ANNAPOLIS, Md.-- Naval Academy Director of Athletic Chet Gladchuk announced Wednesday that women's triathlon will become the 36^th varsity sport at the Naval Academy starting this fall and current club head coach Billy Edwards will lead the program.  The 36 varsity sports programs are tied with Ohio State and Stanford for the most in the country among schools that sponsor FBS football.
 
"As an NCAA nationally emerging sport for women, triathlon defines exactly who we are at the Naval Academy and the type of opportunity we should offer to our midshipmen," said Gladchuk. "The broad-based requirements through highly competitive swimming, running and cycling highlight the demanding physical characteristics that correlate with personal confidence and leadership development. Our currently successful women's club team allows us a seamless transition to a varsity program. I am confident our women will be competing for the Triathlon NCAA Championship when one is offered in the very near future. My greatest degree of confidence and appreciation for Billy Edwards, who has proven to be one of the finest coaches and former competitors in the sport. His determination to bring great competitive success to our midshipmen is extraordinary and the NAAA could not find a better person to accept this exciting opportunity."
 
"I am honored to be extended the opportunity to lead this program to the next level as a varsity women's sport," said Edwards. "The hard work and leadership of the many previous Naval Academy triathletes should be credited for allowing us to confidently take this step."
 
Triathlon has been a club sport at the Naval Academy since 1992 and the Mids have won two women's National Team Championships and two individual national championships. This past fall, Navy finished third in the Women's Club National Championship. Navy has won the Armed Forces Triathlon Championship over Air Force and Army for the past eight years.
 
Women's triathlon is a fall sport and the varsity season includes two national qualifiers, followed by the Women's Collegiate Triathlon National Championship in November.
 
The draft-legal races are sprint-distance, featuring a half-mile open-water swim, draft-legal 12-mile bike and 3.1-mile run. 
 
In the draft-legal format, athletes ride and work together in packs on the bike and make multiple loops on a closed course, requiring athletes to have strong bike-handling skills and be comfortable riding in a group. 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.
 
Triathlon was approved as an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women in January of 2014, and the first varsity National Championships were held in 2015.
 
With more than 40 schools now offering women's collegiate triathlon at all levels, 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 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.
 
For more information about triathlon as an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women, visit usatriathlon.org/ncaa. 
 
The Naval Academy will still support a men's and women's club triathlon team in addition to the varsity women's program.
 
Current Division I Schools that Offers Women's Triathlon
Arizona
Arizona State
Charlotte
Delaware State
Denver
East Tennessee State
Hampton
Navy
San Francisco
South Dakota
TCU
Wagner


Most Varsity Sports with Schools that Play FBS Football
Navy: 36
Ohio State: 36
Stanford: 36
Penn State: 31
California: 30
Michigan: 29
North Carolina: 28
Army: 28
Duke: 27
Virginia: 27
Air Force: 27