Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, announced that it is adding women’s softball as a varsity sport. As a result, the university will offer 12 athletic scholarships for softball players. Duke will now offer 13 varsity sports for men and 14 for women.
In addition, Duke is increasing the number of athletic scholarships for women in the sports of fencing, rowing, swimming and diving, and track and field.
The Duke University Women’s Alumni Association and the Women’s Sports Foundation had urged Duke to increase the number of athletic scholarships for women to ensure compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.
Kevin White, vice president and director of athletics at Duke stated, “Duke University is fully committed to providing the most complete educational and athletic opportunities for women. Adding both softball and new scholarships will enhance and enrich the collective experiences for female student-athletes.”