University of Indianapolis Becomes the 12th NCAA Division II School to Add Women’s Varsity Triathlon

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. —  The University of Indianapolis has become the 12th NCAA Division II program to offer women’s triathlon at the varsity level, with the Greyhounds set to begin competition in the fall 2024 season.

“We are excited The University of Indianapolis has added varsity women’s triathlon to their NCAA programs,” says USA Triathlon Chief Sport Development Officer, Tim Yount, “Their athletic department has a proven track record of success, and we anticipate the Hounds becoming one of our top DII programs.

“Because schools like The University of Indianapolis are investing in women’s NCAA varsity triathlon, more female student-athletes have the opportunity to develop as triathletes while pursuing an education," added Victoria Brumfield, CEO of USA Triathlon. “This will continue to help elevate our sport and provide new pathways for females to excel and will also serve to increase the caliber of triathletes as NCAA programs continue to grow.”

"This is an exciting time at the University of Indianapolis - an opportunity to bring Women’s sports further to the forefront,” says Andrea Walker, Associate Athletic Director for Academics. “Today's addition of Women's Triathlon -- our first program addition in a decade -- offers an even broader selection of opportunities, now and into the future. We are in a great location to help bring this emerging sport to the national stage and provide increased athletic opportunities for women at UIndy. Today is a very special day to be a Greyhound!"

The addition of women's triathlon as a collegiate varsity sport at The University of Indianapolis is made possible through a grant from the USA Triathlon Foundation. The USA Triathlon Foundation Women's Emerging Sport Grant is distributed to NCAA membership institutions to develop, implement, and sustain women's triathlon programs at the varsity level.

The commitment by the University of Indianapolis continues the momentum women’s collegiate triathlon has gathered toward becoming an NCAA Championship sport. With more than 40 schools now offering women’s collegiate triathlon, the NCAA Emerging Sport for Women has met the 10-year window to demonstrate sustainability and success at the NCAA varsity level. Women’s Triathlon now has a few more steps to take on its way to being fully managed by the NCAA as a championship event, including committee, council, divisional and budget approvals.

A fall sport, the women’s triathlon varsity season includes National Qualifiers, followed by the Women’s Collegiate Triathlon National Championships. The draft-legal races are sprint-distance, featuring a 750-meter open-water swim, draft-legal 20-kilometer bike and 5-kilometer run. Women’s Varsity Collegiate Regional Championships are being held Oct. 12 in Springfield, Missouri and Charlotte, North Carolina, and the Women’s Collegiate Triathlon National Championships will be held Nov. 9 in Clermont, Florida.

In the draft-legal format, athletes work together in packs on the bike and make multiple loops on a closed course. The exciting, spectator-friendly draft-legal format is the same format contested in the triathlon competition at the Olympic Games and on the World Triathlon Championship Series circuit.

For more information about triathlon as an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women, visit https://www.usatriathlon.org/multisport/ncaa-triathlon.

Interested in helping to identify and recruit the next women’s varsity collegiate triathlon program? Athletes currently competing in the sport and those who come from single-sport backgrounds are invited to compete at the NCAA level. Inquiries may be directed to Tim Yount, USA Triathlon Chief Sport Development Officer, at tim.yount@usatriathlon.org.

USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon, paratriathlon, and indoor and virtual multisport events in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 3,500 events and races and connects with and supports more than 300,000 unique active members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work at the grassroots level with athletes, coaches, and race directors — as well as the USA Triathlon Foundation — USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Triathlon World Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

NCAA Division I (16)

Arizona State University (Tempe, Ariz.)

Delaware State University (Dover, Del.)

Chicago State University (Chicago, Ill.)

Duquesne (Pittsburgh, Pa.)

East Tennessee State University (Johnson City, Tenn.)

Hampton University (Hampton, Va.)

La Salle University (Philadelphia, Pa.)

Queens University of Charlotte (Charlotte, N.C.)

Texas Christian University (Fort Worth, Texas)

University of Arizona (Tucson, Ariz.)

University of Denver (Denver, Colo.)

University of Northern Kentucky (Highland Heights, Ky.)

University of San Francisco (San Francisco. Calif.)

University of South Dakota (Vermillion, S.D.)

U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis, Md.)

Wagner College (Staten Island, N.Y.)

NCAA Division II (12)

Black Hills State University (Spearfish, S.D.)

Cal Poly Humboldt (Arcata, Calif.)

Colorado Mesa University (Grand Junction, Colo.)

Drury University (Springfield, Mo.)

Emmanuel College (Franklin Springs, Ga.)

King University (Bristol, Tenn.)

Lenoir-Rhyne University (Hickory, N.C.)

Newberry College (Newberry, S.C.)

Roberts Wesleyan University (Rochester, N.Y.)

St. Thomas Aquinas College (Sparkill, N.Y.)

University of Indianapolis (Indianapolis, Ind.)

Wingate University (Wingate, N.C.)

NCAA Division III (13)

Alvernia University (Reading, Pa.)

Calvin College (Grand Rapids, Mich.)

Central College (Pella, Iowa)

Coe College (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)

Concordia University Wisconsin (Mequon, Wis.)

Eastern Mennonite University (Harrisonburg, Va.)

Greensboro College (Greensboro, N.C.)

Guilford College (Greensboro, N.C.)

Millikin University (Decatur, Ill.)

North Central College (Naperville, Ill.)

Trine University (Angola, Ind.)

Warren Wilson College (Swannanoa, N.C.)

Willamette University (Salem, Ore.)