ATHENS, W.Va. (WVDN) – The Concord University Athletic Department has announced the creation of a women’s triathlon team.
The three aspects of triathlon are swimming, biking, and running. The mountainous terrain of southern West Virginia allows triathletes to train on some of the best conditions for competition. With the generosity of Pipestem State Park, the swimming portion of training can take place in the Adventure Lake located within the state park.
“Adding women’s triathlon to Concord is an exciting leap forward,” said President Dr. Bethany Meighen. “We’re proud to be the first in West Virginia to offer the sport and even prouder to provide more opportunities for student-athletes to grow, compete, and thrive.”
The triathlon season takes place during the fall with races beginning in late August. The season culminates with the USA Triathlon National Championship in early November.
“Firstly, I would like to express our gratitude to Dr. Meighen for her support in adding this exciting new sport to Mountain Lion Athletics,” Concord Co-Athletic Director Luke Duffy said. “I would also like to thank USA Triathlon and Tim Yount for offering their guidance and expertise in how this sport will benefit Concord University and our future student-athletes.”
While not an NCAA Division II sport, the CU women’s triathlon club team would compete against other colleges under the banner of USA Triathlon. Currently there are 41 schools across the nation that sponsor triathlon, including fellow Division II schools: King University (Bristol, Tennessee), Lenoir-Rhyne (Hickory, North Carolina), Newberry (Newberry, South Carolina) and Wingate (Wingate, North Carolina). Some notable regional schools that sponsor the sport include Duquesne (Pittsburgh), East Tennessee State (Johnson City, Tennessee), Greensboro and Guilford Colleges (Both in Greensboro, North Carolina), Hampton (Hampton, Virginia) and Queens (Charlotte).
With triathlon being brought to Concord’s campus, the student-athlete enrollment will continue to grow with more than 500 athletes already in Athens.
“Concord will become the first school in West Virginia to offer women’s triathlon,” Duffy said. “Our geographic location allows us to consistently compete against some of the strongest programs in the sport while offering a training landscape that will elevate the student-athlete experience from day one. We are excited to build and develop this program moving forward.”
The newest sport on campus will begin forming in the spring, and compete in the fall of 2026.
