Keiser University (NAIA FL) Adds Lacrosse

Keiser University will add men's and women's lacrosse, and men's and women's swimming to its slate of varsity athletic programs, with intercollegiate action beginning during the 2016-17 academic year. Adding these sports will bring the total number of varsity teams on campus to 20. The Seahawks will compete in the NAIA with the traditional season of lacrosse in the spring, and swimming in the winter.

Currently in lacrosse, there are 27 schools that sponsor men's lacrosse and 30 schools that sponsor women's lacrosse. In swimming there are 26 schools that sponsor men's programs and 29 that sponsor women's programs. NAIA Lacrosse is currently in Invitational Stage which means that 25 or more institutions have declared intent to participate in postseason competition and the National Administrative Council has approved the sport's request. Once the sport has over 40 or more institutions, lacrosse can apply to become a Championship Sport. The first Invitational for men's and women's will be held in May 2016 in Greenville, SC.

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Posted in: Club Lacrosse,College,Florida,HBCU,Ireland,Media,NAIA,New York,Virginia

Lee University (DII TN) Adds Women's Lacrosse

Lee University will add women's lacrosse as an intercollegiate sport, beginning play in the spring of 2017, according to an announcement by university president Dr. Paul Conn. Conn said the plan to add women's lacrosse was ratified by the university's Board of Directors last week at its winter session in Florida.

"We're eager to introduce this fast-growing sport to Lee University and the local community. We want Lee to be a magnet for female athletes, and lacrosse is a fast and exciting sport that young women in other parts of the country have loved for many years, and which is rapidly growing in the South." It will mark the first totally new intercollegiate sport added at Lee in the past 19 years. Conn and the Board brought back baseball in 1997. "Before that, it seemed like we were adding a sport almost every year. We did add track-and-field, but we saw that as an extension of our cross-country programs."

The decision to add women's lacrosse followed a recommendation by a "feasibility study group", chaired by Associate Athletic Director Andrea Hudson during the past several months. Hudson's ten-member group studied comparable teams in the region, the financial aspects of beginning a team, and the overall impact on the Lee athletic program.

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Posted in: College,Division II,Tennessee

Juniata College (DIII PA) Adds Women's Lacrosse

HUNTINGDON, Pa. - Juniata College has elected to add three new varsity sports to its formidable lineup of athletic programs beginning with the fall 2017 season. The college will be adding men’s and women’s golf, plus women’s lacrosse, giving Juniata 22 varsity intercollegiate sports.

“Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the nation for high schools and colleges and many women are seeking opportunities to extend their careers as athletes while receiving a high quality education,” said athletic director and head coach for men’s basketball Greg Curley. “Adding these sports also will allow us to extend our athletic recruiting beyond our traditional reach into states such as Maryland, New York, Virginia and New Jersey. The demographic profile of athletes playing lacrosse and golf fits our academic profile to a T.”

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