Barton College Announces Two New Sports Programs for 2011-2012

WILSON, N.C. – Barton College announces the addition of two new sports, men’s volleyball and women’s golf, that will round out a 16-sport line-up for the College’s athletics program, beginning fall 2011. The addition of these new programs is part of an overall recruitment strategy as Barton positions itself to achieve appreciable enrollment goals in the next few years. Overseeing recruitment strategy initiatives will be the Growth and Marketing Taskforce led by Dr. Kelly Thompson, vice president for external relations.

Barton’s two newest sports programs will also have the distinction of being recognized as Conference Carolinas Championship Sports, an honor reserved for sports programs offered by a minimum of six institutions within the Conference. Barton will be the sixth school in the Conference Carolinas to offer men’s volleyball in 2011 as the College joins Lees-McRae College, Limestone College, Mount Olive College, Pfeiffer University, and future conference member King College in Bristol, Tenn.

The women’s golf program at Barton will vie on the fairways with conference members Belmont Abbey College, Coker College, Erskine College, Limestone College, Mount Olive College, Pfeiffer University, Queens University of Charlotte, St. Andrews Presbyterian College, and future conference members King College, and North Greenville University in Tigerville, S.C.

“It is indeed an exciting time on campus as we move forward with an aggressive strategic plan for the future of Barton College that includes substantial goals for growth in enrollment,” shared Dr. Norval C. Kneten, president of Barton College. “As a dedicated member of the NCAA Division II athletics program, Barton is committed to the development of the well-rounded student-athlete, and we anticipate the addition of men’s volleyball and women’s golf to continue that strong tradition of academic and athletic success within our athletics program.”

With Barton’s addition of the women’s golf program, head men’s golf coach John Hackney will take on the duties of head women’s golf coach, and, as a result, his responsibilities as sports information director will be reduced as he assumes a larger coaching role. The College plans to hire a director of athletic media relations who will also assume the role of assistant men’s and women’s golf coach. An anticipated hire date is January 1, 2011. The men’s golf program has proudly recognized the Wilson Country Club as its home course for years, and now, the women’s golf program will have that same distinction.

The College will also conduct a search for a head men’s and women’s volleyball coach, with a desired hire date of January 10, 2011. In addition, Barton will be seeking a part-time assistant men’s volleyball coach, whose role will be defined in similar fashion as the current part-time assistant women’s volleyball coach. The head men’s and women’s volleyball coach will oversee the search for the assistant coach.

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Questions? Contact Kathy Daughety, director of public relations, at 252-399-6529 or email: kdaughety@barton.edu.