Transylvania University is the first school in Kentucky to offer women’s collegiate triathlon as a varsity sport.
Transy Vice President and Athletics Director Holly Sheilley says it’s an emerging NCAA sport made possible with a $70,000 grant from the USA Triathlon Foundation.
Sheilley says Kentucky is flush with triathlon competitors.
“There are a lot of people in the state of Kentucky who compete in triathlon. You know, in Louisville, they host an iron man there, but there’s also a lot of junior triathlons that go on in Kentucky,” said Sheilley.
The triathlon consists of a 750-meter swim, 20 kilometers of biking, and a 5000-meter run.
She says it’s in line with the gender equity provisions of the federal title IX law.
“You want football, you want wrestling, you want the big sports, but then you got to have sports for women as well, noted Sheilley. “And so, a lot of these emerging sports came from that idea that here’s some sports to help give women athletic opportunities like we have for men.”
Sheilley foresees a time when organized men’s triathlon activities will be offered at Transylvania. The women’s triathlon team at Transylvania will begin formal competition in 2018.
