|
| The Big Blue Turf would be the first non-green football turf in Division III when football is first played there, possibly as soon as the fall 2017 season. |
University of New England president Danielle N. Ripich has announced that UNE will add football and women's rugby as varsity sports. The current club women's rugby team will be elevated to varsity status as early as the fall of 2015, with football expected to begin varsity competition as early as the fall of 2017.
The addition of football is expected to increase the school’s male student population by 75-100 students. UNE's current undergraduate student population is approximately 65 percent female.
In its most recent filing for the U.S. Department of Education, UNE reported 2,154 full-time undergraduates, just 632 men.
UNE would be the sixth Division III football program in the state of Maine and, barring other schools transitioning into or out of Division III or D-III schools adding football on a faster timeline, 248 schools would sponsor Division III football in 2017.
"As a result of our master planning, these options have emerged as important programs for student recruitment and retention," Ripich said. "These sports will add on-campus experiences for our athletic training students and may provide healthy sports training for our exercise science and physical therapy students."
The football team will play at The Big Blue Turf, which will undergo facility upgrades to include additional bleacher seating, construction of nearby locker rooms, and additional laundry facilities and equipment storage space. The rugby team will play on a grass field that was recently developed and will be ready for use next fall. In addition to these facilities, UNE plans to build an outdoor track and recreational tennis courts.
The Nor'easters are a member of the Commonwealth Coast Conference, which does not sponsor either football or rugby at this time. UNE will be actively seeking league affiliation for its football team. The club women's rugby team is currently ranked seventh in the National Small College Rugby Organization.
A national search to find a football coach will commence in the near future. Once hired, the head coach will be charged with the recruitment of prospective student-athletes in preparation for the start of varsity play as early as the fall of 2017.