Wellesley Adds Softball to Varsity Competition in 2004-05

From a Wellesley College Release

WELLESLEY, MA – Wellesley College Athletics Director Louise O’Neal announced that the sport of softball will become the Wellesley’s newest varsity sport, beginning intercollegiate athletic competition in 2004-05.

O’Neal reports that Wellesley will immediately begin the search for a softball coach to lead the development of this new program.

“The Wellesley College community is extremely pleased with the addition of a softball team to our intercollegiate athletic program,” said O’Neal. “With the addition of a state-of-the art softball facility as part of Wellesley’s 36-million dollar field’s project, it was a natural progression in continuing to offer increased opportunities for Wellesley students.”

Wellesley, a member of the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference, currently sponsors 12 intercollegiate sports – crew, cross country, basketball, field hockey, golf, soccer, fencing, squash, tennis, lacrosse, volleyball, and swimming and diving - competing on the NCAA Division III level.

“As with all of its sports the NEWMAC offers tremendous competition and opportunities for its member schools and student-athletes,” said O’Neal. “We look forward to participating in its softball tradition.”

Wellesley softball will join Babson, Clark, Coast Guard, Mount Holyoke, MIT, Smith, Springfield, WPI and Wheaton in NEWMAC competition in the spring of 2005. The NEWMAC has sponsored championships in softball since 1988. Each year the conference champion earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Tournament.