As released by the West Coast Conference...
WCC WOMEN'S GOLF ADDS SEATTLE UNIVERSITY AS AFFILIATE MEMBER
The West Coast Conference announced the addition of Seattle University as an affiliate member in the sport of women's golf, beginning with the 2010-11 season.
"We are pleased to have Seattle University become a West Coast Conference affiliate member in women's golf," WCC Commissioner Jamie Zaninovich said. "Seattle University shares a common mission and values with our member schools, and we're excited to add an affiliate member in a sport that continues to expand its profile nationally."
Seattle University, which was a member of the WCC from 1971-80, has competed as an independent in women's golf since officially adding the program in September of 2007 and taking part in its first competition in September of 2008. Seattle's tradition in women's golf goes back to the 1950's, however, as Pat Lesser-Harbottle was the first woman to play on a men's collegiate golf team when she was on the 1952 Seattle roster and went on to win the 1953 U.S. Women's National Collegiate Championship.
Seattle University will make its debut as an affiliate member at the 2011 WCC Golf Championships on April 18 and 19 at a course to be determined in Northern California. The addition of Seattle in women's golf and Creighton in women's rowing as affiliate members in 2010-11 marks the WCC's first affiliates since the University of Nevada competed in baseball from 1970-91.
"Seattle University looks forward to competing in West Coast Conference women's golf as an affiliate member," Seattle Athletic Director Bill Hogan said. "Seattle's women's golf tradition is significant as our own Pat Lesser-Harbottle won the National Collegiate Women's Championship in 1953. We are off to a good start rebuilding the program under head coach Don Rasmussen."
The West Coast Conference began sponsoring women's golf during the 1996-97 school year with four charter members – Gonzaga University, Pepperdine University, University of San Francisco and Santa Clara University. The conference expanded to five in women's golf during the 1998-99 school year with the addition of the University of Portland.
Pepperdine and reigning U.S. Women's Amateur Champion Danielle Kang, also the 2009-10 WCC Freshman of the Year, won the 2010 WCC Women's Golf Championship at Hiddenbrooke Golf Club in Vallejo, California. The Waves have won nine straight conference women's golf championships and 12 of 14 overall. Pepperdine won the title from 1998-2000 and 2002-10 and University of San Francisco took top honors in 1997 and 2001.
About Seattle University
Seattle University, founded in 1891, is a Jesuit Catholic
university located on 48 acres on Seattle's Capitol Hill. More than
7,500 students are enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs
within eight schools. The athletics department is in year three of
the reclassification process towards NCAA Division I membership.
The women's golf program will be eligible for NCAA postseason
competition beginning in the 2012-13 academic year.
WCC WOMEN'S ROWING ADDS CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY AS AFFILIATE MEMBER
The West Coast Conference announced today the addition of Creighton University as an affiliate member in the sport of women's rowing, starting with the 2010-11 season.
"We are very excited about the addition of Creighton University to the West Coast Conference as an affiliate member in women's rowing," WCC Commissioner Jamie Zaninovich said. "Creighton's institutional mission and profile is very well aligned with our schools both athletically and academically. We're pleased to add an affiliate member in a sport that continues to emerge at the collegiate level."
The West Coast Conference began sponsoring women's rowing in 1997 with five institutions – Gonzaga University, Loyola Marymount University, University of San Diego, Saint Mary's College and Santa Clara University – that still make up the conference's women's rowing sponsorship today. San Diego claimed its first-ever WCC rowing title at the 2010 event, while Gonzaga has claimed 12 titles (1997-2005; 2007-09) and Loyola Marymount won the 2006 championship.
Creighton will be the conference's sixth member in women's rowing and will make its debut at the 2011 West Coast Conference Championships on Friday, April 29, 2011 at Lake Natoma in Gold River, California. The Bluejays will be the first affiliate member since the University of Nevada competed as a member of the WCC in baseball through the 1991 season (1970-91).
"It's an honor for Creighton to become an affiliate member of the West Coast Conference for women's rowing," Creighton Director of Athletics Bruce Rasmussen said. "We are excited to be part of a great conference as well as to have the opportunity to compete for conference championships and awards. I am excited to challenge our program to reach a new level and being a part of the WCC will help us reach that goal."
Creighton has competed as an independent in women's rowing since the program began competition in the fall of 1994. Bluejays head coach Dan Chipps, a Sacramento native, is entering his 11th year with the program. Creighton, which is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference in all of its other varsity sports programs, has had 20 women selected to the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Scholar-Athlete Award team since 2007.
About Creighton University
Creighton University, a Catholic, Jesuit institution located in
Omaha, Neb., enrolls more than 4,100 undergraduate and 3,200
professional school and graduate students. Nationally recognized
for providing a balanced educational experience, the University
offers a rigorous academic agenda with a broad range of
disciplines, providing undergraduate, graduate and professional
degree programs that emphasize educating the whole person:
academically, socially and spiritually. Creighton has been a
top-ranked Midwestern university in the college edition of U.S.
News & World Report magazine for more than 20 years. For more
information, visit our website at: www.creighton.edu.
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About the West Coast Conference
The West Coast Conference was formed in 1952 and has evolved and
grown to become a nationally recognized and competitive force in
Division I intercollegiate athletics, with 13 conference-sponsored
sports: baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's
cross country, men's and women's golf, women's rowing, men's and
women's soccer, men's and women's tennis and women's volleyball.
The WCC is characterized by the stability of its membership –
only two conferences have been together longer – and its
unique emphasis on combining excellence in athletics with
excellence in academics.
