URBANA, Ohio – The Urbana University Department of Athletics announced it will add two sports with the revival of women's lacrosse and the addition of women's water polo. Both sports will begin competition in 2020-21.
Urbana Blue Knights Athletics will expand to 23 combined NCAA Division II varsity and club sports, which also includes the additions of acrobatics & tumbling, men's wrestling and men's volleyball in the past two years. UU will now feature 12 total women's varsity and club programs.
The Blue Knights will compete among six women's lacrosse teams in the Mountain East Conference, where it finished sixth in 2015 and fifth in 2016. UU discontinued women's lacrosse in 2016 after going 10-73 in six seasons of NCAA DII competition.
"I am excited to bring women's lacrosse back to Urbana University," Executive Vice President/CEO Dr. Christopher Washington said. "My enthusiasm is fueled by UU alumni who played lacrosse and went on to become intercollegiate coaches at other universities. I expect that women's lacrosse will attract scholar-athletes, promote healthy lifestyles, foster growth in leadership and teamwork skills, and encourage the pursuit of excellence that challenges them to reach their full potential."
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Urbana University (D2 OH) Adds Women's Lacrosse
Saturday, March 23, 2019
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Youngstown State (D1 OH) and Wilson College (D3 PA) Add Women's Lacrosse
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Youngstown State will add a men's swimming and diving program as well as a women's lacrosse team in the near future, Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Ron Strollo announced on Monday.
Men's swimming and diving will become the 20th Division I sport currently offered by the YSU Athletic Department when it begins competition this fall. YSU previously competed in men's swimming and diving from 1964 through 1984 and 1949-51. Women's lacrosse is scheduled to debut in the spring of 2021.
"We're excited about this new opportunity to recruit high school students from Ohio, the region and internationally to pursue their academic and athletic goals at Youngstown State in both sports," Strollo said. "Our swimming facility is one of the best in the area and we look forward to showcasing it with both our men's and women's programs. The growth of women's lacrosse in Ohio and throughout the Midwest has seen an increased number of schools sponsor the sport and we are thrilled to add it at Youngstown State."
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CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. ─ Wilson College continues to expand its intercollegiate athletics program with the addition of women's lacrosse─the fastest-growing NCAA women's sport of the past 15 years.
Women's lacrosse will become Wilson's 11th NCAA Division III program. In the last six years, the college has added six intercollegiate programs─most recently baseball, which will begin its inaugural season this spring with a home opener at Chambersburg's historic Henninger Field.
"Our sport sponsorship continues to expand and we are excited to add the growing sport of women's lacrosse to Phoenix Athletics," said Wilson Director of Athletics Lori Frey. "We look forward to yet another sport competing in the Colonial States Athletics Conference." Wilson's first lacrosse season will occur in the spring of 2021.
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Davenport University (D2 MI) Adds Men's Lacrosse
Friday, February 15, 2019
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Davenport University has announced that the men's lacrosse program will be transitioning from Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) Division I to NCAA Division II beginning in the 2019-20 school year. The 2019 season will be the last one in the MCLA. DU will be joining 71 other NCAA Division II sponsored men's lacrosse programs.
"The dynamic of men's lacrosse is changing in the Midwest," says Paul Lowden, Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. "We feel a transition to NCAA Division II supports an environment that will provide our student-athletes with the best overall experience. Our student-athletes will play a competitive NCAA Division II schedule as an independent in 2019-20. We will continue to explore conference affiliation options for our student-athletes that best align with our men's lacrosse program and Davenport University."
The addition of men's lacrosse brings the total number of NCAA-sponsored sports to 22 at Davenport University. The program is under the direction of head coach Chris Esquivel who is in his fourth season. Esquivel has guided the team to a 38-13 record during his three seasons at Davenport. In 2016, the Panthers captured the NAIA National Invitational Championship during Esquivel's first season at the helm. Last season under the guidance of Esquivel, senior Bryan Larocque set the MCLA career points record with 345 including 276 goals.
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