In the fall of 2000, William C. Eacho Jr. donated $1.4 million to the Virginia athletics department to establish a women's golf scholarship endowment. A 1945 Virginia graduate, Eacho envisioned the beginnings of a women's golf program at the University.
Almost a year later, Eacho's vision has come true.
Virginia Athletics Director Craig Littlepage announced Aug. 22 that women's golf will become the 25th intercollegiate sport at the University. The team will begin competition during the 2003-04 academic year.
According to Littlepage, there has been interest in the addition of a women's golf program at Virginia for the last five years. But it wasn't until Eacho established his endowment that the athletics department could begin planning for the team's creation.
His donation spurred many other gifts to the endowment and thus ensured the University the ability to provide scholarships for women's golf student-athletes.
"I am very excited that we are expanding our varsity sport program offerings," Littlepage said. "It speaks to our commitment to providing broad-based participation opportunities for our student-athletes. Also, it makes a statement about the commitment of dedicated and loyal friends of the University that support our efforts to have the best athletics program in the country."
The University's top-rated golf facility at the Birdwood Golf Course and the popularity of women's golf in the region make the sport a "natural fit" for the University, Virginia men's golf coach Mike Moraghan said.
"I think it's great that we're adding women's golf here," Moraghan said. "There are already other outstanding teams in the ACC in women's golf. Virginia's a good state for women's junior golfers, and we have a great course in Birdwood."
Currently, the athletics department is developing a plan and timeline for making decisions regarding administrative matters such as staffing, recruiting and scheduling for the new golf team.
According to Littlepage, the University's target date to hire a coach is next April, with hopes to "recruit the highest level prospects nationally."
Six other ACC schools have women's golf teams, including top-ranked and former national champions Duke. In 2000-01, 199 NCAA Division I schools sponsored women's golf.
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