TOPEKA, Kan. -- Beginning in 2016-17 school year, the Washburn Athletic program will offer 16 sports with the addition of men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and men's and women's cross country after approval from the Washburn Board of Regents.

The Washburn Ichabod track and field program began in the early 1900s and ran through the 1982 season when the program was discontinued. Of the fourteen schools currently members of the MIAA, 12 schools have track and field and cross country programs, Northeastern State and Missouri Western do not. 

Long-term goals in the next three years is to have approximately 45 men and 45 women student athletes making up the teams with a coaching staff to be hired this fall to start recruiting for the inagural season starting in the fall of 2016. 

"We are excited about being able to provide student athletes coming to Washburn additional opportunities to compete in intercollegiate athletics," Athletic Director Loren Ferré said. "We will now be able to attract a new set of students to the University who have not been able to participate in track and field and cross country for Washburn in more than 30 years."

With the addition of men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field and men's and women's cross country Washburn will now have men's teams competing in football, golf, baseball, basketball, tennis, track and field and cross country. On the women's side, the Ichabods will compete in basketball, volleyball, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field and cross country.