The University of Indianapolis has added two new NCAA women’s sports this 2024-25 season: triathlon and bowling. Both teams spent the summer recruiting and getting ready for both teams’ first season.
UIndy was the seventh school in the GLVC to add bowling and only the second to add triathlon, which was made possible through a grant from USA Triathlon, according to UIndy Athletics. Triathlon Head Coach Doug Robinson and Bowling Head Coach Cam Estes said they were only given two months to form these teams. After this past summer of recruitment, the teams have officially kicked off the debut year of training and competing as Greyhounds.
The triathlon team just ended its regular season as of Sept. 21, and will be starting its postseason on Oct. 12 in Springfield, Mo. at the NCAA Regionals, according to UIndy Athletics. Graduate student Gabrielle Harrell, a veteran of the UIndy cross country team and member of triathlon, said the goal was to get into the B-team Nationals, so the team needs to finish high at the regional race. Harrell said she was ready for change and decided she wanted to see more of what she was capable of which led her to getting in contact with Robinson.
The bowling team is currently in its pre-season. Freshman Emily Heldman said she is excited to begin her collegiate bowling journey and was happy to see UIndy added a bowling program. Heldman explained that during the team’s pre-season they spend two days on the lanes and three days strength training or conditioning. Estes said with the way the team is shaping up, he expects them to be a well-known Midwest college bowling team by next year.
A point of emphasis for the bowling team when it comes to goals is players academics — the players have set a goal for themselves to have a combined 3.75 GPA by the end of the season. Estes also said he aims for his team to strive for excellence off the lanes.
“I want young ladies that want to be part of giving back to the university community as well as the surrounding communities and other nonprofits in our area,” Estes said.
Robinson believes that because his team had the bravery to try, they have already shaped themselves from single-sport athletes, to true triathletes. Both of these teams have a specific set of goals to follow, Robinson said, and a lot of them have to do with accepting who and where you are, and then setting a path to become better.
“I think one of the things that excited me about coming to the University of Indianapolis and taking the job is there’s just such a long, rich tradition in the history of having good teams, and I want to be a part of that conversation,” Robinson said.
While these teams are new, the players are both proud of how far they’ve come. According to both Robinson and Estes, they are excited to be Greyhounds.
“It means something special to be part of the Greyhound family,” Estes said, “and that’s for me as a coach as well, as our athletes, and because of what we’re building, the future looks even brighter.”
