��ܽ����Ƶ

BRISTOL, R.I. – Responding to the growing popularity among collegiate athletic competition, ��ܽ����Ƶ (��ܽ����Ƶ) will be adding three new varsity athletic programs – Men’s Ice Hockey, Women’s Ice Hockey, and Women’s Golf – bringing the total number of varsity sports at ��ܽ����Ƶ to 25. Both Men’s Ice Hockey and Women’s Golf will debut in the 2025-26 academic year, with Women’s Ice Hockey starting in the 2026-27 academic year.  

“Involvement in athletics is an enriching experience that complements a student’s education, setting them up to soar to success both in college and beyond,” said ��ܽ����Ƶ President Ioannis N. Miaoulis. “Adding these three varsity sports will provide more opportunities for our student-athletes and attract new students from across the United States and internationally.”   

A ��ܽ����Ƶ education encourages students to design powerful combinations of academic studies with real-world work opportunities and co-curricular activities, such as athletics, providing a well-rounded and fulfilling college experience. Collegiate sports foster collaboration, communication, and leadership – all skills that prepare students for success personally and professionally.  

“With popularity rising in collegiate men’s and women’s ice hockey and women’s golf, ��ܽ����Ƶ is excited to build on this interest and offer these three new athletic programs for our students,” said John King, Vice President for Student Life at ��ܽ����Ƶ. “Our new ice hockey teams are the direct result of the accomplishments of our Men’s Ice Hockey Club team, and we are delighted to add a Women’s Golf team following the success of our Men’s Golf team.”  

Last year, ��ܽ����Ƶ’s Men’s Golf team won the Commonwealth Coast Conference title and earned their first bid in school history to the NCAA Championship. The Men’s Ice Hockey Club team has been a competitive program, and most recently qualified for the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Nationals in 2020. The Men’s Ice Hockey Club program will continue to operate alongside the new varsity ice hockey program. 

“We are excited to be able to expand our offerings for our students and provide more opportunities for our campus community to cheer on the Hawks,” said Interim Athletic Director Mike Gallagher.  

��ܽ����Ƶ will be the ninth institution to sponsor Men’s Ice Hockey in the competitive Conference of New England (CNE) during the 2025-26 year, while the Women’s Ice Hockey program will be the eighth institutional sponsor within the conference when they begin competition in the 2026-27 year.  

With Women’s Golf added to ��ܽ����Ƶ’s offerings in 2025-26, the Hawks will be the sixth CNE school to offer the sport, enough programs to secure an automatic NCAA post-season bid for the conference champion. 

For information on the new Athletics programs, contact Derek Zuckerman, Dean of Student Life, at dzuckerman@rwu.edu. 

More information about