PRESCOTT, Ariz., April 26, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With the addition of men's and women's cross country and women's fast-pitch softball for the 2013-2014 academic year, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will be looking for more student-athletes and hiring coaches as the school readies for its June debut in the Cal Pac Conference.

"We are excited about the athletic additions of these sports programs to our department and looking forward to building competitive teams," Ted Blake, Embry-Riddle's director of intercollegiate athletics, said of the April 20 announcement.  "This is a very exciting time for the athletic department and our student-athletes."

Embry-Riddle now features nine sports, five of which are available to women. 

Effective immediately Embry-Riddle will launch a nationwide search to select a head coach for each athletic program. Coaches will have a full year to recruit for their respective teams' intercollegiate competitions in the Cal Pac Conference. 

Dr. Frank Ayers, executive vice president of Embry-Riddle's Prescott campus, believes the addition of cross country and fast-pitch softball programs will further develop the school's athletic offerings while expanding in the spirit of competitiveness.

"We have a strong tradition of scholar-athletes," Ayers said. "As a new member of the Cal Pac athletic conference, we believe we will attract new students who share in that competitive spirit and excel in the classroom."

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the world's largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, is a nonprofit, independent institution offering more than 40 baccalaureate, master's and Ph.D. degree programs in its colleges of Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Business and Engineering. Embry-Riddle educates students at residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Fla., and Prescott, Ariz., and through the Worldwide Campus with more than 150 locations in the United States, Europe, Asia, Canada and the Middle East. The university is a major research center, seeking solutions to real-world problems in partnership with the aerospace industry, other universities and government agencies. For more information, visit www.embryriddle.edu, follow us on Twitter (@EmbryRiddle) and facebook.com/EmbryRiddleUniversity, and find expert videos at YouTube.com/EmbryRiddleUniv.

SOURCE Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University