Drake’s rowing team will join the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference beginning with the 2009-10 season. The school is principally affiliated with the Missouri Valley Conference, which does not sponsor rowing.

Drake’s rowing team began as a club team in 1988 and was elevated to varsity status in 1999. The school will compete in the conference’s annual rowing championship next year.

“The MAAC welcomes Drake University to the league and applauds them for their commitment to women’s rowing,” said Commissioner Richard Ensor.

Drake rowing coach Charlie DiSilvestro believes the move to the MAAC creates a good match for both conference and institution.

“With all of (the MAAC schools) being great private academic schools with a similar number of athletes, staff and budgets, we could not have found a better match,” DiSilvestro said. “As a coach, I have followed the MAAC championships and the teams that compete in it. We have a great respect for the coaches and athletes we will be racing next spring and look forward to lining up against them.”