In an attempt to broaden its athletic horizons, CMU conducted a survey last week to gauge student’s interest in expanding sporting events.

The survey focused on the athletic interests and abilities of the students, asking if they attend sporting events and what sports they frequently partake in.

According to athletic director Tom Spicer, the survey was designed to help the athletic department assess the current state of campus sports and give CMU some ideas on how they can adjust to meet the needs of the students.

One promsing change would include the addition of a triathlon, an uncommon event amongst collegiate sports.

“The school administration is very interested in the possibility of this sport coming to CMU,” Spicer said.

The athletic department is currently investigating the logistics of bringing this event to campus, calculating the available level of competition from surrounding schools.

Should CMU approve the addition, it would be joining a recent trend among higher education institutiuons.

According to a Bloomberg News report posted on Jan. 17, the NCAA approved women’s triathlon as an emerging sport, which is the first step toward making it a full varsity event. The sport will make its debut to the college arena in August 2014, and it is estimated that men’s triathlon will follow close behind.

In order for triathlon events to gain varsity status, a total of 40 schools need to add the sport to their roster in the next 10 years.

Schools around the state currently weighing the benefits of adding this sport as part of their program include Adams State University and Colorado University at Colorado Springs.

armcbroo@mavs.coloradomesa.edu