July 23, 2004

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - Women's crew was approved by the Patriot League Council of Presidents as the League's 23rd championship sport, it was announced this week by Carolyn Schlie Femovich, Executive Director of the Patriot League.

"The Council of Presidents enthusiastically endorsed the recommendation of the Committee of Athletic Administrators to add women's rowing as a varsity championship sport," Femovich said. "The interest and opportunities created by adding a women's rowing championship demonstrates the League's ongoing commitment to the promotion of women's sports and to the experiences provided to the scholar-athletes at our member institutions."

Lake Quinsigimond in Worcester, Mass., near the campus of the College of the Holy Cross, will serve as the host site each spring. Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lehigh and Navy are expected to compete in the first championship race on April 24, 2005.

"It is special for Bucknell's rowers to have the opportunity to contribute in the President's Cup standings," said Bucknell head coach Stephen Kish. "The women on the team have been looking forward to and anticipating this change for a long time and are excited it is finalized. The venue in Worcester is an excellent site and it will be fun competing there with a Patriot League title at stake."

The League, which began as a football-only affiliation in 1986, has sponsored 22 championships since expanding to an all-sports League in 1990. The addition of women's rowing will be the 12th championship for women scholar-athletes.