ROYAL OAK, Mich. - The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association announced today (Tuesday, Sept. 6) that it will add men’s lacrosse and women’s lacrosse as varsity conference sports, effective with the 2012-13 season, the 125th anniversary season for America’s oldest collegiate athletic conference.
Competition in men’s and women’s lacrosse will begin with the fall non-traditional season in 2012 and conclude with conference regular season and tournament play in the spring of 2013, Commissioner David Neilson said.
The addition of these sports brings to 20 the number of varsity sports the MIAA will sponsor in 2012-13, and marks the first new sports to be added to the conference’s lineup since it added women’s golf in 1991.
Seven MIAA member schools will sponsor men’s and women’s lacrosse in the 2012-13 season Adrian, Albion, Alma, Calvin, Hope, Olivet and Trine, Neilson said.
With the minimum of seven participating conference schools, the MIAA will receive an automatic qualification to NCAA Division III postseason competition immediately.
Founded in 1888, the MIAA is the nation’s oldest collegiate athletic conference. Member institutions are Adrian College, Albion College, Alma College, Calvin College, Hope College, Kalamazoo College, Olivet College, Saint Mary’s College and Trine University.