USA Triathlon (USAT) has confirmed that Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will become the 10th NCAA Division I program to offer women’s triathlon at the varsity level. The team will begin competing in autumn/fall 2023.
Duquesne is the third school in 2022 to commit to offer women’s collegiate triathlon, and the first since USA Triathlon added its 40th school in February – an important milestone in triathlon’s journey to becoming an NCAA Championship sport.
Deemed an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women in 2014, triathlon has met the 10-year window to demonstrate sustainability and success at the NCAA varsity level.
Now, USAT notes that women’s triathlon has a few more steps to take on its way to being fully managed by the NCAA as a championship event, including committee, council, divisional and budget approvals.
The addition of women’s triathlon as Duquesne’s newest varsity sport is made possible through a grant from the USA Triathlon Foundation. The USA Triathlon Foundation Women’s Emerging Sport Grant is distributed to select NCAA membership institutions to develop, implement and sustain women’s triathlon programs at the varsity level.
“We are extremely pleased to add the sport of women’s triathlon beginning in the fall of 2023,” said Duquesne Vice President of Athletics Dave Harper.
“USA Triathlon was a key partner in our decision to add the program. They provided us insight and better understanding as to why women’s triathlon would be a great addition to our varsity sports programs.
“We are also extremely grateful for the grant from the USA Triathlon Foundation. It was a key piece to help us establish our plans to implement the program quickly and will be used strategically to assure our triathlon student-athletes are supported for success academically and in competition.”
Duquesne is the second school to offer women’s collegiate triathlon in Pennsylvania, joining DIII Alvernia University in Reading, Pennsylvania. The Dukes compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
“We are thrilled to welcome Duquesne University to the women’s collegiate triathlon family,” said Rocky Harris, USA Triathlon CEO.
“As the first Division I program in the state to add the sport, the school is sure to attract top student-athletes in the region. Women’s collegiate sports are thriving and we continue to gain momentum as we move toward our goal of triathlon becoming an NCAA Championship sport.”
The varsity season includes two national qualifiers followed by the Women’s Collegiate Triathlon National Championships held in November. The draft-legal races are sprint-distance, featuring a 750m open-water swim, draft-legal 20km bike leg and 5km.
www.usatriathlon.org/ncaa
www.duq.edu
