The University of Arizona will compete in women’s triathlon starting next fall, making it the 22nd sport offered by the Wildcats’ athletic department.
The UA made the announcement on Monday, the first full day of classes. It had been teasing the addition of a new sport since the spring, and initial indications were that an announcement was coming at the school’s Title IX celebration in June.
The UA has begun a nationwide search for its first coach. The season will run from September through November, when the Collegiate Triathlon National Championships are held. The UA says it plans to “utilize existing athletics facilities as well as local venues in Tucson” for both training and competition.
College triathlon competition consists of three events — a 750-meter open swim, a 20-kilometer bike ride and 5K run. More than 40 colleges, including Arizona State, participate in women’s triathlon.The NCAA allows each team a maximum of 6 1/2 scholarships.
Arizona is one of 12 teams in Division I, joining Arizona State, Delaware State, Denver, Duquesne, East Tennessee State, TCU, University of San Francisco, University of South Dakota, Hampton, Queens University of Charlotte and Wagner.
“Triathlon is a growing NCAA sport that has tremendous popularity locally in Southern Arizona and nationally throughout the country,” UA athletic director Dave Heeke said in a news release. “Additionally, our community is a marquee training ground for triathlon, which makes this an ideal addition to our department. This announcement comes as we celebrate the milestone anniversary of Title IX, and I look forward to watching Arizona women’s triathlon grow as another point of pride for the University of Arizona.”
Rocky Harris, the CEO of USA Triathlon, said in a news release that Tucson’s location makes the sport a natural fit.
It’s already working at Arizona State. In 2016, ASU became the first Power 5 Conference school to adopt the sport. The Sun Devils have since won five consecutive national championships.
“The state of Arizona is a world-renowned triathlon haven. With access to a variety of trails and roads that offer high-quality, year-round training, the school is sure to attract top student-athletes,” Harris said of the UA. “USA Triathlon is thrilled to see increased competitive opportunities for student-athletes at the NCAA Division I level — more opportunities will help drive collegiate triathlon competition to the highest level.”
ASU appears to be welcoming the competition. In April, ASU coach Cliff English told Cronkite News that he was eager to add the UA, Northern Arizona — and other schools in the West that wanted to compete. ASU’s closest Division I competition, for now, is San Francisco.
“Certainly for us, it’d be a priority to have schools proximate to us as well, and it gives us a little more ability to have dual meets and start a conference,” he said then.
Triathlon marks the UA’s first new sport since 2014, when it added beach volleyball.
