SAGU to Begin Women's Softball in Fall 2011

WAXAHACHIE, Texas -- Make way for women’s softball on the campus of Southwestern Assemblies of God University!

Joining volleyball, soccer and basketball, already established at SAGU, softball will begin their first season next spring. It will bring the total number of athletic programs for men and women to four each. Football, soccer, basketball and baseball are played by men’s teams.

The announcement was made during a chapel service on March 5 by Dr. Kermit Bridges, Southwestern’s president. He said the sport had been in the works.

“Women’s Softball has been an important component in the university’s strategic plan to provide a full range of athletic programming for both men and women student-athletes,” he said.

“We knew there was a growing interest on campus to see softball launched, but we were particularly pleased to hear the overwhelming positive reaction from the student body when we announced in chapel… (especially) that its inaugural season would occur during the 2011-2012 academic year.”

Terry Phipps, Vice President over Student Services and who helps provide leadership to SAGU athletics said the interest in the sports has been building in recent years.

“We attempted to add softball about 10 years ago but there was not enough interest among the women students at that time. Now we have a significant amount of interest and are excited to be able to offer this opportunity to our female students.”

The team will join both the Red River Athletic Conference of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA).

Currently, eight of the conference’s 14 member institutions have softball teams. The RRAC has teams in Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana and Texas.

The Lady Lions will be practicing this fall to determine their roster for the regular season.