Nov. 5, 2008

Story courtesy of Wayland Baptist Sports Information Office

PLAINVIEW, Tex. - Two years after the successful reinstatement of women’s soccer, Wayland Baptist will launch a men’s soccer program beginning in the fall of 2009, university officials announced recently.

“We are excited about what the addition of men's soccer will do for our overall athletic’s program,” WBU Director of Athletics Greg Feris said.  “The sport is more popular than ever and with the continued growth of high school soccer in Texas and college soccer in general, it appears to be a good fit for Wayland.”

The Pioneer women’s program, under the leadership of Shiloh Posey, has shown steady improvement over the last two seasons, and Feris said that the administration believes the timing is right to add the men’s game to the growing list of intercollegiate sports at Wayland.

“Not only will the university see additional student-athlete growth, but we will welcome a men's team sport to our fall lineup.  Adding a typical fall sport like men's soccer to the current women's team sports of volleyball and soccer will only increase the positive athletic environment that currently exists on campus.“

A majority of the Pioneer soccer matches will be played as doubleheaders with the women playing first, followed by the men, as is the case with the WBU basketball teams. 

According to Feris, Posey will coach both teams but there is a plan in place to provide additional staffing. 

“The program will be funded at a level equal to the women's team and competitive with the majority of teams in the Sooner Athletic Conference.  Facility upgrades to Hilliard Field, home of the WBU soccer programs, are also in the planning stages.”

The addition of men’s soccer at WBU brings the number of teams competing in the SAC to ten.  Northwestern Oklahoma State University and Lubbock Christian are the remaining two conference schools without men’s soccer programs.