Texas A&M-San Antonio is adding men’s and women’s cross country and track and field programs to its young athletics department, announcing Monday that the new teams will begin competition in the 2026-27 academic year.
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Because indoor and outdoor track and field are counted as separate sports, A&M-San Antonio touted Monday’s additions as “the largest expansion of its athletics program in university history,” bringing the department to 12 varsity sports offerings. The number of student-athletes in the program is expected to rise from more than 130 to nearly 200.
A&M-San Antonio’s competition-quality track and field is projected to open this spring. The facility, along with a new softball complex, was funded through a $10 million investment from Bexar Country.
“This is an incredibly exciting moment for Jaguar athletics and for the university. Adding these sports will not only open new opportunities for student-athlete participation but also contribute to a more vibrant campus culture and enhance the student experience and school spirit,” athletic director Darnell Smith said. “Athletics offers experiences that unify and energize the campus, as well as giving the community opportunities to interact with the University and see what makes A&M-San Antonio such a special place.”
Texas A&M-San Antonio cheerleaders get the crowd riled up with free t-shirts during a break in the women’s basketball game against the Southern University at New Orleans Knights inside the new A&M-San Antonio Recreation Center on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. (Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News)
A&M-San Antonio launched an NAIA athletics program in 2020 with men’s and women’s soccer, men’s golf and softball, then debuted men’s and women’s basketball programs in 2024.
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“We are making decisions that best position the institution for success and growth,” university president Salvador Hector Ochoa said. “The expansion of intercollegiate athletics is an integral part of the University’s strategic plan, as we continue our journey to becoming a destination campus and the school of first choice for an increasing number of students across Bexar County and all of Texas.”
This article originally published at Texas A&M-San Antonio adds cross country, track and field programs.