Campus Athletics
The mission of the “Campus Athletics” program is to promote the value and benefits of personal fitness, team sport experiences and lifetime sport skills, through diversified educational, participatory, competitive, and/or instructional programs for the campus community.
Club Sports
A Club Sport is formed when a group of students voluntarily organize in the aim of seeking structured and often competitive sport opportunities in an area of common interest. Club sports are structured and guided by the principles and obligations of other student organizations, and are not formally recognized until they are fully compliant with such expectations. The initiative, organizational commitment and personal investment required for club sports participation fosters an extraordinary learning and leadership experience.
Competition can range from a club varsity status such as Men’s Ice Hockey and Men’s Rowing to competitive sports such as Cycling , Equestrian, Men’s and Women’s Rugby, Skiing, Water Polo or non competitive sports that includes Badminton and Gymnastics just to name a few. In total, there are 37 recognized club sports that are active.
Intramural Sports
Intramural sports are organized, structured, and competitive activities that are played within the University. At Lehigh, members form teams from IFC, Pan-Hellenic, off campus houses and dorms. These teams and individuals accumulate trophy points in sporting contests for an overall All University Champion in one of four divisions: Upper-class Greek, Upper-class Independent, Women and Freshmen. Intramural sports, which varies from 11 to 15 activities, offers our students a high degree of physical fitness, establish habits of regular and healthful exercise, foster the development of self confidence, good sportsmanship, and a spirit of cooperation.
Fitness
The Fitness Programming initiatives at Lehigh exist to promote the development of a physically educated person, who is defined as one who has learned skills necessary to perform a variety of physical activities, is physically fit, participates regularly in physical activity, and knows the implications of and the benefits from involvement in physical activities, and values physical activity and its contribution to a healthful lifestyle. Our programs focus on activities in which a person can participate over the course of a lifetime, and which contribute to the development of health-related components of physical fitness through sport.
Recreation
The entire Lehigh community is invited to compete in both organized leagues such as summer softball and others during the academic year to informal activities such as lap swimming in our pool, playing pickup basketball, refining your dance moves in the Dance Studio which are all located in Taylor Gym. The Goodman Campus offers a wide range of open space, to throw a Frisbee, kick a soccer ball or play a friendly game of touch football.
You can run on our nationally known cross country course, hit a tennis ball at the Lewis Tennis Center or drive a bucket of golf balls at the Mulvihill Golf Learning Center. The opportunities are endless!
Welch Fitness Center
The Welch Fitness Center and Racquet Sports Complex, located in Taylor Gymnasium, is a multi-dimensional facility intended for use by students, faculty, and staff. The center provides the University community the opportunity to improve their health and physical fitness through the use of the “state of the art” equipment and programs. The 10,000 square foot 3 tiered complex offers an expansive amount of cardiovascular and weight training equipment, racquet ball and squash courts and the Lane Challenge Climbing Wall.
We offer individuals the opportunity to learn more about fitness by providing facility orientations and self directed conditioning programs. Other opportunities include individualized computer strength programs, body composition assessments, personal training and health promotion education. The Welch Fitness Center coordinates the campus group fitness and instructional programs
Taylor Gym and Welch Fitness Center provide opportunities for open recreation and leisure activities and formalized programs such as aerobics, instructional programs and numerous physical fitness programs that are conducted in the Welch Fitness Center.
Risk and Liability
Campus Athletics strongly encourages all participants to consider his/her personal health and physical condition prior to participation in any physical activity. Such participation involves physical exertion, fundamental skills for that sport or activity, and may involve physical contact. The participant, being aware of any conditions predisposing his/her to injury or illness, and in consideration of the inherent physical exertion and possible contact involved, may wish to seek the advice of a physician prior to participation.
CAMPUS ATHLETICS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR INJURY INCURRED DURING PARTICIPATION. ALL PARTICIPANTS ARE RESPONSIBLE TO SUPPLY APPROPRIATE INSURANCE COVERAGE.
Athletic Opportunities
Students can participate in many intercollegiate, recreation, and intramural athletic programs. NCAA Division I intercollegiate varsity sports include the following. FALL: football, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s field hockey, and women’s volleyball. WINTER: men’s and women’s basketball, wrestling, men’s and women’s indoor track and field, and men’s and women’s swimming and diving. SPRING: baseball, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s outdoor track and field, men’s and women’s lacrosse, women’s softball and women’s rowing.
Athletic facilities are located in Taylor Gymnasium and Grace Hall on the Asa Packer campus, and on the Murray H. Goodman campus, which is located one and one-half miles south of the main campus. The 500 acre Goodman athletic complex includes Stabler Arena, which seats 5,600 and hosts all Lehigh basketball games and tournament wrestling matches. The campus also contains Goodman Stadium, a 16,000 seat football stadium, and the Philip Rauch Field House, which includes a one eighth mile track and indoor basketball courts. The four court Lewis Indoor Tennis Center was completed in 1994. The Ronald J. Ulrich Sports Complex features artificial turf and natural grass fields for lacrosse, soccer and field hockey, including Frank Banko ’41 Field and Ulrich Field. Other facilities on the campus include a championship cross country course, baseball and softball fields, outdoor tennis courts, the John C. Whitehead Football Practice Complex, the A. Haigh Cundey Varsity House, numerous practice fields, an all-weather, nine lane, outdoor 400 meter track, and a golf clubhouse and driving range.
Lehigh is affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the Patriot League and the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA). Lehigh frequently hosts collegiate championship events in men’s and women’s sports and is the summer training camp facility of the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League.