USA Triathlon Announces Three New Varsity College Triathlon Programs

USA Triathlon has announced that Millikin University, St. Thomas Aquinas College and the Milwaukee School of Engineering will offer women’s triathlon as a varsity sport starting in the fall of 2018, becoming the 16th and 17th schools in the nation to offer the sport at the varsity level for women.

The addition of triathlon to the schools' varsity sport offerings was made possible through two $70,000 grants from the USA Triathlon Foundation. The USA Triathlon Foundation Women’s Emerging Sport Grant is distributed to select NCAA membership institutions to develop, implement and sustain women’s triathlon programs at the NCAA varsity level.

Both colleges illustrate the growing trend of popularity in triathlon. Milwaukee’s multisport community is thriving, as the city hosted the USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships in 2013, 2014 and 2015. St. Thomas Aquinas is the second school in New York to add the sport to its varsity athletic offerings, joining Daemen College in Amherst. Millikin is the second school in Illinois to add it.

Triathlon received overwhelming approval through a voting process in Jan. 2014 at the NCAA Convention in San Diego by Division I, II and III colleges and universities to be included as an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women, and has a 10-year window to demonstrate sustainability as an NCAA sport option. 

For more information about triathlon as an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women and to view the current list of varsity programs, visit usatriathlon.org/ncaa. For questions regarding varsity collegiate women’s triathlon events and programming, contact Jessica Welk at Jessica.welk@usatriathlon.org.

About USA Triathlon: USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon and paratriathlon in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 4,300 races and connects with nearly 500,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work with athletes, coaches, and race directors on the grassroots level, USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of the ITU and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).