ITHACA, N.Y. –Ithaca College will add women's sculling to its intercollegiate athletic program, beginning with the 2012-13 season. The addition of women's sculling, which will bring the college's number of varsity sports to 27 (11 men's sports, 16 women's sports), was announced by Ken Kutler, director of intercollegiate athletics and recreational sports, as part of Ithaca's continuing efforts to maintain compliance with Title IX.

Becky Robinson, who has served as the Bombers' women's crew coach for the past 17 years, will coach the sculling team as well. Beth Greene, an assistant with the crew program since 2009, has been hired as a full-time assistant with the crew and sculling programs.

"We are excited about the addition sculling as the newest varsity sport at Ithaca College”, said Ken Kutler, director of intercollegiate athletics and recreational sports. “As part of our overall Title IX compliance plan, our new sculling team represents Ithaca's next important step in creating additional competitive opportunities for women at the college."

Greene, a 2000 Ithaca graduate, was a standout rower during her Bomber career. Her freshman boat went undefeated and won gold medals at the New York State and Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championships. Greene was the program's first first-team all-American and earned Ithaca's Outstanding Achievement Award. After graduating she continued her completive career as a sculler and raced in several national team trials.
“Beth, who will assist Becky Robinson in both disciplines, has outstanding credentials and as a former rowing competitor her experience will be of great value to both teams,” praised Kutler.

Ithaca's inaugural schedule will include races against Colgate, Massachusetts and Tufts at the Head-of-the-Fish regatta in Boston. The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) will sponsor a Collegiate Sculling Championships event for the first time and the Bombers will race at the Frostbite/Braxton regatta in Philadelphia.

The inception of Ithaca's sculling program coincides with the opening of the Robert B. Tallman Rowing Center, which was built to house both rowing and sculling. One of the facility's three bays has racks for racing singles, wherries and quadruple sculls.

Ithaca's intercollegiate athletics program has been one of the most successful NCAA Division III programs in the nation, with over 700 student-athletes participating; the Bombers have won team or individual national championships in 12 sports and have placed in the top 30 of the Directors' Cup standings every year, finishing 19th last season.