North Georgia to Reinstate Women's Cross Country in 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: David Beall, jdbeall@northgeorgia.edu
DAHLONEGA, GA – North Georgia College & State University will reinstate the women's cross country team for NCAA competition in the 2012-2013 academic year.
"We are excited to bring the women's cross country team back to North Georgia," said Athletic Director Lindsay Reeves.
North Georgia discontinued its cross country program in 2010 due to funding reductions. The team's coach, Tom Williams, is also an adjunct faculty member at North Georgia and will return to coach the women's team.
Before coming to North Georgia to lead the cross country program, Williams was a legendary coach at Walton High School for 20 years and led his teams to 14 State Championship appearances.
With the addition of women's cross country, North Georgia will have five men's sports, six women's sports and one mixed team.
"North Georgia College & State University has always been a leader in providing educational opportunities for women, and it's important to us that our athletic program continues to expand competitive opportunities for women athletes," Reeves said.
North Georgia was the first public institution of higher education in Georgia to enroll and graduate a woman. It was also the first of the nation's senior military colleges to include women.
The university's athletic program is primarily funded through student fees and private contributions through the NGCSU Foundation, which supports scholarships and operation costs. Reeves expects that the athletic program can add women's cross country with no increase to the student athletic fee at this point. North Georgia is considering the possibility of adding other programs in the future.
The department of athletics at North Georgia entered the NCAA at the Division II level in the summer of 2005 and currently competes in the Peach Belt Conference (PBC), a league that is home to 30 National Championships.
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David Beall
Assistant AD for Sports Communications
North Georgia Athletics