Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Women's Soccer Coming To OBU

Ouachita Baptist University athletic director Buddy Benson has announced that the school will introduce a women's varsity soccer program this coming fall.

The team will play a schedule in the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference (LSC).

"We are excited about adding women' soccer to our sports team," said Benson. "With the ever-growing international interest in the sport and its particular focus in local communities, the time seems to be right to introduce soccer to our fans, both on and off campus."

The addition of soccer will bring to six the number of varsity women's sports in the OBU athletic program. The sports are cross country, volleyball, basketball, tennis and swimming.

Benson said that Dr. Isaac Mwase, assistant professor of religion and philosophy, will serve as the head coach of the new OBU women's soccer team. Mwase has been a member of the Ouachita School of Christian Studies faculty since 1994 and will continue to teach in the area. He is a native of Zimbabwe.

The Ouachita soccer schedule will include games with conference foes University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond; West Texas A&M University in Canyon; Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas; and Northeastern University in Tahlequah, Okla.

Other teams in the LSC playing soccer and available for scheduling are East Central University of Ada, Okla.; Texas A&M University-Commerce; Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas; Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford; and Harding University in Searcy.

Students interested in competing on the Lady Tiger varsity soccer team for the 1999-2000 academic year, should contact Mwase at OBU, P. O. Box 3718, Arkadelphia, AR 71998-0001 or call 245-5523.