Biola University is growing at a rapid pace; this incoming class of students is the largest in the school’s history. Among them are over 100 new athletes who have joined the Biola athletic arena. Biola has expanded its athletic department to 17 varsity sports and nearly 250 athletes – that doesn't even include the club sports.
Some of the newer sports added in the last few years include swimming, men’s and women’s golf and men’s tennis. These were added because Biola had the facilities necessary and received enough interest from undergraduate and incoming students.
Athletic director and men’s basketball Head Coach Dave Holmquist wishes Biola could add as many sports as possible to accommodate everyone so that they could attend Biola, but he knows there is a budget limit to what Biola can offer. Facilities are also an issue affecting what can be inserted as a varsity sport. Biola is excited to offer what they can so that students can continue to compete at the high level while receiving a great Christian education.
Assistant athletic director and women’s basketball Head Coach Ken Crawford explained that another factor to be considered when adding varsity sports is the issue of having enough teams in the area against which Biola can compete. Which sports are being requested? On the atypical side of things, Crawford said he has received requests for equestrian sports and even rodeo as a varsity sport.
Crawford also offered insight into what attracts all these new athletes to Biola.
“The campus visit is key,” he said. “They want to feel safe here. They want to know that as a student athlete they will be taken care of here and have a positive relationship with their teammates and coaches.”
Cross country coach Jonathan Zimmerman is thrilled with the influx of new athletes, as his team has grown immensely over the last few years. Zimmerman feels it is important to try to have many sports.
“If you don’t have the activity that students want then that will discourage them from coming here,” he said. “It's not just sport to them; it is a lifestyle.”
Zimmerman welcomes these larger teams and his prayer is that God would grow the teams as much as possible, but as they grow that he will be able to cope with the numbers and run the bigger team as efficiently as he runs a smaller team.
Zimmerman also stated he likes the fact that Biola allows its athletes to be “truly student athletes,” rather than an athlete who is in school. By that he means that Biola puts an emphasis on academics and doesn't glorify sports over what their mission truly is, which is to educate and prepare men and women in their field of choice while integrating their faith.
Sophomore Rob Clarkson said sports really weren't what drew him here initially, but the college he was planning to go to didn't have a cross country team. He prayed about his college decision and said that God really led him to Biola, where he has earned a cross country scholarship.
Sophomore Kyle Ross says a big reason he decided to come to Biola was Coach Zimmerman.
“Coach Z. was actually my high school coach and the opportunity to run for Biola and a good coach like him drew me to Biola,” said Ross. “Also I really felt God call me to Biola.” Ross admits that as an incoming freshman he did not even apply to Biola at first but is ecstatic to be here now and really enjoys being a student athlete.
“Every school in the country is going to have a gym, dorm rooms, and a place to eat,” said Zimmerman. “What makes Biola different? It is the quality of people.”
What about the possibility of more sports being added?
“I really want to solidify the sports we have and have a good foundation for them and make improvements before adding more,” said Holmquist. He did say that he would mull over the idea of more sports as Biola continues to grow.
