(Portland, Ore.)—Women’s varsity soccer will return to Lewis & Clark College’s intercollegiate lineup.
"We are pleased to be able to move women’s soccer to varsity level, a long-time hope," said Michael Mooney, president of Lewis & Clark. "A variety of club and varsity sports are important to the kind of College experience we provide."
Mooney made the announcement in a meeting with the College’s women’s club soccer team.
"The College plans to field a women’s junior varsity soccer program this fall and then advance the program to varsity status for the 2004 season," said Steve Wallo, director of physical education and athletics. The College will begin a search for a women’s soccer coach in May, added Judy McMullen, associate director of physical education and athletics.
The announcement marks the return of varsity soccer to Lewis & Clark. The College previously sponsored both men’s and women’s soccer programs during the 1970s and 1980s. The programs were dropped in 1991 due to a lack of field space. The College operates one full-size stadium, Griswold Stadium, which contains seating for 3,600 people.
Graham Griswold, trustee and chair of the board, donated the materials to construct the stadium in 1954. The stadium field surface was renovated in 1999 with an AstroTurf 12 all-weather playing surface. The level field drains vertically and features an irrigation system to reduce heat and enhance the playing condition of the surface. The field has full inlaid markings for soccer and football. Over the summer, a new high-tech lighting system will be installed to enable increased use of the facility.
According to Wallo, a timeline has not been established for adding men's varsity soccer to the lineup.
The addition of women’s soccer will bring the College’s intercollegiate offerings to 19 sports, which is consistent with NCAA Division III membership philosophy calling for a well-rounded sports program. NCAA Division III is the largest single athletics affiliation of four-year colleges and universities in the United States, with more than 400 member institutions.
Lewis & Clark competes in the Northwest Conference (NWC), which includes the George Fox University, Linfield College, Pacific Lutheran University, Pacific University, University of Puget Sound, Whitman College, Whitworth College, and Willamette University. Lewis & Clark has been the only NWC institution not to offer soccer as an intercollegiate sport.
For more information about women’s varsity soccer, call Steve Wallo at 503-768-7548 or Judy McMullen at 503-768-7073. Information about Lewis & Clark athletics is available online at www.lclark.edu/dept/sports.
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