Bryant University Adding Women's Bowling, Golf, Rowing

Bryant University is expanding its athletic offerings by adding a trio of women’s sports.

The private university in Rhode Island announced last week that it is adding women’s golf and women’s bowling to its athletic department, while women’s rowing will be upgraded from a club sport to a varsity program.

"The number one priority of Bryant Athletics is to support the mission and vision of this great University,” Bryant director of athletics Bill Smith said, noting that adding three sports will bring approximately 100 female student-athletes onto campus. “We are proud to help Bryant realize its vision of adding more females to our student body through the addition of these three sports.

"Bulldog athletics has a tradition of recruiting female student-athletes who are very strong academically and leaders both in the classroom and on their sports field of competition.”

Bryant’s women’s golf, bowling and rowing teams will all compete as club programs in 2021-22 before taking on varsity status in 2022-23.

"This is an exciting opportunity for our university and supports our increased focus on opportunities for female students and women's leadership development," Bryant president Ross Gittell said in the release. "I've been inspired by the dedication and outstanding achievements of our students this year, in the classroom, in residential life and on the field. By adding more of the best and brightest female student-athletes from across the country, these new programs advance our goal of building on Bryant success."

The Bryant women’s bowling team will be the ninth program in the Northeast Conference, while there will be six women’s golf programs once Bryant joins.