HUNTSVILLE, Texas - Sam Houston State has received approval from the Texas State University System Board of Regents to add women's bowling as the University's 17th intercollegiate sport.

SHSU Director of Athletics Bobby Williams announced the new sport after studying several options for new Bearkat women's sports.

"After looking at the available competition, student interest, and facilities, we determined bowling is the best fit for our University," Williams said. "A lot of planning and thought has gone into this process and we await the action of the Board of Regents."

Sam Houston State competes in the Southland Conference at the NCAA Division I level in seven men's sports (basketball, baseball, cross country, football, golf, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field) and nine women's sports (basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, and volleyball).

Brad Hagen, a USBC Bronze coach with more than 15 years of competitive experience at the regional and national level, has been named as head coach for the new women's bowling program at Sam Houston State.

Bearkat director of athletics Bobby Williams announced that the university will begin women's bowling competition at the NCAA Division I level beginning in 2010. Hagen will join the Sam Houston athletic staff to begin laying the foundation for the new program July 1, 2009.

"When we began women's soccer as a start-up sport seven years ago, we brought in our head coach a year before we started competition to give ourselves the opportunity to get started on the right foot," Williams said. "Brad Hagen brings enthusiasm and a wealth of experience in the sport of bowling. He will hit the ground running, working to identify and recruit quality student-athletes, scheduling for the 2010 season and building community support for our 17th varsity sport at Sam Houston State."

To learn more about the world of collegiate bowling, contact USBC Collegiate Manager Gary Brown by telephone (817) 385-8427 or email gary.brown@bowl.com.