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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Posted in: Division I,North Carolina

Tiffin University (D2 OH) Adds Men's Lacrosse

Tiffin University will be adding men’s lacrosse as its 24th varsity sport during the 2023-24 athletic season. A head coach will be hired in summer 2022 with a full year of recruiting ahead of the team’s debut season. Men’s lacrosse will have its first face off in spring of 2024. Men’s lacrosse will compete as a NCAA Division II program and also as part of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC). The GMAC currently has seven teams competing in men’s lacrosse including Mercyhurst, Seton Hill, Lake Erie, Walsh, Wheeling, Davis & Elkins and Alderson-Broaddus. Men’s lacrosse will now join women’s lacrosse as a TU sponsored sport, with the women’s program debuting in 2009-10. Both lacrosse programs will compete at Paradiso Fields on a new turf playing field installed during summer 2022. 

“I am very excited that Tiffin University is starting the sport of men’s lacrosse,” said Vice President of Athletics Lonny Allen. “I have loved watching the growth of our women’s program and look forward to watching the process of the men’s program becoming great. I look forward to hiring a coach that shares that same vision, and bringing in another group of amazing student-athletes to be a part of Dragon Nation.”

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Posted in: Division II,Ohio

Virginia State University (D2) Adds Lacrosse

ETTRICK, VA (April 5, 2022) - Virginia State University (VSU) Athletics continues to add to the institutions Greater Happens Here mantra with the addition of three (3) sports programs. The Trojans will add women's soccer, men and women's lacrosse to their list of sponsored sports effective immediately. Men's Soccer will be added in Spring 2023. VSU Athletics currently offers 17 athletic teams; eight for women, eight for men, and co-ed cheerleading. 

The Trojans anticipate beginning the inaugural Women's Soccer program along with Men and Women's Lacrosse programs in the Fall 2022, with competition against outside opponents beginning as early as Spring 2023. Virginia State University's Associate Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics, Peggy Davis, is actively moving through the search process for full-time head coaches to lead the new sports programs, with anticipated start dates in April and May. 

 The new NCAA regulation soccer field, which can also be used for lacrosse, is currently under construction and is slated to be complete by May 2022. The field will be located on the campus of Virginia State University adjacent to the VSU Multipurpose Center.

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Posted in: Division II,HBCU,Virginia

Lewis & Clark College (D3 OR) Add Women's Lacrosse

PALATINE HILL -- Women's lacrosse and men's soccer teams will soon take the field at Lewis & Clark as the college's 20th and 21st intercollegiate sports. In a notice to the campus community earlier today, Lewis & Clark President Wim Wiewel said he has approved establishment of a women's lacrosse team at the college. Lacrosse is one of the fastest-growing collegiate sports.  Wiewel also told faculty and staff that he is reinstating men's soccer, which was eliminated in 1990. The college already fields a women's soccer team. 

"Adding lacrosse and soccer is an investment in Lewis & Clark's future," Wiewel said. "Not only will it attract new students who otherwise might not have come here for college, but we know Lewis & Clark's student-athletes have always been among our most outstanding students."

"This is an exciting time for Lewis & Clark athletics," Director of Physical Education & Athletics Mark Pietrok said. "Our coaches have proven to be recruiters of high-achieving student-athletes. I look forward to welcoming more quality students to our campus to help them reach their potential both in the classroom and the fields while contributing to the vitality of our department and community".

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Posted in: Division III,Oregon

William Jewell College (D2 MO) Adds Lacrosse

LIBERTY, Mo. – William Jewell College Director of Athletics Tom Eisenhauer announced Monday (January 10), the addition of men's and women's lacrosse programs, beginning in the fall of 2023. The programs will become the 25thand 26th varsity sports on campus and will compete at the NCAA Division II level and within the Great Lakes Valley Conference. 

"Lacrosse is an exciting game and we're thrilled to be adding it here at Jewell," said Eisenhauer. "The game has experienced explosive growth in our area and I'm confident these programs will attract talented students to our campus." Jewell has already begun preparations for the new programs as last month the College included a lacrosse field among the additions of new synthetic turf at the baseball, softball and soccer facilities.

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Posted in: Division II,Missouri