New name, more sporting options.

On Wednesday, Cal Poly Humboldt announced that the university will begin competing in women’s triathlon, becoming the 40th NCAA school to offer the sport at the collegiate level.

The Jacks will begin competing in the sport in the 2022-23 school year and the news comes during the 50th anniversary of Title IX.

“Cal Poly Humboldt is excited to welcome triathlon to our campus as the 12th NCAA varsity sport,” Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics & Campus Recreation Cooper Jones said in a press release. “We believe triathlon will be very successful in the near future. I look forward to growing the sport both regionally and nationally.”

Of the 12 sports the Jacks will now be competing in at the NCAA level, eight are women’s sports (volleyball, soccer, cross country, basketball, track and field, softball, rowing and triathlon) and four are men’s sports (soccer, cross country, basketball and track and field).

The addition was made possible through a grant from the USA Triathlon Foundation as well as a donation from the IRONMAN Foundation. 

“This is a monumental moment for not only Cal Poly Humboldt and the sport of triathlon, but also for women’s sports,” Rocky Harris, USA Triathlon CEO, said in a press release. “It’s fitting we’ve hit this milestone on the 50th anniversary of Title IX as this sends a resounding message across the country that women’s sports are thriving.”

Humboldt becomes the 17th Division-II institution in the country to add women’s triathlon as a varsity sport and the second in California, joining the University of San Francisco.

According to a press release announcing the decision, the commitment by Humboldt is an important milestone in triathlon’s journey to becoming an NCAA Championship sport. 

“Deemed an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women in 2014, triathlon has now met the 10-year window to demonstrate sustainability and success at the NCAA varsity level,” the press release read. “Triathlon has a few more steps to take on its way to being fully managed by the NCAA as a championship event, including committee, council, divisional and budget approvals.”

“The addition of new varsity sports to Humboldt is just one part of a visionary plan that our president, Dr. Tom Jackson, Jr., has for the future of our campus,” added Jones. “The ability to add new sports like triathlon will bring national — and even international — recognition and awareness to our growing Cal Poly Humboldt brand.”