College of Saint Mary ignites two new sports for 2017-18

The College of Saint Mary announces the addition of bowling and competitive dance as two new sports for Flames Athletics in 2017-18. CSM currently has eight varsity teams and is part of the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) as a member of the National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

"The addition of bowling and competitive dance is a significant move forward for Flames Athletics," states Director of Athletics Peter Haze Haring. "I believe bowling and competitive dance are great fits for our department and the University. Each sport has a unique and diverse identity within college athletics."

Recently CSM announced a bold mission-driven decision to reduce the cost of undergraduate tuition by 33 percent ($10,000) for the 2017-18 academic year. The tuition reduction was an intentional choice to assist current and prospective students with a quality, value-based education that is accessible and more affordable.

Vice President for Student Development Dr. Tara Knudson Carl adds, "At this exciting time of growth at College of Saint Mary, we continuously look for ways to accommodate the interests and abilities of our prospective students. We have created another avenue to provide opportunities for students to be engaged and enjoy success at CSM, both academically and athletically. We look forward to the spirit and enthusiasm the addition of competitive dance and bowling will bring to our overall campus life experience."

Each sport has experienced tremendous growth within the NAIA with competitive dance & cheer becoming 24th and 25th official championship sports for the association beginning in 2016-17. The GPAC has eight current members who offer competitive dance & cheer. College of Saint Mary will become the ninth school sponsoring competitive dance in 2017-18. 

According to GPAC Commissioner Corey Westra, "It's always exciting to see one of our members in the GPAC increase their sport offerings." He continues to state, "The more opportunities our students have to participate in intercollegiate athletics the better the experience becomes during their college years. It is also encouraging to see non-traditional sports grow in popularity and our member institutions responding to that need which creates stronger intercollegiate programs."

Bowling is currently an emerging sport in the NAIA but has had the greatest growth amongst small private collegiate institutions across the United States. The sport is overseen by the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) with their National Championship occurring in April. Colleges and universities from all levels (NCAA, NAIA and NJCCA) compete for the annual championship. The new bowling program for College of Saint Mary will compete in USBC and NAIA events.

"It will be fun to see new teams compete and be a part of the CSM family." Haring goes on, "Bowling and competitive dance will not only enhance our Flames Athletics Department but also provide a quality co-curricular experience for the new students who choose to be a part of College of Saint Mary for years to come."

The search for both head coaches will begin immediately. College of Saint Mary is also developing a plan to add Track & Field as a varsity sport within the next few years.

By Carolyn Bray, sports information director