Pitt State to add women's soccer for 2024-25 season
Aug. 16—PITTSBURG, Kan. — Pittsburg State University announced plans to add women's soccer for the 2024-25 season, citing it as one of the fastest growing women's sports.
"This is the first women's sport we've added since 1986, and that's a big deal," Jim Johnson, director of Intercollegiate Athletics, said in a statement.
He estimated adding women's soccer will bring 25 to 30 student-athletes to Pitt State who would not otherwise enroll there. Dana Blubaugh, a recruiter with Pitt State's Office of Admission, said in the announcement that PSU "has lost great students to other universities with women's soccer teams."
The university will hire a coach following the 2023-24 season.
Work also will begin this year on plans to build a soccer stadium and facilities at the Gene Bicknell Sports Complex — home to the Pitt State baseball and softball programs.
The season takes place in the fall semester and will feature an 18-game regular season schedule. The top eight MIAA schools advance to the MIAA Postseason Tournament, with the champion earning an automatic berth to the NCAA Division II National Championships.
The addition of women's soccer brings the total women's offerings to seven: basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, volleyball, and indoor and outdoor track and field. PSU offers six men's sports: baseball, basketball, cross country, football, and indoor and outdoor track and field.
"For many areas of our country, for many populations, and in many other countries, soccer is the primary sport," President Dan Shipp said in a statement.
"We have to ask ourselves, 'Are we relevant? Are we focused on the needs of today's population?' We want to be more inclusive. The absence of soccer sends a signal to the market, and having its presence here also sends a signal."
Johnson said PSU is the only MIAA school that doesn't yet play soccer.
A Gallup poll in 2019 asserted that 52% more adults considered themselves soccer fans compared to 2012 — a growth that outpaces the other four "major" American sports of ice hockey, basketball, baseball, and football. Other polls high school soccer participation growing 32% from 2002 to 2019
