While lacrosse is Canada’s national summer sport, its popularity continues to grow in the U.S. at an unprecedented rate.  At the high school and college levels, lacrosse is now the fastest growing sport.

           
 “This is an exciting step for athletics at Edinboro University,” said President Brown. “We think our student athletes and their fans will be enthralled by this fast-paced sport that has grown so rapidly in popularity over the past few years. The addition of women’s lacrosse to our varsity line-up demonstrates our commitment to providing our students with more opportunities, both in our classrooms and on our athletic fields.”

Women’s lacrosse involves 12 players (men’s teams employ 10) using a “crosse” (netted stick) to pass and catch a hard rubber ball. The game’s objective is to score more points (goals) than one’s opponent. Gear and equipment for the sport is minimal, except for goaltenders who are outfitted in protective gear. Grass or artificial turf lacrosse fields have goal nets at each end, and games are played in two halves. Lacrosse requires great physical stamina from its participants. Fan support at the college level rivals soccer.

           
 The addition of women’s lacrosse gives Edinboro a total of 15 sports in which student-athletes compete at the varsity level. Women’s sports include basketball, cross country, indoor and outdoor track & field, soccer, softball, swimming, volleyball, and now lacrosse.  Men’s sports offerings are basketball, cross country, football, outdoor track & field, swimming, and wrestling. All but wrestling, Edinboro’s premier Division I sport, compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division II category.     

           
“The addition of further athletic offerings has been under study for quite some time,” said Edinboro Athletics Director Bruce Baumgartner.  “Under Dr. Brown’s leadership and direction, we’re creating a new master plan calling for continuous improvements of our overall student life environment.” 

Baumgartner said studies indicate lacrosse is fastest-growing in the eastern part of the country and that the university will move quickly to hire a coach and staff.

“The timing of adding a new spring sport is important,” he said. “We want to be competitive as quickly as possible.  That requires bringing in a coach with the energy and enthusiasm to recruit quality student-athletes in a timely manner.  We’ll have about 12 months to put it all together: building a staff, scheduling games, and most importantly, recruiting talented student athletes.”  He said lacrosse teams at the university level generally average 22 members.

           
With Edinboro competing in women’s lacrosse, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference in 2009 will feature 12 schools offering the sport, including Gannon and Mercyhurst, which join the conference next fall. Other PSAC schools offering women’s lacrosse are Bloomsburg, East Stroudsburg, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock, and West Chester.

           
Currently, 41 Division II schools sponsor women’s lacrosse.  There are also 84 Division I lacrosse programs, and 178 Division III participants.