After a successful school year of competitive varsity climbing, St. Andrew’s- Sewanee School will begin the 2026-2027 winter athletic season in November offering climbing again as a coed, varsity athletic team. The school also added a climbing camp to its summer programming in 2026, which filled quickly. “We’ve always had the natural resources on our campus to support climbing with a lot of enthusiastic participation,” said Karl Sjolund, head of school. “Over the years, climbing has evolved from an ad hoc club activity to a popular program with a growing desire for competition.

“After a year using our new climbing gym in our OAC and practicing on our own bolted routes, our coed team and the girls’ team finished the season undefeated, making them Interscholastic Climbing League champions! Early registration for next year shows we’ll have at least as much if not more enthusiasm for competitive climbing.”

Sjolund added that climbing as a sport is one more step in the school’s commitment to capitalize on its unique geographic resources. The construction of the OAC last summer strengthened the school’s commitment to outdoor adventure and competition for both climbing and mountain biking while also providing the space to support and encourage students who are interested in learning outdoor skills without the element of competition.

For more information about St. Andrew’s- Sewanee School, visit sasweb.org.