F&M Going Varsity

Franklin & Marshall, which entered a lightweight women's four in the Knecht Cup as recently as 2004, will go varsity in the spring of 2007. The Football Theorem suggests that going varsity shouldn't mean an end for F&M lightweights. They raced lightweight boats of opportunity at various times during their 22 year history as a club sport and I expect they will continue to do so. Interestingly, the men have been "elevated to club/varsity status, meaning that it will also have access to a full time coach and the use of the equipment." I'm not sure how that is different from the women, but it may be a way to give the men some benefit from the women's varsity status without having to count them as varsity for Title IX purposes.