MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. | Georgia College & State University President Cathy Cox and Director of Athletics Wendell Staton are proud to announce the addition of Bobcat men's and women's outdoor track & field as the campus's newest varsity sports.

Set for the first season of competition in the spring of 2027, Bobcat track & field will give GCSU Athletics 13 varsity sports, all at the NCAA Division II level and all a part of the Peach Belt Conference. They are the first sports added at GCSU since women's volleyball was added in 2013.

"The addition of track & field to our athletics program represents a meaningful step forward in our commitment to scholar-athlete development and institutional excellence," said Cox. "This sport has a long and distinguished history at the collegiate level, and we are proud to provide our student-athletes with the opportunity to compete, grow and represent Georgia College & State University on a broader stage.

"I'm grateful for Coach Alexander Bruno's enthusiasm for expanding our cross country program with track & field and look forward to his leadership as we launch this new program," added Cox.

GCSU is immediately eligible to compete for Peach Belt  team and individual championships, as well as immediately eligible to compete for NCAA team and individual championships.

The Peach Belt has eight women's programs and seven men's teams that sponsor outdoor track & field, which runs from March to May each spring. Augusta University, Clayton State University, Columbus State University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Florida), Flagler College, Lander University and the University of South Carolina-Beaufort compete in both men and women, while the University of North Georgia only competes in women.

Bruno, current GCSU men's and women's cross country coach, will lead both programs. He led the Bobcats to an eighth-place finish in the women's race at the NCAA Division II Southeast Region Championship and a ninth-place finish in the men's race this season.

"Track & field being formally added at GCSU is an incredibly meaningful step for our current cross country scholar-athletes," said Bruno. "The expansion of the spring season will allow for more time training as a team, access to higher-caliber competitions, and it will drastically improve our recruiting capabilities.

"I am incredibly grateful to both President Cox and Wendell Staton for their support," added Bruno. "I am so excited to head into next school year as a part of both a cross country and track & field program!"

"We are thrilled to add track & field to our program portfolio," said Staton. "This is a natural extension of our outstanding cross country program and will provide a full championship experience for our scholar-athletes. Track & field will expand opportunities for our current student body and enhance recruiting opportunities moving forward.

"Our scholar-athletes have been strong advocates for this expansion and the timing was ideal with our program enjoying such positive momentum under Coach Bruno's leadership," added Staton. "I look forward to continued success on and off the field of play."

The GCSU track & field will release their schedule during the 2026-27 academic year with the first official meet taking place during the Spring 2027 semester. To learn more about the GCSU track & field program, contact head coach Alexander Bruno at alexander.bruno@gcsu.edu.

About GCSU Athletics 
Owning the top Academic Success Rate among all public colleges and universities in Division II for five consecutive academic years, the Georgia College Department of Athletics sponsors 13 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. GCSU Athletics has won six consecutive Presidents' Awards for Academic Excellence, and are two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup and four-time winners of the PBC Institution of the Year Sportsmanship Award. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' continued appearances in postseason competition as well as high-level academic success and community-service involvement. Bobcat Athletics embodies the mantra of "Graduating Champions for Life." Sign up at @GCSUBobcats on all social media outlets for up-to-the-minute reports or subscribe to the GSCU Athletics e-newsletter to receive the latest news, schedule updates and to interact with GCSU Athletics.