Brandywine Reinstates Golf Program; Adds Indoor Track & Field Teams

MEDIA, Pa. -- The Penn State Brandywine athletic department will be growing as the campus will be reinstating the varsity golf program, while adding men's and women's indoor track & field teams for the 2017-18 academic year announced Director of Athletics Sarah Kurpel on Friday.

With the addition of three varsity programs to the campus, Brandywine will now sponsor 16 varsity sports, by far the most among the 13 Penn State University Athletic Conference schools. Brandywine's 16 varsity sports are also the fourth-highest total among all of Penn State's campuses (University Park - 29; Behrend - 24; Harrisburg - 17).

Angela Fitch will serve as head coach of the indoor track & field teams in addition to her duties as head coach for the outdoor track & field teams in the spring and interim head coach of the cross country teams during the fall season. During its inaugural season, the men's outdoor track & field team placed fifth at the USCAA Invitational in April under Fitch's watch. She also served as the assistant cross country coach in 2016, helping the Brandywine men's squad post its third-straight top-two finish at the PSUAC Championship.

"Extending track & field into the indoor season during the winter will provide a collegiate experience that our student-athletes expect," said Kurpel.

Nolan Bacchieri, who was named head men's and women's tennis coach in April, will also serve as head golf coach for the Lions. Brandywine began its golf program during the early 1990s and last sponsored a varsity program during the 2013 fall season.

"Adding golf back into the mix for the 2017-18 academic year will allow more students to be involved in athletics at Penn State Brandywine. Since we have become a residential campus, it is important that we feature as many options for our students to compete in varsity collegiate athletics as possible. Reintroducing golf is an easy decision since we already have a championship in the PSUAC," added Kurpel. We are thankful for both Coach Fitch's and Coach Bacchieri's leadership and willingness to aid in the transition."

The golf team has a seven-match schedule set for the fall, capped off by the PSUAC/USCAA Championships at University Park's Blue Course from Oct. 9-10, while the indoor track schedule will be announced later in the fall.