Anderson University (D2 SC) and Dominican University (D2 CA) Add Women's Lacrosse

ANDERSON, S.C. – Anderson University Vice President for Athletics, Dr. Bert Epting, Jr., has named former Alabama Huntsville women's lacrosse coach Gail Wallach as the Trojans' head women's lacrosse coach, as announced Thursday morning. 

The Black and Gold's inaugural season will be during the 2022-2023 academ
ic year and will raise AU's varsity sports offerings to 21 sports, including the coed cheer squad. 

 "We are so excited to welcome Gail and her family to the Trojan Family," said Epting. "She has tremendous experience in building a program, recruiting at a high level, and leading young women, all while integrating Christ into all she does. She truly exemplifies a Christ-centered approach to sport and we are blessed to be able to name her as the first women's lacrosse head coach at Anderson University. Go Trojans!"

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SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Dominican athletics is pleased to announce the hiring of Joseph Manna to lead the first ever women's lacrosse team in Penguin history. "I'm excited for the opportunity to start the program here at Dominican," Manna said. "Dominican is the perfect place to start a women's lacrosse program with its location and job connections in the Bay Area and its high academics supported by the Dominican Experience." 

Manna will spend the next year recruiting in preparation for the Penguins inaugural season in 2022-23. He will spend the next month attending lacrosse events all over the western US beginning in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the Legends Western Freakshow and Legends Western Invitaitonal. Manna will then attend the Adrenaline Western Shootout July 9-11 (Colorado Springs, Colorado), the Rose City Showdown July 16-18 (Portland, Oregon), the IWCLA West Coast Cup July 24-25 (San Jose) and the USBOXLA Nationals August 6-8 (San Diego). Most recently he spent time as an assistant at the University of Detroit Mercy with men's lacrosse and gaining his first experience in women's lacrosse. Manna oversaw the No. 11 face-off unit in the country for the men's side, while being the lead assistant for recruiting and goalies for the women. He also spent time assisting the offense for the Titan women and helped set a new conference record for points scored in a single game with 24 against Youngstown State in 2020.

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Posted in: California,Division II,South Carolina

Clemson University (D1 SC) Adds Women's Lacrosse

CLEMSON, S.C. – Clemson University will add women’s lacrosse and women’s gymnastics as varsity programs in the next two years, Director of Athletics Dan Radakovich announced on Thursday, live on Packer and Durham on ACC Network. Lacrosse is projected to begin competition in 2022-23, with gymnastics beginning competition in the 2023-24 academic year.

“We are thrilled to be able to add these two high-profile women’s sports and expand opportunities for female student-athletes,” said Radakovich. “Over the past six weeks, we’ve heard from many representatives of various potential sports, and spent a great deal of time examining several possibilities and ultimately evaluating which sports would be best for Clemson Athletics. The combination of women’s lacrosse and gymnastics gives us the ability to compete for ACC and NCAA Division I Championships, and we know our community will embrace these new programs. We are grateful to the University for their partnership which will enable us to bring these new opportunities to Clemson.”

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Posted in: Division I,South Carolina

Daemen College (D2 NY) Adds Women's Lacrosse

AMHERST, N.Y. - Daemen College will add women's lacrosse as the 18th varsity sport offered at the College, and the 17th competing at the NCAA Division II level. Plans call for the program to begin competition during the Spring 2023 semester. In addition, New York State native Dominique Hamman was introduced as the program's first head coach at a press conference held today at Lumsden Gymnasium.

 The Daemen women's lacrosse team will compete in the East Coast Conference, a league that the College has been affiliated with dating back to 2013. Since adding women's lacrosse to the conference's sponsored sports in 2006, the ECC has produced 22 NCAA tournament teams and four national champions.

"We are thrilled to continue the growth of Western New York's Premier Division II Team with the addition of a women's lacrosse program," said Traci Murphy, director of athletics. "It's a shining example of how Daemen continues to operate from a position of strength despite the many challenges that institutions of higher education have faced over the past 15 months."

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Quick Hits:

-SoCon to No Longer Sponsor W. Lacrosse

-Big South Conference Adds 3 W. Lacrosse Teams

-Elmira College (NY) to Transition Varsity Lacrosse Teams to Club

-Transylvania University to Join CCIW as Associate Member

Posted in: Conferences,Cut Sports,Division II,New York

Xavier University (D1 OH) Adds Women's Lacrosse

CINCINNATI - Xavier University Vice President and Director of Athletics Greg Christopher announced today that Xavier will add women's lacrosse as its 19th NCAA Division I varsity sport. The program will play its inaugural season in the 2022-23 academic year. "We are excited about the addition of the nation's fastest-growing sport, women's lacrosse, as our 10th women's sport at Xavier," said Christopher.

"Women's lacrosse has exploded in popularity at the high school and collegiate level in Ohio and throughout the Midwest and East Coast footprint of the BIG EAST Conference." Xavier will join Butler, Connecticut, Georgetown, Marquette, Villanova and affiliate member Denver as women's lacrosse-playing members of the BIG EAST Conference. Women's lacrosse, which plays its championship season in the spring, will compete in BIG EAST Conference play beginning in the Spring of 2024.

There are currently 524 NCAA women's lacrosse programs, including 117 in NCAA Division I, and the list is growing. The Ohio High School Athletic Association sponsored women's lacrosse beginning in 2017 and now there are more than 130 programs statewide.

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Posted in: Division I,Ohio

Thomas More University (NAIA KY) Adds Men's Lacrosse

Thomas More University President Joseph L. Chillo, LP.D., and Director of Athletics Terry Connor have announced the addition of men's lacrosse to the sports offering in the University's athletic department. Men's lacrosse will be the 29th athletic program at Thomas More, which continues the University's commitment to invest in the student experience. 

 A national search will begin immediately for a full-time head coach for the team.

The University will begin recruiting for the 2021-2022 academic year, which will be club season as the program begins to build a roster. Men's lacrosse will begin playing a varsity schedule during the 2022-2023 academic year. In addition to beginning men's lacrosse and hiring a full-time head coach, Thomas More will also begin a national search for the women's lacrosse program's first full-time head coach. As the women's lacrosse program has grown over the last few years, the University is investing in that program and the women's lacrosse student-athletes to provide them the best experience on and off the field that a full-time head coach can provide. 

 "Lacrosse is a growing sport and we want to be able to commit to our students by providing opportunities where they're needed," said Connor. "The new full-time head coach for women's lacrosse will take the program to another level, truly raising the bar for that team and the student-athletes already involved. The new men's team adds numerous opportunities for current and prospective Saints."

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Posted in: Kentucky,NAIA