St. Norbert, which claimed last year’s Division III Men’s Ice Hockey Championship title, will add women’s ice hockey as a varsity sport in 2010-11 and become the 10th women’s program in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association.

It will give the school its 11th women’s varsity sport and boost its total of sports to 21.

“The college is delighted to be able to move ahead with women's hockey,” St. Norbert President Thomas Kunkel said. "This is an increasingly popular sport with the kind of terrific women student-athletes we want to see coming to St. Norbert.”

Hockey is the third sport the school has added for women since 1997, when it began sponsoring golf. It added women’s swimming during the 2000-01 school year.

“With our geographic location, the growth and interest in the women’s game, and the success of our men’s program, women’s hockey is a natural fit for St. Norbert College and adds to our outstanding offering of sport opportunities for student-athletes,” said Tim Bald, athletics director at the school.

St. Norbert has sponsored the sport for men since 1988 made 10 Division III championship appearances, culminating in last year’s victory.

The NCHA currently has seven women’s ice hockey members and will welcome two more, Adrian and Marian, next year before St. Norbert boosts the roster to 10 teams.

“We are extremely pleased to see St. Norbert College participate in the growth of women’s hockey,” said NCHA Commissioner Bill Kronschnabel. “With St. Norbert’s strong hockey tradition, we anticipate that its women’s team will be a formidable addition to the NCHA.