Indiana University East will add men’s cross country, women’s cross country, and women’s golf to its intercollegiate athletics program for the 2008-09 academic year.

Interim Chancellor Nasser Paydar said the move is consistent with IU East’s overall growth.

“With our new mission as a bachelor’s and master’s degree-granting campus, we are growing both our academic programs and campus life opportunities,” Paydar said. “Our growing athletics program adds to the energy and excitement on campus and creates more opportunities for our students.”

Athletic Director Mark Hester said the additions to the program were a natural step for IU East.

“The high school programs in the area have many quality student-athletes that could be the foundation to build the IU East women’s golf and cross country teams. We feel we can field very competitive teams,” Hester said. “In addition, the IU East campus will serve as a beautiful cross country course for our student-athletes and fans.”

In order to accommodate the growing athletics program, IU East has initiated a national search for an assistant athletic director that will also serve as an assistant basketball coach and head coach of the cross country teams. Hester said a search was also in process for a head women’s golf coach.

IU East joined the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in 2007. In its first year of intercollegiate athletics, IU East competed in women’s volleyball, men’s basketball, and men’s golf and also joined the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (KIAC). All IU East sports will be eligible to compete in conference tournaments in 2008-09.

IU East plans to add more sports for the 2009-10 academic year.