DeLand, FL - The Stetson University Club Sports program announced today that they will be adding seven new club sports to their roster for the Fall 2010 semester. These new student-run, student-led clubs will be chartered this week, and include aikido, croquet, equestrian, fishing, MMA, shooting, and table tennis.

Each of these new club sports started as the vision of a specific student population and became reality through hard work and dedication to get the club chartered at Stetson. The student athletes of each individual club will take their sport to a competitive level, putting Stetson University on the map not only regionally, but nationally as well. The ultimate goal of the club sports program at Stetson University is to increase student recruitment and retention, and create an additional opportunity for students to become involved on campus.

Club sports were introduced to Stetson University in spring 2010 with the chartering of seven sport clubs: men's and women's lacrosse, sand volleyball, surf, swim, tennis, and ultimate frisbee.  These seven inaugural clubs have seen great success since being chartered, and are preparing for their first full academic year. Each club sport at Stetson University is required to have a faculty/staff advisor, which has aided in increasing awareness of the club sports program across campus. Several clubs have brought in outside coaches and instructors to help expand the knowledge base of the students in each club.

The surf club will compete in their first tournament of the year on Sunday, September 26^th in the National Scholastic Surf Association (NSSA) Southeast/North College Conference at Bethune Beach in New Smyrna, FL. The men's and women's lacrosse teams are expecting to host several of their competitions on the Stetson University campus in the fall and spring semesters, bringing an increased sense of school spirit to the students, staff, and alumni of Stetson.

For more information about club sports at Stetson University, as well as information on starting your own club, please contact Kendra Gilbertson, Coordinator of Club Sports at clubsports@stetson.edu or 386-822-8117.