Mar 4, 2010 9:51:35 AM

The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics is working on ways to expand sponsorship in equestrian as the sport recently passed its 10th year on the list of emerging sports for women.

Despite surpassing the 10-year window for emerging sports to show promise for championship status, committee members during a recent conference call reiterated support for equestrian being on the list for the foreseeable future. They say they are committed to help the sport develop strategies to expand sponsorship, including an action plan to generate enough sponsors for an NCAA championship.

A total of 23 Division I and Division II schools currently sponsor equestrian at the varsity level. The most recent Equestrian Coaches Poll listed Georgia, Auburn, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and South Carolina in its top five.

About 50 additional Division I institutions compete within the International Horse Show Association, but those institutions haven't declared the sport as an NCAA varsity program.

Committee members support educational outreach by Varsity Equestrian to other institutions that offer club programs but haven't transitioned to varsity status.

Emerging sports must gain championship status (minimum 40 varsity NCAA programs for individual sports and 28 Division III varsity programs for team sports) within 10 years or show steady progress toward that goal to remain on the list. Institutions are allowed to use emerging sports to help meet the membership minimum sports-sponsorship requirements and, in Divisions I and II, minimum financial aid requirements.

The Committee on Women's Athletics conducts its next in-person meeting May 23-25 in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Triathlon may also emerge

The Committee on Women's Athletics during its recent conference call also reviewed a proposal about adding triathlon to the list of emerging sports.

The proposal's sponsors will notify the committee when they have obtained the required 10 commitment letters necessary to be placed on the list. The supporters will then present the final proposal and commitments to the Committee on Women's Athletics. If supported, the committee would forward a request for each division to consider sponsoring legislation to add triathlon to the emerging-sports list.

The letters must be from member institutions that sponsor or intend to sponsor the sport as an emerging sport. It must include the signatures of the president and the director of athletics of those institutions. The letters also must be dated within one year of the submission of the proposal and letters. Schools interested in more information can contact Brad Hecker at the Atlantic Coast Conference or Jeff Dyrek at USA Triathlon.