Chapman to add women's golf as 21st varsity sport

ORANGE, Calif. – Chapman University Athletics will add women's golf as its 21st varsity sport for the 2016-17 school year. The addition of a women's golf team is the third sport to be added to the Donald P. Kennedy Intercollegiate Athletics Program in the last five years.

Ming Lao, who is currently the head coach of the men's team, will also coach the women's team when it officially becomes a varsity sport next fall. Lao is currently in his third year as the Panthers head coach but spent the previous four seasons as an assistant coach at Chapman.

"This is our final step in in completely aligning our sport sponsorship with the SCIAC," said Director of Athletics Terry Boesel. "We are thrilled to bring a women's golf team to Chapman as our 11th women's sport and excited for the opportunities it will bring for future student-athletes."

The Panthers home course is expected to be at the Tustin Ranch Golf Course where the men's team currently practices and hosts dual matches.

Chapman joined the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletics Conference in 2011 with the expectation of growing its sport sponsorships from 17 sports to 21 sports to match the SCIAC. With the addition of women's golf, Chapman's sports sponsorship is now fully in line with SCIAC's.

The women's lacrosse and men's swimming and diving teams were elevated from club to varsity sports in 2012-13 while the men's track & field program began last year.

With the latest addition, Chapman will sponsor 10 men's sports and 11 women's sports.

by Steven Olveda
Sports Information Director

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