RICHARDSON, Texas - UT Dallas Director of Athletic Bill Petitt has announced the addition of a men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field program to the Comets' intercollegiate offerings, beginning in fall 2020. The addition of the new programs will give UT Dallas 17 intercollegiate sports, participating in NCAA Division III.

The Comets will compete in the American Southwest Conference during the outdoor season. With UTD's addition, nine ASC institutions - Belhaven, Concordia Texas, East Texas Baptist, Hardin-Simmons, LeTourneau, Louisiana College, McMurry, Ozarks and UT Dallas - will sponsor outdoor track & field in 2020-21 with seven schools sponsoring indoor track & field.

The ASC has produced two outdoor team national champions on the men's side (McMurry in 2008 and 2010) as well as 18 men's individual champions and 11 women's individual champions.

"We are excited to be adding men's and women's track and field to our program," commented Petitt. "It has been more than a decade since we last added sports. By bringing our total number of NCAA-sponsored sports to 17, this addition continues to align us with our commitment to NCAA Division III. We will start with distance events and transition into a full compliment of track disciplines over the next three years. Additionally, by adding track and field we will give our cross country program to compete at an elite level."

UTD head cross country coach Danielle Kcholi will oversee the track and field programs.
 
UTD's total sports sponsored is 18 as the Comets added Esports to the fold in 2018. Esports is currently not governed by the NCAA.

Courtesy of UT Dallas