Western State College of Colorado to Add Women’s Swimming and Diving

GUNNISON, Colorado, December 9. WESTERN State College of Colorado is adding two intercollegiate athletic programs for the 2012-13 academic year — women's soccer and women's swimming and diving.

The decision was made this morning in regular session by the Western State College Board of Trustees. These sports will bring Western State's offerings to 13 intercollegiate varsity teams. Women's soccer will compete in the RMAC schedule beginning in fall 2013, as the 2012 conference schedule has already been approved by the athletic directors and President's Council. Women's swimming and diving will begin competition in the RMAC in the winter of 2012-13. The funding for each program will come from the revenues generated by each student-athlete's enrollment at Western State.

The projected 50 additional student-athletes in the new programs will raise the Mountaineers' roster to approximately 340 student-athletes for each academic year. NCAA Division II reports have consistently shown that student-athletes, and particularly female student-athletes, graduate at rates higher than the general student body.

Female student-athletes also consistently have better retention rates. The addition of two women's programs will maintain Western's compliance with Title IX legislation. Searches for head coaches of both programs will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Women's Swimming and Diving Western State sponsored women's swimming and diving from 1981 through 1984 before discontinuing the program. The Mountaineers won the conference championship in three of the four seasons and placed in the top five of the NAIA national championships twice. The program will practice and conduct meets in the pool in Paul Wright Gym. The facility will need minor improvements to become ready for collegiate meets, including the reinstallation of the diving boards.

The Mountaineers will join Adams State, Colorado Mesa and Colorado Mines as full-time members of the RMAC in swimming and diving. Affiliate members in swimming and diving include Grand Canyon, Minnesota State-Moorhead, Northern State, Texas-Permian Basin and Incarnate Word. Women's Soccer This will be the first time Western State will sponsor women's soccer at the NCAA or NAIA level. The program will practice and conduct home matches on the Gateway fields near the entrance to the college off of US Highway 50. Seating, bench areas and game administration facilities are still being developed in order to be ready for fall 2012.

The Mountaineers will join Adams State, Colorado Christian, Colorado Mesa, Colorado Mines, CSU-Pueblo, Fort Lewis, Metro State, New Mexico Highlands, Regis and UC-Colorado Springs as conference members with women's soccer.

About Western State College of Colorado: Western State College of Colorado maintains one of the top athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level based on its performance in the Learfield Sports Directors Cup. The Mountaineers compete in the highest collegiate facilities in the world, and have won 15 national championships and 89 conference championships. Western student-athletes continually post graduation rates higher than the national average when compared to the student body. Western currently sponsors teams in football, volleyball, men's cross country, women's cross country, wrestling, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's indoor track and field, women's indoor track and field, men's outdoor track and field and women's outdoor track and field.

About Gunnison: Gunnison, Colo., is located on the Western Slope of Colorado's Rocky Mountains at an elevation of 7,703 feet above sea level. Founded in 1874, the community is the annual host for the Cattleman's Days rodeo and was a start point for a stage of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge this fall. Gunnison attracts visitors from across the nation for its outdoor recreation, and is within easy commutes of the Curecanti National Recreation Area (including Blue Mesa Reservoir), the Gunnison National Forest, and the Crested Butte and Monarch ski areas.

The above article is a press release submitted to Swimming World Magazine. It has been posted in its entirety without editing. Swimming World offers all outlets the chance to reach our audience by contacting us at Newsmaster@swimmingworldmagazine.com. However, Swimming World reserves the right to choose what material is posted.

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