UCLA Women’s Soccer Team Elevated From Club Status

Budget problems or no budget problems, women’s soccer has arrived at UCLA.

A club activity at the university until now, a UCLA women’s soccer team will play on the intercollegiate level in the 1993-94 season.

“We believe that this is the correct thing for us to do, and we have felt this way for a long time,” said Peter Dalis, Bruin athletic director. “We have not been able to implement our plan because of our severe budget problems, but we felt this was the right time to move ahead.”

The chancellor’s office will work with the athletic department on the financial front to get the soccer ball rolling.

“UCLA has always prided itself on having a broad-based intercollegiate athletic program,” Chancellor Charles Young said. “We feel that, for many reasons, adding this sport makes sense to us and gives us a more well-rounded program.”

Dalis insisted the decision has been considered for a long time.

A news conference had been planned for the Westwood campus on Tuesday to demand the elevation of UCLA women’s soccer to the intercollegiate level. Failure to do so would trigger a lawsuit by the Bruin soccer team against the university, according to a press release handed out by the National Organization For Women.

The suit would charge that the denial of NCAA status for women’s soccer is a violation of Title IX, which guarantees equal opportunity for male and female athletes.