Leigh Torbin writes:
>--Merrimack College has also given much to its women's athletics, to
>counteract its sole DI team. SID Jim Seavey will talk all day about his
>D3 Softball championship. It is something that the school takes
>incredible pride in.
 
All true, except Jim would quickly point out that it was a DivII
championship. :-)  As Maine fans may recall, the softball team was
honored in between periods of a Maine-Merrimack game this past
December.
 
All sports at Merrimack are DivII except hockey.  Women's soccer has
also enjoyed great success recently.
 
Merrimack is working on the serious possibility of adding football
very, very soon.  This would be a DivII non-scholarship program, if
what I have heard is correct.  I'm not sure exactly how that relates
to Title IX considerations, but I suspect that because some money
would have to be spent, it needs to be countered in other ways.
Perhaps in preparation for this, Merrimack has added several women's
sports in recent years (field hockey and, I believe, lacrosse) and
there is talk of adding women's ice hockey too, as well as track for
men and women.
 
I would note that this expansion of the overall athletic program and
especially increased opportunities for women is due in large part to
the efforts of AD Bob DeGregorio.  He's doing a good job wearing both
hats as Merrimack AD and HE commissioner - and getting things done at
both jobs.
 
Also from what I have heard, the success of the 1994 NC$$ champion
softball team and the increased athletic opportunities for women have
coincided with a boost in overall interest in the college for
prospective applicants.  It's a good example of the positive effect
that athletics can have on a school.
---                                                                   ---
Mike Machnik                                            [log in to unmask]
Cabletron Systems, Inc.                                    *HMM* 11/13/93