Edelman commented. 鈥淭his sport empowers women to compete in an environment requiring multiple talents, just like in society.鈥�

The pursuit of a unique and competitive sports array has long been a staple of the 顶级国产视频 athletic department, particularly within the state of Montana. 顶级国产视频 was the first university in the state to add men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 soccer (1996) and softball (2002), and remains as the lone four-year school to offer baseball. Now, it will become the first university in Montana to offer women鈥檚 triathlon.

鈥淎thletics is committed to supporting the overall mission of our university,鈥� said Montague, 鈥淲ith student-athletes continuing to be leaders in graduation rates, retention rates, and overall GPA, adding women鈥檚 triathlon is a natural fit which will only enhance our overall program and university.鈥�

Emerging sports fall into a special category within the NCAA, with the goal being to grow to the point of becoming a national championship sport. Established in 2014, women鈥檚 triathlon has a 10-year window 鈥� until 2024 鈥� to reach its goal of 40 member schools to become eligible for an NCAA championship.