Pacific Lutheran University (D3) Adds Women's Lacrosse and Five Towns College (NY USCAA) Adds Lacrosse

TACOMA, Wash. — The Pacific Lutheran University Athletic Department will expand its varsity sport offerings for the first time since 1996, elevating women's lacrosse to varsity status for the 2024–2025

academic year. Already an established club program on campus, the women's lacrosse program will remain a club sport next academic year before gearing up to make the jump as PLU's 18th varsity sport for 2024–2025. "PLU has a rich tradition of varsity sports," said President Allan Belton.

"We're proud of our national championships and All-Americans, but we're even more proud of the student-athlete experience we cultivate here, and the leaders our student-athletes grow into. We look forward to extending that experience to women's lacrosse athletes." The Lutes will practice and compete at East Field, home of the Lutes' championship-winning men's and women's soccer programs, and will be members of the Northwest Conference. PLU will be the ninth institution in the NWC to add women's lacrosse.

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Dix Hills, NY – Five Towns College Athletic Director Matt Guercio announced today that the department will expand for the 2023-2024 academic year by adding Men's and Women's Lacrosse to its varsity program. The addition of these two new programs would be the 9th and 10th teams for the performing arts-oriented college. Currently, Five Towns College offers men's and women's basketball, soccer, volleyball and cross-country – although the volleyball and cross-country programs were placed on hiatus during the pandemic and will resume for the 2023-24 academic year as well.

"The addition of men's and women's lacrosse will enhance our athletic portfolio, but more importantly provide additional opportunities for the entire college community," said Guercio. "Long Island has produced some of the greatest players the game of lacrosse has ever seen. It remains the Island's game and competition will now take place at the intercollegiate level in Dix Hills." In making the announcement, Guercio noted that the College will be announcing its choice for both men's and women's Lacrosse Head Coaches shortly, and that student-athlete recruitment for the new teams has already begun. All prospective student-athletes interested in joining the lacrosse team should complete the Prospective Student-Athlete Form or email athletics@ftc.edu.

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Posted in: Division III,New York,USCAA,Washington

Concordia University Irvine (D2 CA) Adds Men's Lacrosse

IRVINE, Calif. – In a span of less than a month, a second club sport at Concordia University Irvine received the green light to move up to the NCAA DII level starting with the 2023-24 school year. The CUI men's lacrosse program has been approved to be a NCAA-sponsored sport next season and will be joining the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) as an associate member.

The announcement comes just weeks after STUNT was approved to become a NCAA DII-sponsored sport in August of 2023 and scored a victory for female student-athletes across the country. With the addition of both men's lacrosse and STUNT as soon-to-be NCAA-recognized sports, this means that Concordia will now offer 21 NCAA sports. Even before these breakthroughs for men's lacrosse and STUNT, that number was already the most out of all NCAA DII West Region schools ranging from California to Hawaii and Alaska.

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Posted in: California,Conferences,Division II,MCLA

Lawrence University (D3 WI) Adds Lacrosse

APPLETON, Wis. -- Lawrence University announced the addition of two new athletics programs – women's and men's lacrosse. A national search for full-time head coaches is underway with the first season of competitive play scheduled for spring 2025. The addition of lacrosse follows the university's strategic plan to align Lawrence's athletics program with additional opportunities for student-athletes, according to Lawrence Director of Athletics Jason Imperati. Lawrence joins a growing list of NCAA Division III

institutions to offer lacrosse as an intercollegiate sport. More than 200 Division III schools around the nation sponsor intercollegiate lacrosse, including eight schools in Wisconsin. Men's lacrosse has 245 programs at the Division III level, and there are 288 women's teams competing in Division III. 

"The ever-growing popularity of lacrosse across the nation, particularly in the Midwest, extends opportunities for student-athletes who are looking to continue their playing careers while pursuing a quality degree at a leading liberal arts university," Imperati said. "While we have tremendous work ahead, we are excited for the future of both programs and what they will mean for the Lawrence experience and our greater community." "Bringing lacrosse to our university and region speaks to our commitment to our current and future student-athletes and we look forward to welcoming our coaches and these students to our campus," said Lawrence University President Laurie A. Carter. "I am proud of the hard work leading to the addition of these programs to our NCAA lineup of sports."

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Posted in: Division III,Wisconsin

Emory and Henry College (D2 VA) Add Lacrosse

EMORY, Va. – The Emory & Henry College Department of Athletics and Vice President for Athletics Dr.

Anne Crutchfield are excited to announce that the College will add women's lacrosse as a varsity sport for the 2023-24 academic year. E&H also has made plans to begin competition in men's lacrosse in the spring of 2025. The Wasps will compete in both sports as members of the South Atlantic Conference (SAC).

"We could not be more excited to add men's and women's lacrosse," said Crutchfield. "Lacrosse is currently one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States and interest in our region has increased exponentially. Given the SAC's reputation as one of the premier lacrosse conferences in NCAA Division II, now is the time for Emory & Henry to add lacrosse to our list of athletics offerings."

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Posted in: Division II,Virginia

Trevecca Nazarene University (D2 TN) Adds Women's Lacrosse

NASHVILLE – Trevecca Nazarene University athletic director Mark Elliott announced the addition of Women's Lacrosse as the 17th intercollegiate sport for the NCAA Division II program. "The addition of women's lacrosse continues our efforts to increase opportunities for more student-athletes to compete in the sports they love while pursuing their education here on the Hill as well as continuing our efforts to increase enrollment," Mark Elliott said. 

"We are excited with the growth and energy in our department, coaching staff, and student-athletes in recent weeks with the addition of the sport STUNT, our cheerleading team going to compete at Nationals for the first time next month." The search for the first coach to lead the new Trojan program is already underway. The new coach will spend the rest of the year recruiting for the first season in 2023-2024. Women's collegiate lacrosse is a spring sport giving the new coach a full year to recruit their first roster.

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Posted in: Division II,Tennessee