NCAA News Archive - 2010

back to 2010 | Back to NCAA News Archive Index

    • Print
    Tulane completes compliance plan with additional sports

    Jul 12, 2010 8:27:19 AM


    The NCAA News

     

    Tulane announced on Friday that it will add women's bowling and sand volleyball beginning in 2011-12.

    The additions culminate the university's Renewal Plan put in place after the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The goal was to bring Tulane's athletics programs back into compliance with the NCAA's Division I membership criteria by the end of fiscal year 2011, consistent with a five-year exemption from the NCAA's requirement of fielding 16 sports.

    Over the past two years, Tulane has phased six sports into full-time service, including women's tennis, women's golf, men's outdoor track and field, men's cross country, men's tennis, and women's swimming and diving.

    "The selection of bowling and sand volleyball fit well for interests and abilities of our campus and community, and also completes our commitment to rebuilding a compliant and equitable Division I program," Athletics Director Rick Dickson said. "Today marks a momentous time in our history – one which many doubted could occur five years ago – and is another testament of the resolve of Tulane in rebuilding our entire community."

    Tulane will join 33 other programs, including in-state schools Louisiana Tech, Southern and Grambling, in sponsoring women's bowling. The Green Wave bowling team will compete at New Orleans' world-famous Rock `N' Bowl.

    Sand volleyball was recently recognized by NCAA Division I and II schools as an emerging sport for women, effective August 2010 for Division II and August 2011 for Division I. Current head women's volleyball coach Sinisa Momic will lead the sand squad, as well. A former Tulane assistant coach for six years, Momic recently completed his first season as the Wave's head coach in 2009 and led Tulane to an 18-10 overall record, including a 12-4 mark in Conference USA play, and to the school's second straight NCAA tournament appearance.

    "A sport like sand volleyball adds another dimension to our program and, hopefully, in another few years, we will have the opportunity to build another nationally competitive program," Momic said.