UMass Boston (D3) Adds Women's Lacrosse

BOSTON, Mass. – University of Massachusetts Boston Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco and Vice Chancellor of Athletics and Recreation Dr. Jacqueline Schuman are proud to announce that the University will be adding women's lacrosse to its line-up of NCAA Division III varsity programs.   

"We are thrilled to be adding a women's lacrosse program as this has been a priority for UMass Boston," stated Chancellor Suárez-Orozco. "And our timing could not be better – while we add another women's program to our successful athletics department, we continue to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the passage of Title IX."   With the addition of women's lacrosse, UMass Boston now offers a total of 19 intercollegiate programs that compete at the Division III level. The team will compete in the Little East Conference, with the first varsity season set for 2024.   A national search for the program's first coach will be underway in the coming weeks.   

"As we envision the future of our Athletics and Recreation program at UMass Boston, women's lacrosse is an incredible addition as it increases opportunities for women in a college sport that is one of the fastest growing sports in the nation," said Vice Chancellor of Athletics and Recreation Schuman. "Given the great success we have had with our men's lacrosse program, we believe that the addition of the women's program will reap similar rewards and strengthen the future success of both programs. While there is great work to be done to build a new program, the goal is that as the only public research institution in the city of Boston, we will attract talent that will grow our program to be one of the best in the nation."

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Posted in: Division III,Massachusetts

Northwood University (D2 MI) Adds Lacrosse

MIDLAND, MICH. – Northwood University Athletics is excited to announce the addition of men's and women's lacrosse as varsity sports. With the addition of both teams, Northwood University Athletics will feature 20 NCAA Division II varsity programs. All will compete in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC). 

"Lacrosse is more than catching, cradling, and scooping. It requires level-headed players

who exhibit confidence, leadership, perseverance, and dedication — traits embodied by all of our students at Northwood University," stated President Kent MacDonald. "We pride ourselves on developing free-enterprise leaders who want to live and learn in a community rich in academic and athletics offerings. The addition of lacrosse in our athletics portfolio exemplifies that commitment." 

 A national search for the head coaches for both programs will get underway immediately. They will spend the 2023-24 athletic year recruiting and filling out each team's roster. The teams will compete in scrimmages and exhibition games in the 2023-24 season, with the regular competition scheduled to begin during the 2024-25 seasons. While this marks the first time in school history Northwood will have a varsity women's lacrosse program, it is the second time varsity men's lacrosse will be on the roster. The men's lacrosse team competed at Northwood from 1992-2000.

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Posted in: Division II,Michigan