Lake Superior State University in Michigan, will become the 39th school in the United States to offer women’s triathlon at the varsity level. The NCAA Division II team will begin competing in autumn/fall 2023.
The commitment of the 39th school is a key step in triathlon’s journey toward becoming an NCAA Championship sport, as USA Triathlon is now one school away from its goal of securing 40 varsity programs by 2024.
Deemed an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women in 2014, triathlon has a 10-year window to demonstrate sustainability at the NCAA varsity level.
“Lake Superior State University is a great addition to the women’s collegiate triathlon family,” said Rocky Harris, USA Triathlon CEO.
“Seven schools have added women’s triathlon since March 2020, which is a testament to the sport’s continued upward trajectory, particularly among young athletes, as well as the hard work of our staff and members of the multisport community. We are marching ever closer toward our goal of triathlon becoming an NCAA Championship sport.”
Lake Superior State University is the second school in Michigan to offer varsity women’s triathlon, joining Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Lakers competes in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
The addition of women’s triathlon as Lake Superior State’s 13th 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.
“LSSU athletics could not be more excited to introduce women’s triathlon as an intercollegiate sport beginning in the fall of 2023,” said Dr Dave Diles, Lake Superior State University Director of Athletics.
“Through a thorough examination, we concluded that triathlon fits our department, institution and community exceptionally well. USA Triathlon has been a great partner throughout this process, and we will continue to work with them to make sure we establish a great foundation for this 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 and 5km run.
Women’s Varsity Collegiate Triathlon Programs (as at February 14, 2022)
NCAA Division I (9)
Arizona State University (Tempe, Ariz.)
Delaware State University (Dover, Del.)
East Tennessee State University (Johnson City, Tenn.)
Hampton University (Hampton, Va.)
Texas Christian University (Fort Worth, Texas)
University of Denver (Denver, Colo.)
University of San Francisco (San Francisco. Calif.)
University of South Dakota (Vermillion, S.D.)
Wagner College (Staten Island, N.Y.)
NCAA Division II (16)
American International College (Springfield, Mass.)
Belmont Abbey College (Belmont, N.C.)
Black Hills State University (Spearfish, S.D.)
Colorado Mesa University (Grand Junction, Colo.)
Daemen College (Amherst, N.Y.)
Davis & Elkins College (Elkins, W.V.)
Drury University (Springfield, Mo.)
Emmanuel College (Franklin Springs, Ga.)
King University (Bristol, Tenn.)
Lake Superior State University (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.)
Lenoir-Rhyne University (Hickory, N.C.)
Montana State University Billings (Billings, Mont.)
Newberry College (Newberry, S.C.)
Queens University of Charlotte (Charlotte, N.C.)
St. Thomas Aquinas College (Sparkill, N.Y.)
Wingate University (Wingate, N.C.)
NCAA Division III (14)
Alvernia University (Reading, Pa.)
Calvin College (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
Central College (Pella, Iowa)
Coe College (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
Concordia University Wisconsin (Mequon, Wis.)
Eastern Mennonite University (Harrisonburg, Va.)
Greensboro College (Greensboro, N.C.)
Guilford College (Greensboro, N.C.)
Millikin University (Decatur, Ill.)
North Central College (Naperville, Ill.)
Northern Vermont University-Johnson (Johnson, Vt.)
Transylvania University (Lexington, Ky.)
Trine University (Angola, Ind.)
Willamette University (Salem, Ore.)
