Vol. 17, No. 37July 23, 1998

Women's crew will become UD's 23rd varsity sport

Women's crew will officially become the 23rd intercollegiate varsity sport at the University of Delaware this fall, Director of Athletics Edgar N. Johnson announced July 13.

"We are excited to be adding women's crew as our newest varsity sport," Johnson said. "The team has enjoyed tremendous success at the club level, and the interest in the sport, not only from current University students but from high school students, continues to rise.

"We are extremely proud of what our athletic teams have accomplished, and we have every reason to believe that women's crew will continue that tradition," he said.

The crew team (also known as rowing) has operated as a club team for the past seven years. The team's primary season will be in the spring, but nontraditional season competition will begin this fall. Men's crew will remain a club team at Delaware.

The addition of crew brings to 23 the number of varsity sports at UD, including 12 women's teams and 11 men's teams. Women's crew is the first sport to be upgraded to varsity status since women's soccer was added in 1990. Women's soccer has posted six winning seasons in eight years.

The search for a full-time head coach should be completed shortly, Johnson said, and the staff also will include a part-time assistant coach. The team, expected to number over 50 participants, will compete in approximately 10 events during the 1998-99 season.

The team will practice on the Christina River in Wilmington. A fundraising effort is currently under way to build a boathouse there that would be shared with the Wilmington Youth Rowing Association.

Currently four other America East schools-Boston University, Northeastern, Drexel and New Hampshire-sponsor varsity women's crew, and a league championship is expected to be held within the next two years.

One of the most rapidly expanding sports for women nationally, 97 schools sponsored varsity women's crew this past spring, including 54 at the NCAA Division I level.

The second annual NCAA Women's Rowing Championship was held this past spring at Lake Lanier Rowing Club in Gainesville, Ga., with the University of Washington winning its second straight team title.