Franklin Pierce to Add Women’s Swimming in 2017-18

University increases sport sponsorship to 26

Women's Swimming Prospective Student-Athlete Questionnaire

RINDGE, N.H. (October 20, 2015) – Franklin Pierce University President Andrew H. Card and Director of Athletics Bruce Kirsh announced on Tuesday the institution will add the sport of women's swimming to its varsity athletics lineup, beginning with the 2017-18 school year.

A search will begin immediately to identify a full-time coach for the team, which will utilize the Fitness & Wellness Center at Mount Wachusett Community College as its home facility. The Ravens will be the 10th Northeast-10 Conference member to sponsor women's swimming.

"We are excited to add a women's swimming program to the intercollegiate athletics family at Franklin Pierce University," said Kirsh. "With the support of the University and the commitment of our staff, we are ecstatic to continue to offer more varsity athletic opportunities than any other school of our size and our level of competition."

With the addition, Franklin Pierce will now sponsor 26 sports at the varsity level, the second-highest number of sports sponsored by any NCAA Division II member, trailing only Limestone and Lindenwood (27 each). Women's swimming will be the 15th varsity athletic program for female student-athletes, as it joins existing programs including basketball, bowling, cross country, field hockey, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, softball, tennis, indoor and outdoor track & field, and volleyball.

Franklin Pierce Athletics boasts a rich history of women's intercollegiate varsity sports. Some of the highlights of women's sports at the school include five NCAA Division II women's soccer national championships, three other NCAA title game appearances, three NCAA East Regional titles won by women's basketball from 2008-10, 33 all-time NCAA Division II Tournament appearances, 22 conference titles and six female student-athletes who have earned national player-of-the-year recognition in their respective sport.

For more information on Franklin Pierce Athletics, please visit the official website of Franklin Pierce Athletics (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu). Also be sure to follow the Ravens through the Department of Athletics' official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FranklinPierceRavens), its YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/franklinpiercesports) and its Twitter feed (http://twitter.com/FPUathletics). Fans wishing to purchase Franklin Pierce apparel can do so at the Department of Athletics' online store (http://athletics.franklinpierce.edu/store).