Holy Family University (D2 PA) Adds Men's Lacrosse

PHILADELPHIA, PA, July 27, 2022— The Holy Family University Department of Athletics is pleased to announce the addition of acrobatics & tumbling and men's lacrosse as its 16th and 17th varsity programs, effective for the 2023-24 academic year. "I join our students in their excitement over the addition to our athletics programs of acrobatics & tumbling and men's lacrosse," said Anne Prisco, Ph.D., president of Holy Family University. 

"We are pleased to provide new opportunities for student-athletes to excel in their sports and the classroom. We know that student-athletes have a higher burden when it comes to balancing sports and schoolwork, so as we grow programs, we also grow resources to ensure we are able to support them in everything from academic support to mental health counseling. Our view is that our student-athletes are students first, so we strive to ensure a holistic and balanced experience. I look forward to cheering these new student-athletes on to victory next academic year." 

 Holy Family Athletics continues its growth as the University has now revealed the addition of four new varsity programs over the past four months, with recent announcements that women's bowling and Esports will begin competition in the 2022-23 academic year. "With the addition of four new sports by the 2023-24 academic year, Holy Family University Athletics is expanding our athletics programming to develop even more student-athletes that will learn discipline, preparation, strategic thinking, and teamwork in their respective sports with their peers," said Holy Family University Director of Athletics Tim Hamill. "We are looking forward to welcoming our first acrobatics & tumbling and men's lacrosse teams to our campus."

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Posted in: Division II,Pennsylvania

Mount Mercy University (NAIA IA) Adds Women's Lacrosse

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- Mount Mercy University has announced that women's lacrosse will become the 19th intercollegiate sport at the university and will open competition during the 2023-24 academic year. The search to hire a head coach to lead the program will begin immediately. 

"Women's lacrosse is one of the fastest growing collegiate sports in the country and was recently added as an officially sponsored sport in the Heart of America Athletic Conference," said Nate Klein, vice president for student success. "We are excited to launch this program and be a partner to help grow interest in lacrosse throughout the community."

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Posted in: Iowa,NAIA

Life University (NAIA GA) Adds Men's Lacrosse

 MARIETTA, Ga. ---- Life University Director of Athletics Jayme Pendergast announced the addition of women's flag football and men's lacrosse for the 2023-24 season Wednesday afternoon. With the growth of new sports within the NAIA, Life University has remained one of the most innovative schools in the country. Women's flag has been identified as an emerging championship sport, while men's lacrosse will soon begin a transition from an invitational to a championship sport. The women's flag football team will join immediately as a member of the Sun Conference.

Pendergast expressed her excitement stating, "We are really excited to add two more sports to the department. There is a lot of due diligence that goes into adding a new sport, so this plan has been in the works and I'm thrilled to be able to make it official. With the new turfed upper field and REP Center, these two sports will have the facilities and field space they need to be successful.  In addition, as sports, they both fit well within our current offerings. Flag Football is a relatively new sport, but I anticipate seeing it take off similar to women's wrestling. I've paid attention to its growth at the local high school level and collegiately across the southeast. With it moving to invitational sport status in the NAIA we are looking forward to being an early adopter of the sport and laying the foundation for long-term success. Similarly, men's lacrosse is huge in our backyard and right on the verge of championship status with the NAIA. With women's lacrosse getting off to such a successful start I anticipate the same on the men's side. Again, we have secured some great facilities and already have some talented lacrosse athletes using our fields from our partnership with Thunder Lacrosse. When we start new sport programs, we want to ensure that the opportunity can lead to championship experiences for our student-athletes and I'm optimistic we can accomplish that with both of these great opportunities."

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Posted in: Georgia,NAIA

University of North Carolina at Charlotte (D1) Adds Women's Lacrosse

 Charlotte 49ers Director of Athletics Mike Hill has announced the addition of women's lacrosse, the fastest-growing sport on college campuses, as the 49ers' newest sport. Charlotte will begin competition in women's lacrosse in 2024-25. "We can't wait to start competing in this exciting sport and are committed to building for success," said 49ers Director of Athletics Mike Hill. "We were very deliberate in selecting women's lacrosse because of its explosive growth and popularity locally, regionally and nationally. Fans will love watching the Niners lacrosse team play." In order to begin recruiting and building its inaugural roster, the first coaching staff is being hired at this time. 

Of note, the American Athletic Conference sponsors women's lacrosse. The 49ers announced an upcoming move to The American last year. Women's lacrosse will become the 19th sport within the 49ers' NCAA Division I Athletic Department. Charlotte currently has 18 sports: nine male and nine female. This is the second women's sport to be added since the addition of football in 2013. The 49ers added women's golf in 2017-18.

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Posted in: Division I,North Carolina

Tiffin University (D2 OH) Adds Men's Lacrosse

Tiffin University will be adding men’s lacrosse as its 24th varsity sport during the 2023-24 athletic season. A head coach will be hired in summer 2022 with a full year of recruiting ahead of the team’s debut season. Men’s lacrosse will have its first face off in spring of 2024. Men’s lacrosse will compete as a NCAA Division II program and also as part of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC). The GMAC currently has seven teams competing in men’s lacrosse including Mercyhurst, Seton Hill, Lake Erie, Walsh, Wheeling, Davis & Elkins and Alderson-Broaddus. Men’s lacrosse will now join women’s lacrosse as a TU sponsored sport, with the women’s program debuting in 2009-10. Both lacrosse programs will compete at Paradiso Fields on a new turf playing field installed during summer 2022. 

“I am very excited that Tiffin University is starting the sport of men’s lacrosse,” said Vice President of Athletics Lonny Allen. “I have loved watching the growth of our women’s program and look forward to watching the process of the men’s program becoming great. I look forward to hiring a coach that shares that same vision, and bringing in another group of amazing student-athletes to be a part of Dragon Nation.”

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Posted in: Division II,Ohio