#04-107
May 3, 2004

Hurricanes add soccer, golf teams for Fall 2004

AMERICUS—The Georgia Southwestern State University Hurricanes are adding two new sports to their athletics program.

Intercollegiate soccer and golf, both men’s and women’s teams, will begin Fall 2004, said Randolph Barksdale, GSW athletics director.

 “We’re excited about these additional sports coming to our campus,” Barksdale said. “It will be a wonderful enhancement to Hurricane athletics.”

 “These new sports will enrich our strong athletics program,” said Georgia Southwestern President Michael L. Hanes, Ph.D. “Now, students interested in competing in soccer and golf will have one more excellent reason to consider attending Georgia Southwestern State University.”

Barksdale said he expects each soccer team to have 25 to 30 players, and each golf team to have 10 to 15 players. The teams will play on GSW’s 10 acres of regulation and intramural soccer fields off Simmons Street, and at the new Georgia Southwestern Golf & Conference Center, formerly the Americus Country Club, purchased in April by the Georgia Southwestern Foundation, Inc. The Foundation has agreed to fund start-up costs for the programs, $125,000 a year for three years, Barksdale said.

“Currently, we’re searching for a full-time soccer coach to run our men’s and women’s programs,” Barksdale said. “The golf coach will be a part-time position.”

Barksdale is already fielding calls from a preliminary letter he sent out to all the high schools in the state, announcing the addition of soccer and golf.

“We’re receiving great interest in these new sports,” he said.

Georgia Southwestern competes in the Georgia-Alabama-Carolina Conference (GACC) and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). For more information on these new programs, call the GSW Athletics Office at (229) 931-2222.

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