Albany, NY--The Sage Colleges' is pleased to announce the addition of two new varsity teams to its athletics program. Endorsed by President Susan Scrimshaw and Sage's Board of Trustees, the Gators will compete in field hockey and men's lacrosse beginning with the 2018-2019 academic year. The new teams elevate the total number of Sage's varsity offerings to 17.
Director of Athletics Dani Drews made the official announcement noting, "The two programs will fit perfectly into Sage's growing athletic department." She added, "With high school participation centered in the Northeast and our new membership in the Empire 8, we are confident that we can successfully recruit over 50 new student-athletes to Sage and be immediately competitive within the conference."
Sage has steadily expanded their athletic program offerings, adding ten teams from the time span between 2008-2013. The addition of two more teams is part of Sage's strategic plan intended to make a positive impact on both the Russell Sage and Sage College of Albany campuses. Trish Cellemme, Vice President for Student Life, added, "Sage's Division III athletic programs are a vital part of the overall student experience. The women's field hockey and men's lacrosse programs will add to our robust athletic offerings and contribute to our vibrant campus life."
Sage will hire head coaches a year in advance of competition in order to recruit student-athletes for the new programs. "That plan has worked well for us in the past with several of our new programs winning conference titles and earning NCAA tournament selections," Drews noted. "Hiring great coaches that will fit at Sage is the most important thing for us to do right now." She continued, "We know that with the support of the Sage community, we will build strong programs and provide an excellent Division III student-athlete experience."
Sage will conduct national searches for head coaches for each program this spring. For more information, visit www.sagegators.com .
