OU Announces Addition Of Women's Rowing

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- University of Oklahoma officials announce the addition of a women's rowing team to its intercollegiate athletics program.<br/><br/>School officials say the athletics department

Thursday, May 10th 2007, 6:21 pm

By: News On 6

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- University of Oklahoma officials announce the addition of a women's rowing team to its intercollegiate athletics program.

School officials say the athletics department plans to recruit a coach and staff during the 2007-08 academic year to begin the process of establishing the program and building a roster.

Scholarships will be phased in over a two- to three-year period.

Chesapeake Energy chairman and chief executive officer Aubrey McClendon and Seattle SuperSonics owner Clayton Bennett worked with the Riverfront Redevelopment Authority and the OU Athletics Department on getting the sport added.

McClendon contributed $1 million and Bennett and a group of private donors will add another $1 million to build a new boathouse on the banks of the Oklahoma River.

Women's rowing will increase Oklahoma's Athletics Department programs to 21 sports.

It's the first new sport since 1996, when women's soccer was added.