The Amarillo College Board of Regents voted to bring back college sports to the school beginning in 2022-2023.
Amarillo College, which has not participated in collegiate sports since the mid-1980s, will bring back baseball, women’s volleyball, and men’s and women’s cross country.
According to an Amarillo College news release, if the new programs succeed, additional sports may be added to the school over time.
“Our goal in reestablishing athletics at AC is to offer more traditional on-campus experiences that we believe will appeal to and attract local students who are not currently choosing to attend our College,” said Dr. Paul Proffer, the regent who spearheaded the initiative.
According to the release, the plan to bring back sports to Amarillo College has been under Proffer’s director for almost the last three years. Information regarding the process and decision to bring back sports was taken through surveys given to middle school, high school and college athletes, coaches and administrators.
“We chose these particular sports to launch the program because of their relative affordability, and due to the nature of the success they regularly achieve in high schools throughout our region,” Proffer said. “I think we can stock competitive teams in these sports rather quickly.”
Amarillo College will apply for membership in the National Junior College Athletic Association and to the Western Junior College Athletic Association. Renovations will begin at Amarillo College’s Carter Fitness Center to include alterations featuring updated locker rooms, courts and bleachers.
Proffer has also stated he has met with representatives of the Amarillo Sod Poodles to possibly play the school’s baseball games at Hodgetown.