EUGENE, Ore.— Lane Community College will add women's volleyball and men's soccer to its successful lineup of collegiate athletic teams in 2016.
"We heard the demand from the community, we have seen the growing popularity of these two sports, and we look forward to welcoming these new student athletes to the Lane family," said Chris Hawken, division dean of Health, Physical Education and Athletics at Lane. "Our student athletes have a history of success both on and off the field, with great support from our athletics and academic programs."
Wide community interest in soccer and volleyball programs prompts hundreds of calls to Lane each year. These are few opportunities for local high school students to continue these sports in college. The University of Oregon does not offer men's soccer and their women's volleyball program recruits nationally for a limited number of openings each year.
"High school and club coaches tell stories of students moving away for sports only to return to the area having been homesick and wishing they could have followed their dreams at Lane," said Hawken. "At Lane, we have a great support system that helps students succeed in the classroom and in their athletic endeavors."
Studies at Lane show that enrolling student athletes attracts additional students. The new teams are expected to draw 100 new full-time student athletes taking 4,500 credits a year, plus 110 additional students taking at least 3,950 credits. Student athletes are also more likely to come from different backgrounds, helping to grow diversity at Lane.
The infrastructure for both sports is in place, but additional coaches will need to be hired.
"We have excellent indoor and outdoor athletic facilities thanks to the recent bond measure. These are facilities our community should be proud of," said Hawken. "A search for head coach's is currently underway. We are already recruiting and will be ready to go by summer."
Tuition and fees plus state reimbursement is projected to exceed expenses for the new sports.
Interested students should contact Lane through the Prospective Student-Athlete Questionnaire, which can be found at www.lanetitans.net
Prospective coaches can find information about the open positions on the Lane employment website at www.lanecc.edu/hr/lane-employment-online
Lane currently has eight athletics teams that consistently achieve athletic and academic success. Lane has won the NWAC (Northwest Athletic Conference) Directors Cup, 19 NWAC championships and 72 Southern Region championships. Student athletes continue their outstanding academic and athletic careers at top colleges and universities. Some have competed in the Olympics; others have become professionals. Currently, Lane student athletes achieve a completion rate of 90 percent and earn an average GPA of 3.0.
Media Contacts:
Joan Aschim (541) 463-5591 office or (541) 868-6311 cell
Trevor Steele 541) 954-0065 cell
Chris Hawken (541) 463-5547 office
For more information about Lane Community College:
Lane is an AA/EEO/Veterans/Disabilities Employer
###