SPRINGFIELD, Mo., April 28, 2021 — Drury University will introduce seven new club sports to its lineup of 22 NCAA Division II sports and six non-NCAA sports beginning in the 2022-23 academic year.
Men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s rugby, men’s ice hockey, men’s triathlon and STUNT will join bass fishing, men’s bowling, cheer, dance, esports and shotgun sports as non-NCAA sports at Drury.
Club sports allow students to participate in a wider variety of intercollegiate competition beyond mainline athletics. Scholarships will be available for these teams where club sport governing bodies allow them, expanding opportunities for more students to obtain a Drury education while pursuing their personal passions through competition.
“We’re thrilled to launch these teams and continue the Drury tradition of offering a wide range of outlets for students’ interests beyond the classroom,” says Vice President and Director of Athletics Corey Bray. “At the same time, we’re pleased to give students who might not have otherwise been aware of the university an entry point to a world-class education at Drury.
All seven of the new club programs are supported by the Drury Athletics Department. Each team will have a full-time coach, an operating budget and scholarships where rules allow. The university is currently hiring for all seven coaching positions. Coaches will begin recruiting immediately upon hire and will spend the next year building their programs ahead of the start of competition in fall 2022. The programs will use existing Drury and Springfield community facilities.
The new sports are yet another sign of Drury’s momentum, says President Dr. Tim Cloyd.
“At a time when many universities are cutting back on the academic and co-curricular opportunities they offer to students, Drury continues to invest,” Cloyd says. “We are investing in new experiences such as marching band and club sports, new academic programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and new campus facilities such as the C.H. ‘Chub’ O’Reilly Enterprise Center and Breech School of Business.”
Anyone seeking information about the teams or coaching positions can call the DU Athletics Department at (417) 873-7265 or email Associate Athletic Director Bryan Beatty at bbeatty@drury.edu.
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Media Contact: Mike Brothers, Executive Director of University Relations – (417) 873-7390 or mikebrothers@drury.edu.
