Juniata To Add Three Varsity Sports In 2017-2018 Season

HUNTINGDON, Pa. - Juniata College has elected to add three new varsity sports to its formidable lineup of athletic programs beginning with the fall 2017 season. The college will be adding men’s and women’s golf, plus women’s lacrosse, giving Juniata 22 varsity intercollegiate sports.

For men’s golf, it marks a return as a varsity sport. It was previously offered from 1947-1994. Juniata competed in the Middle Atlantic Conference during that time and won conference titles in 1951, 1952, and 1954.

“Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the nation for high schools and colleges and many women are seeking opportunities to extend their careers as athletes while receiving a high quality education,” said athletic director and head coach for men’s basketball Greg Curley. “Adding these sports also will allow us to extend our athletic recruiting beyond our traditional reach into states such as Maryland, New York, Virginia and New Jersey. The demographic profile of athletes playing lacrosse and golf fits our academic profile to a T.”

Juniata will compete in the Landmark Conference in both sports and all members of the conference already feature women’s lacrosse or are committed to offering the spring sport in the 2017-2018 academic year. In golf, four institutions currently offer men’s golf: Elizabethtown College, Moravian College, University of Scranton and Susquehanna University, with only Susquehanna offering women’s golf.

“The market for college students seeking a personalized, liberal arts education is very competitive and offering these sports can give us a decided advantage in attracting students from northeastern states outside Pennsylvania where lacrosse and golf are hugely popular,” explained Juniata president James A. Troha. “We have made a commitment to improving our athletic and academic facilities to accommodate our academic recruitment goals and I believe once students see our commitment to excellence, they will want to be part of our growth.”

The lacrosse team will play and practice at the Winton Hill Athletic Complex, which will begin construction this spring. The college will soon start a national search for a full-time lacrosse coach, according to Curley. The golf teams will be overseen by a part-time coach.

The golf team will practice locally and the college is currently in the process of identifying which local golf courses could best accommodate college practices and time commitments.

Curley says the college will start club sports programs in both sports to get ready for the official kickoff season and also to recruit students already enrolled at Juniata that might have experience in either sport.