Eastern Florida Rolls Out 2 New Varsity Sports

Eastern Florida State College announced plans Monday to add men's varsity tennis and women's varsity golf starting with the fall 2016 season.

The two teams will give Eastern Florida 11 varsity squads, which is the most of the 24 colleges competing in the Florida College System Activities Association.

The college also will field a men's non-varsity club lacrosse team beginning in spring 2016.

Eastern Florida President Dr. Jim Richey announced the programs at the college's Board of Trustees meeting, saying they will provide more opportunities for student-athletes and enhance the collegiate experience.

Eastern Florida already fields teams in baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's golf, men's and women's soccer, women's tennis, softball and volleyball, and has been gaining state and national recognition for their achievements.

The new programs allow the school to build on that success and give students yet another reason to attend the college, said Richey.

"Eastern Florida builds champions in the classroom and on the playing field, and these new programs will give our student-athletes new ways to succeed in both arenas," said Richey, "We can't wait to get them suited up and playing."

Said Jeff Carr, Eastern Florida's Associate Vice President for Athletics:

"The programs are more evidence of the important role that athletics is playing in the college's future, and with it the well-rounded educational experience that students receive here."

Eastern Florida has 175 student-athletes spread across its varsity teams. Six squads – men's soccer, women's soccer, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's golf and women's tennis – were nationally ranked last season.

The college has hosted the NJCAA Women's Soccer National Championship the past four seasons and will continue to host the event through 2016 at the Titan Soccer Complex on the Melbourne Campus. It also will host the 2016 NJCAA Division I Men's Golf National Championship at Viera's Duran Golf Club in May.

To learn more about Eastern Florida's athletic programs, visit easternflorida.edu/go/titans