South Carolina State University is bringing back women’s golf and bowling to its intercollegiate athletics program to the HBCU. The university announced on Friday that women’s golf was removed in 2015 and bowling has been gone since 2017, but the Board of Trustees has now unanimously agreed to bring the programs back.
“Our young women deserve every chance to compete, to grow and to take pride in representing SC State,” President Alexander Conyers said in a statement. “Bringing these teams back is about opening doors and expanding the opportunities they’ve earned. I’m deeply thankful to our Board of Trustees for recognizing that need and always embracing a vision that puts our students first.”
The two programs will feature six to 10 student-athletes. As a result, the number of women athletes at the school will increase by 3%.
What’s the history of South Carolina State University’s bowling alley?
SC State has remodeled the bowling alley in the Kirkland W. Green Student Center as the sport returns to intercollegiate athletics. The Kirkland Center bowling alley was initially built in 1968 as a response to the deadly clash known as the Orangeburg Massacre.
Per the Zinn Education Project, Orangeburg, South Carolina, police responded with violence during that time as students demonstrated for their right to use the only bowling alley in town. The clash ended with several people getting killed or injured.
“Reopening the bowling alley means more than bringing back a sport — it connects us to a powerful chapter in our history,” Conyers said. “It honors the courage of our students who stood for justice and reminds us of the responsibility we carry to create a campus where every student feels seen, supported and valued. Welcoming a new bowling team into that space adds to that legacy and ensures that what our students fought for continues to shape who we are today.”
The remodeled bowling alley is expected to reopen in January 2026.
What are the changes implemented at South Carolina State University’s Hillcrest Golf Course?
South Carolina State University has made some improvements to the Hillcrest Golf Course as women’s golf returns to the school. The school announced that one of the key new features at the facility is a new golf simulator. The university-owned Hillcrest Golf Course has worked with the City of Orangeburg to implement the latest improvements.
The Hillcrest property was previously used as a research center and a demonstration farm. Now, the facility includes the golf course and additional athletic fields.
According to South Carolina State University, alumna Linda Prince Johnson donated $50,000 to the women’s golf program. The school also raised an additional $40,000 from the President’s Cup Golf Tournament held earlier this year.