MUW Taking Cautious Next Step Toward Athletics

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) — A preliminary study says Mississippi University for Women should pursue a more detailed look at returning to competitive athletics.

But the next study must answer questions about costs, training facilities, recruitment and coaches before the historic university jumps back into sports.

That committee completed its work Oct. 30 but has not yet filed its final written report.

“The committee said we definitely should pursue further study, but it raised some very good questions,” said University Counsel Perry Sansing, who is overseeing the review.

Some of those issues ranged from dressing rooms to facility maintenance to housing athletes.

The college has a long athletic history, including the 1971 women’s national basketball title. MUW President Dr. Jim Borsig announced in April the university would consider bringing back sports with tennis, swimming and some other low-cost sports possible as early as next fall.

But he says the “W” is being careful.

“I’m not going to say we have to rule that out as a possibility, but I think getting it right and taking enough time to make sure we understand what it’s going to take for us to rejoin intercollegiate athletics is more important than us being held to a hope that we can enroll students in the fall of 2013,” Borsig told WCBI Monday.

Borsig will name a self-study committee in the next few weeks. Its recommendations could be ready by next spring.