Women's golf will become UC Davis' 26th varsity sport when the Aggies begin competition in 2005-06, Greg Warzecka, director of athletics, announced Tuesday.

Additionally, Kathy DeYoung, who led UC Davis to its first-ever softball national championship in 2003, is retiring from her position with that program after 26 seasons to lead the women's golf team into its inaugural season. A national search will be started immediately to find a replacement softball coach.

The selection of women's golf as the university's newest varsity sport came after a yearlong review of sport options by a committee chaired by Pam Gill-Fisher, senior associate athletics director. Golf becomes the fourth women's varsity sport at UC Davis added since the 1996-97 academic year, joining rowing, lacrosse and water polo.

"Women's golf is becoming an enormously popular NCAA sport," said Warzecka, noting 466 institutions at all three NCAA levels currently offer the sport.

UC Davis is a future member of the Big West Conference, which currently sponsors a women's golf championship for its six schools that offer the sport.

Funding is being partially provided by the Campus Expansion Initiative. Passed by students in 2002, it increased funding for athletics grants-in-aid.

DeYoung, a certified U.S. Golf Teaching Federation professional who teaches golf at UC Davis and coached volleyball on campus for 10 years, is one of the most successful coaches in school history. She concludes her softball career with an overall record of 777-402-2. She entered the season ranked 21st for all-time victories among all collegiate softball coaches and was fourth among Division II coaches.

With the addition of women's golf, UC Davis offers 14 sports for women and 12 for men.