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Showing posts with label Division I. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Division I. Show all posts

Recapping 2026 Inaugural Year Programs

Columbia College
NAIA (M/W)
South Carolina
M - 2-14
W - 1-13


Northwest Nazarene University
Division 2 (M)
Idaho
M - 4-10


Austin Peay State University
Division 1 (W)
Florida
W - 4-13


Florida State University
Division 1 (W)
Florida
W - 4-12

Colby-Sawyer College
Division 3(M)
New Hampshire
M - 1-10

University of Pittsburgh at Bradford
Division 3 (W)
Pennsylvania
W - 10-7



Recapping 2025's Inaugural Year Programs


William Woods University
NAIA (M)
Missouri
M - 5-8

Geneva College
Division 3 (W)
Pennsylvania
W - 0-15

Pacific Lutheran University
Division 3 (W)
Washington
W 1-14

Lawrence University
Division 3 (M/W)
Wisconsin
M - 5-11
W - 1-12

Emory and Henry College
Division 2 (M)
Virginia
M - 0-14

University of Pittsburgh at Bradford
Division 3 (M/W)
Pennsylvania
M - 5-8

Northwood University
Division 2 (M/W)
Michigan
M - 5-9
W - 6-9

University of South Florida
Division 1 (W)
Florida
W - 13-5

Iona College
Division 1 (M)
New York
M - 2-13

Alfred State College
Division 3 (M/W)
New York
M - 9-6
W - 4-9

UNC Charlotte
Division 1 (W)
North Carolina
W - 6-10

Tiffin University
Division 2 (M)
Ohio
M - 3-9

University of Rhode Island
Division 1 (W)
Rhode Island
W - 8-8

Austin Peay State University (D1 TN) Adds Women's Lacrosse

 CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Austin Peay State University Athletics Department is set to add women's lacrosse – the fastest-growing sport in the National Collegiate Athletics Association – to its intercollegiate athletics programs for Spring 2026. In adding women's lacrosse, the Governors add their 17th athletic team – and 11th women's program – competing at the Division I level. 

 "As always, it is a great day to be a Gov and we are thrilled to announce the addition of a women's lacrosse program at Austin Peay," said APSU Vice President and Director of Athletics Gerald Harrison. "Lacrosse is the fastest-growing women's sport in the NCAA, and we are excited to have the first Division I women's lacrosse program at a public university in the state of Tennessee! "This is an exciting time for Austin Peay and the entire Clarksville community, and I can't wait to watch an entirely new group of Governors student-athletes fulfill the 'Total Gov Concept' while also competing for championships on the field!" Austin Peay plans to conduct a national search for its first-ever women's lacrosse head coach during the summer of 2024. After a head coach is hired, they would have the entirety of the 2024-25 athletic year to hire a staff, begin to recruit, and sign student-athletes.


 "The launch of a new Division I program in women's lacrosse is an exciting opportunity for Austin Peay State University," said APSU President Dr. Michael Licari. "Lacrosse is the fastest-growing sport in the country, and with this new program, we will be the only public university in Tennessee with a Division I scholarship women's program. I am proud that, once again, Austin Peay leads the way in providing opportunities for student-athletes to compete at the highest level while pursuing a top-notch education."

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Florida State University Adds Women's Lacrosse

 Florida State University will add women's lacrosse as a varsity scholarship program, Vice President and Director of Athletics Michael Alford announced on ­­­Tuesday, October 3. FSU women's lacrosse is projected to begin competition in the 2025-26 academic year. 

"We are excited to add women's lacrosse as a varsity scholarship program at Florida State," said Alford. "Lacrosse is the fastest growing college sport nationally and it is evident that our culture and community will enthusiastically embrace it. Lacrosse provides another opportunity to compete at a championship level." With this decision, FSU becomes one of 118 Division 1 NCAA women's lacrosse programs spanning 16 conferences. The Seminoles also embark on competition in one of the nation's premiere women's lacrosse conferences in the ACC, which has produced 17 NCAA women's lacrosse national champions and has placed a team in the national title game in 13 of the last 14 seasons. "As a club team at FSU, women's lacrosse has a proven culture of excellence and achievement," said Alford. "In hearing from both current and former players, their passion and input throughout this process was constructive and helpful in our decision making. I am thankful for their participation in the process and looking forward to an exciting future." 

"We are thrilled that Florida State will begin sponsoring women's lacrosse and we look forward to welcoming the program in 2025-26," said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. "There is no shortage of ACC women's lacrosse successes, and this is another example of our league's continued commitment to maximizing the educational and athletic opportunities for our student-athletes."

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Recapping 2023's Inaugural Year Programs

  

College of Saint Benedict
Division 3 (W)
Minnesota
W – 2023 Record 11-3

University of Bridgeport
Division 2 (M)
Connecticut
M – 2023 Record 1-12

St. Thomas University

NAIA (W)
Florida
W – 2023 Record 4-10

University of Wisconsin - Stout

Division 3 (W)
Wisconsin
W – 2023 Record 0-14

University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy
NAIA (W)
Missouri
W – 2023 Record 0-7

Anderson University
Division 2 (W)
South Carolina
W – 2023 Record 9-8

Clemson University
Division 1 (W)
South Carolina
W – 2023 Record 12-6

Daemen College
Division 2 (W)
New York
W – 2023 Record 7-9

Xavier University
Division 1 (W)
Ohio
W – 2023 Record 4-10

Thomas More University
NAIA (M)
Kentucky
M – 2023 Record 6-10

Malone University
Division 2 (M)
Ohio
M – 2023 Record 7-8

Fairleigh Dickinson University
Division 1 (W)
New Jersey
W – 2023 Record 9-9

Iona College (D1 NY) Adds Men's Lacrosse

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - Iona University president Seamus Carey, Ph.D., and director of athletics Matthew Glovaski announced the addition of men's lacrosse and women's acrobatics & tumbling as its 22nd and 23rd intercollegiate athletic program offerings. Both sports will aim to begin competition in the 2024-25 academic year. 

"It is our mission to create opportunities at Iona University for students to achieve their highest

potential both inside and outside of the classroom," said Carey. "The addition of these two highly competitive and popular varsity programs will be a tremendous benefit both for our student-athletes, and also for the campus community at large." "As Iona University continues to grow, we are very proud to offer these expanded opportunities for varsity intercollegiate competition to our students," said Glovaski. 

"With the Northeast and in particular Westchester County and the New York Metropolitan Area being a historical hotbed for scholastic men's lacrosse and the rise of acrobatics & tumbling as an emerging sport for women in the NCAA, these programs will integrate themselves seamlessly into the goals and aspirations of the University."

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Alfred State College (D3 NY) and Rider University (D1 NJ) Add Women's Lacrosse

Alfred State College Director of Athletics Jason Doviak announced today the addition of three new varsity sports. Alfred State will add women's wrestling along with both men's and women's Lacrosse. "We are thrilled to announce the additions of women's lacrosse, women's wrestling, and the reinstatement of men's lacrosse to our department," said Doviak. "The balanced number of sport offerings align well with our strategic efforts to provide even more females the opportunity to compete on our campus and support the growth within the AMCC Conference." 

Women's wrestling continues to be a growing presence in the NCAA and Alfred State's program will become the 38th of its kind. The Pioneers are excited to add dedicated female student-athletes to the family. The team is scheduled to start competition in the winter of 2023. 

The men's lacrosse program makes a return to the athletic department. After three years the program is now reinstated, meaning new beginnings in the NCAA for men's lacrosse. Scheduled to begin spring of 2025, preparations are already underway. Women's Lacrosse will be an addition to the department. The program will begin along with the men's program in spring of 2025.

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LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Rider University Athletic Director Don Harnum, has announced that women's lacrosse will be added as Rider's 21st NCAA Division I athletic program with regular-season competition starting in Spring 2024. The Broncs will join current full Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference members Canisius, Fairfield, Iona, Manhattan, Marist, Mount St. Mary's, Niagara, Quinnipiac and Siena in offering women's lacrosse, becoming the league's 10th program. 


"We are excited to be adding women's lacrosse to our portfolio of sports offerings for women," said Harnum. "Women's lacrosse is a sport that continues to grow and thrive, both nationally and in the MAAC, and fits extremely well into our geographic recruiting footprint."

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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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University of Rhode Island (D1) and Milwaukee School of Engineering (D3) Add Women's Lacrosse

KINGSTON, R.I. — December 2, 2021 — With the 50th anniversary of Title IX approaching, the Rhode Island Athletics Department has announced it will add women’s lacrosse as a varsity program. 

 Expected to begin competition in the Atlantic 10 during the 2024-25 season, women’s lacrosse will become the 19th varsity team and 11th women’s team at Rhode Island. It is the first varsity program to be added since women’s rowing in 1996, the year that sport became NCAA-affiliated.

The decision to add women’s lacrosse came after an internal feasibility study showed favorable economic impact along with Title IX Compliance stability for the University.

“The opportunity to provide more opportunities for our student-athletes is exciting and significant for the overall growth of the University,” Rhode Island Director of Athletics Thorr Bjorn said. “The Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 was a vital piece of law that has had a profound impact on our society. We are proud to honor the 50th anniversary of Title IX by growing women’s athletics at Rhode Island.”

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MILWAUKEE – Thanks to a generous gift from Dr. Kathleen Ruehlow '72, MSOE Regent, MSOE is able to begin phase one of a multi-year plan to expand co-curricular offerings that include an expansion of arts programming and women's sports. In phase one, new offices for coaches and new women's locker rooms are being built in the Kern Center and Viets Field. This allows the Raiders athletics program to add five new women's teams to its roster: lacrosse, hockey, swim, golf, bowling, and to expand women's track and field offerings.



"We are very excited to be adding opportunities for female student athletes at MSOE. In addition to supporting the enrollment initiative, we are helping to grow the sports of women's lacrosse and women's hockey," said MSOE athletic director Brian Miller. "The University has also had a plethora of inquiries about a swim team. With many of our fellow engineering schools supporting swim very successfully, it was an easy decision to add to our offerings. The same goes for women's bowling as the sport is one of the quickest growing disciplines in D-III."

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University of South Florida (D1) Adds Women's Lacrosse

TAMPA – University of South Florida Athletics will add women's lacrosse to its list of highly-successful women's sports programs Vice President of Athletics Michael Kelly announced today, bringing the total number of Bulls' women's athletics teams to 11 and USF's total varsity sports program count to 20. The addition of women's lacrosse will mark the first new women's program added at USF since women's soccer in 1995. Women's lacrosse is the first addition in a planned expansion of USF's female varsity athletics sports offerings. Women's varsity athletics began at USF in 1972 with the start of the women's basketball program.


USF women's athletics programs have won 59 conference championship trophies. USF's conference titles in women's athletics have come from eight different sports, including tennis (13), volleyball (12), softball (8), soccer (7), golf (6), track and field (6), cross country (5) and basketball (2). 

"The addition of women's lacrosse as a new sport at the University of South Florida is an example of how we are committed to excellence and inclusiveness in all aspects of the university – including our athletic programs," University of South Florida Interim President Rhea Law said. "This will provide more opportunities for women student-athletes to be part of the university community and thrive."

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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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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Atlantic Sun Conference to Sponsor Men's Lacrosse

ATLANTA Ga. - The ASUN Conference proudly announces the formation of ASUN Men's Lacrosse. This is the second time in nine years that the ASUN has built a new Men's Lacrosse conference. The partnership with the Southern Conference continues as the ASUN again builds opportunities for student-athletes. The ASUN first built a Men's Lacrosse conference in Fall 2012 when it announced ASUN Men's Lacrosse with a founding membership of Furman, High Point, Jacksonville, Mercer, Richmond, and VMI.


 That group began play in the 2013-14 season with the Richmond Spiders earning an automatic bid into the NCAA Championship. Today, the ASUN announces a new group of six that includes Air Force, Bellarmine, Cleveland State, Detroit Mercy, Robert Morris, and Utah. "The primary goal of our lacrosse partnership with the Southern Conference is to maximize opportunity," ASUN Commissioner Ted Gumbart said. "Our first responsibility is the highest level of service to our full member institutions; when partnerships offer increased opportunity for all, that meets our primary ASUN BEAM of Students First."

Missouri Western State University (D2) Adds Women's Lacrosse

ST. JOSEPH – The Missouri Western State University Board of Governors unanimously approved the addition of women's lacrosse as the 17th NCAA Division II varsity sport at the University during a telephone poll Tuesday morning. The team will become active in the 2020-21 academic year and begin competition in the spring of 2021. A press conference detailing the addition will be held at 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, in the KCP&L Theater inside the Griffon Indoor Sports Complex.


Missouri Western will become the fourth NCAA Division II member in the state of Missouri to add the sport and the first from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. Missouri Western will be the only public DII member in the state of Missouri sponsoring women's lacrosse.

"What an incredible opportunity to be the first MIAA institution to sponsor women's lacrosse and be at the forefront of leading the rapid growth of the sport in this region," MWSU vice president of intercollegiate athletics Dr. Josh Looney said. "Between the recently-renovated Spratt Stadium and the Griffon Indoor Sports Complex, our state-of-the-art infrastructure will allow lacrosse student-athletes to experience championship success on and off the field at Missouri Western. We are excited to grow our student-athlete population beyond 400 students with this high-achieving group of athletes and lead an important University initiative that will continue to move MWSU forward."

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Quick Hits:

-Where is Lacrosse Most Popular

-MLL Experiences Digital Growth

-EMU Adds Lacrosse Despite Softball Lawsuit

-Women's Lacrosse to be Sponsored by the MAC

-Lacrosse Growth in Indiana County

-Davenport Joins GLVC As Affiliate Member

-PLL and WPLL to Tour Japan

-Michael Phelps Embraces Lacrosse Post Olympics

-Major League Lacrosse Engages Youth Demographic

Eastern Michigan University Adds Women's Lacrosse, MAC to Sponsor

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Eastern Michigan University announced today, Nov. 6, that the EMU Department of Athletics will add women's lacrosse as a varsity sport. The program will play its inaugural season against NCAA Division I competition in the 2021-22 academic year.

 The announcement takes place at the same time the Mid-American Conference announced that it will be adding the sport as a conference championship beginning with the 2021 season. Eastern will be the fourth full-time MAC institution to sponsor the sport at the NCAA Division I level. Central Michigan added the sport in 2016, Kent State began playing in 2019, while Akron is set to field a team for the first time in 2020. Detroit Mercy and Youngstown State are also joining as MAC affiliate members.


"Women's lacrosse is growing at an incredible pace and we are excited to expand opportunities for Michigan high school women to participate in a Division I sport and the academic experiences that Eastern Michigan provides," said EMU Vice President/Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee. "We are committed to providing more athletic and academic opportunities for women and we believe the sport is a strong fit for our athletic program. We are very excited about the addition and I am certain the team will contribute to our legacy of athletic success."

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University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire (D3) Adds Women's Lacrosse

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) - The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire has announced the launch of a plan for investing in its future to ensure student success and bring talent to the region for years to come.

"We are in the midst of an exciting time for UW-Eau Claire," Chancellor James Schmidt said. "We are making strides toward improving success outcomes for our students. We're launching new in-demand academic programs and moving forward in important initiatives like our research collaboration with Mayo Clinic Health System and our public-private partnership for the new Sonnentag Event and Recreation Complex — all developments that will bring significant new opportunities for our students while serving the needs of the Chippewa Valley and our state. That's what this new investment plan is all about."

The expansion of UW-Eau Claire's athletics teams will include the reinstatement of men's baseball (which was discontinued in 1995) and the addition of women's lacrosse in the spring 2021 season, as well as the addition of men's soccer in the fall 2021 season.

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Quick Hits

-Student Sues UK to Add Women's Sports

-El Paso HS Hosts Lacrosse Clinic 

-East Texas Baptist Adds Club Lacrosse Team

-UW - Eau Claire Considering Adding Baseball and Lacrosse

-Dallas Rattlers to Shut Down Operation

-PLL to Add 7th Expansion Team

-The AAC Looks at Options After UConns Departure

-Former NFL Player giving Pro Lacrosse a Shot

-Virginia Youth Lacrosse Grows in Community

-Kansas Lacrosse Tournament Puts Sport on Display

-Paul Rabil and the PLL Expand

-Bethlehem Middle Schools Vote to Add Lacrosse

Sunday Lax Links

-Bellarmine to Move All Sports to D1

-UConn Moving Back to the Big East in All Sports

-Community Lacrosse Programs Critical to Sports Future

-Growth of Summer Lacrosse In Lancaster County, PA

-Youth Lacrosse Growth in Houston

-Growing Lacrosse in North Carolina

-Pitt Announces First Women's Lacrosse Head Coach

-NLL Announces Two New Teams

-Can Lacrosse Work as a Professional Sport?

-DII Set to Accept Four New Members

-Lacrosse Growing in San Antonio

-Lacrosse Sees Spike in Pennsylvania Town

-Working to Grow Lacrosse in South Carolina

Sunday Lax Links

-Colorado Youth Lacrosse Expanding Beyond Denver

-ESPN Ratings Up for NCAA Lacrosse Championships

-Bill Belichick Talks Patriots Players That Could Play Lacrosse

-Men's Lax at JMU Unlikely 

-New Lacrosse League Looking to Score Big

-Paul Rabil 'Risking Everything' for PLL

-NAIA Lacrosse Championships Brings Economic Impact to Michigan

-ESPN to Air MLL Games in Europe

-Pat Spencer to Play Basketball for Northwestern

-Tom Brady Sues Trevor Baptist for Trademark Infringement 

-Other Counties Look to Boston Coaches for Lacrosse Help

-Powell Lacrosse Camps Encourages Growing the Game

Monday Lax Links


-College Lacrosse Leveled the Field

-Is it Time to Change NCAA Tournament Selection Criteria?

-The History of Head Gear in Girls Lacrosse

-Utah Climbs the Mountain in their First Season

-LIU Chooses the Shark as it's New Mascot

-GLVC Adds Lander (SC) As Member

-Minnesota, the Sleeping Giant

-Napa Valley Adds Boys and Girls Lacrosse

-Lacrosse Growing in Thorold, ON

-PITT Set to Join W. Lacrosse Ranks

-Lacrosse Team Tries to Increase Growth in South Dakota

-Lacrosse Gaining Traction in Western Kentucky

-Growing Lacrosse in Qunicy, MA

-Harlem Team Changing the Face of Lacrosse

-Chris Hogan Buys 100 Tickets to Final Four for Penn State Students

-Lacrosse Growing in Owensboro, KY

Recapping 2019's Inaugural Programs


Rochester College

NAIA (W)
Michigan
W – 2019 Record 0-9

Marian University
Division 3 (W)
Wisconsin
W – 2019 Record 2-13

Bethany College
Division 3 (W)
West Virginia
W – 2019 Record 3-12

Lewis University

Division 2 (W)
Illinois
W – 2019 Record
 0-9
University of Utah
Division 1 (M)
Utah
M – 2019 Record 5-10
Life University
NAIA (W)
Georgia
W – 2019 Record
 7-8
University at Plattsburgh
Division 3 (W)
New York
W – 2019 Record
 2-15
Wisconsin - River Falls
Division 3 (W)
Wisconsin
W – 2019 Record 11-5
Barton College
Division 2 (M)
North Carolina
M – 2019 Record 5-12
St. Bonaventure
Division 1 (M)
New York
M – 2019 Record 0-13
 
Marietta College
Division 3 (M/W)
Ohio
M – 2019 Record
W – 2019 Record 3-13
Sage College
Division 3 (M)
New York
M – 2019 Record
 8-9
Whitworth University
Division 3 (W)
Washington
W – 2019 Record 1-7
Taylor University
NAIA (M)
Indiana
M – 2019 Record 3-6

University of Chicago
Division 3 (W)
Illinois
W – 2019 Record 14-2
Willamette University
Division 3 (W)
Oregon
W – 2019 Record 3-9

Kent State University
Division 1 (W)
Ohio
W – 2019 Record 2-15
Mercer County Community College
NJCAA (M)
New Jersey
M – 2019 Record 9-7
William Peace University
Division 3 (W)
North Carolina
W – 2019 Record 10-5
Anderson University