Feb. 25, 2008

Cleveland, Tenn. - Women's golf will become Lee University's 13^th intercollegiate sport beginning with the 2008-09 school year, according to Lee President Dr. Paul Conn and Athletic Director Larry Carpenter.

 

"Lee University has become known as one of the leading places in the nation for women's athletics, and the addition of golf is long overdue," Dr. Conn said. "There are many young women in our area who are outstanding golfers, and we look forward to welcoming them to the Lee athletic program next year."

 

Women's golf will join volleyball, cross-country, soccer, basketball, softball and tennis as the university's female sports involved in NAIA intercollegiate competition.

 

"I am really excited about the addition of women's golf," said coach Carpenter. "We've experienced a tremendous amount of success over the past years with our other teams and feel we can be successful in this sport in a short period of time."

 

The Lee athletic director added, "There is a lot of talent in Bradley County and the surrounding area. "With a good recruiting class, we should be able to field a competitive team our first year. It has been our intention over the years to have a balance between men and women's sports. Adding another female sport shows the commitment Dr. Conn has for women's athletics at Lee."

 

Baseball, reinstated in 1997, was the last intercollegiate sport added to Lee's athletic program. Under the leadership of coaches David Altopp and Mark Brew, baseball has quickly joined the ranks of the NAIA's Top Five programs.

 

Carpenter noted that the women's golf team's first coach will be named at a later date and the university will begin searching for quality golfers immediately. The men's golf program, under the supervision of coach Jack Souther, has been extremely successful in recent years, and has reached the NAIA National Tournament for the past four years.

 

Lee, a member of the Southern States Athletic Conference, will join Berry, Reinhardt and Shorter as women's programs competing for conference titles. Already known for its successful in the SSAC, the Lady Flames have claimed conference titles in cross country, volleyball and soccer during the current school year. The women's basketball team is well on its way toward another basketball crown and the women are predicted to fare well in softball and tennis.