NEWARK, Del. (AP) — The University of Delaware is adding women’s hockey as a varsity sport to coincide with the athletic department’s move up to the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Delaware announced earlier in the week it was joining the FBS and would become a member of Conference USA. With Title IX compliance in mind, the school said then it would also add a new women’s sport — and on Friday it announced that women’s hockey was the choice.
Women’s hockey has been a club sport at Delaware since 2003.
Delaware becomes the 45th school to sponsor a Division I women’s hockey team. The program will be part of College Hockey America, effective July 1, 2025. Conference USA does not have a hockey league.
Delaware said its feasibility study was funded by the Industry Growth Fund, an NHL/NHLPA initiative for schools exploring adding Division I men’s or women’s hockey.
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