MARIETTA, Ohio — Marietta College Director of Athletics Larry Hiser announced the addition of men's and women's golf as varsity sports, with competition beginning in the 2017-18 academic year. The golf teams will bring the total number of varsity sports at the college to 20 — 10 men's programs and 10 women's programs.

"We are truly humbled that a donor, who is very supportive of Marietta College but wishes to remain anonymous, has stepped forward to fund the return of intercollegiate golf to MC," Hiser said. "We have all the ingredients to make a very successful re-entry into the OAC golf world: early springs, short drive to even earlier warm weather, great local course and a partnership at Marietta Country Club and, most importantly, a great liberal arts institution from which to springboard into life after college."

The Marietta Country Club will serve as the home course for the Pioneers with both the men's and women's teams practicing and playing on the challenging course. With a history dating back to 1901, the MCC has been in its current location since 1920. Some of golf's greatest names have competed on the course including Jack Nicklaus, who won the 1956 Ohio Open hosted by the MCC.

The College's partnership with the Marietta Country Club extends beyond use of the course. Marietta's head men's and women's golf coach will also serve as an assistant golf professional at the club.

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations 2014-15 national participation statistics, golf ranks in the top-10 most popular sports among both boys and girls. Golf ranks sixth for boys and eighth for girls.

There were 7,241 golfers, across 688 high schools, in the state of Ohio for boys in 2014-15 and 3,057 at 479 high schools for girls.

"We are extremely pleased at Marietta College to add men's and women's golf to our already outstanding athletic department," said Marietta College President William N. Ruud. "With a long tradition of success both inside and outside of the classroom, we are excited for this opportunity and are very thankful for the gift that is allowing us to bring back golf.  We know it will provide new opportunities for students across Ohio and around the U.S. to join us and become Pioneers!!"

Within NCAA Division III, 292 institutions sponsor men's golf and 202 field a women's team. The Ohio Athletic Conference champion, both men's and women's, receives and automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament each spring.

Marietta is not a complete newcomer when it comes to golf. The Pioneers fielded a varsity men's team from 1936-2002 and had a varsity women's team for two seasons from 2001-02.

Marietta is the ninth Ohio Athletic Conference member to add golf with all nine schools fielding both a men's and women's team. The expansion of varsity programs at Marietta is the first since men's and women's cross country and track and field were reinstated in 2002.

A national search for a head coach is underway, with plans to have a coach in place by early September to begin recruiting for the 2017-18 school year.