NCAA independent schools (lacrosse)

NCAA independent lacrosse schools are four-year institutions in the United States that do not belong to a lacrosse-only conference or a primary all-sports conference that sponsors lacrosse. As of the 2016–17 academic year there are 22 men's and 9 women's lacrosse programs in Division I, Division II, and Division III that compete as independents.[1][2]

Division I

Men's

There are three independent teams in the 2021 season. All are relatively new additions to the sport's Division I ranks, with Hampton having added the sport for the 2016 season, Cleveland State beginning play in 2017, and Utah starting in 2019. (Another school that began varsity play in the 2019 season, St. Bonaventure, is a single-sport member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.)

All three independents will join conferences in the 2022 season. Cleveland State and Utah will join the new men's lacrosse league of the ASUN Conference,[3] and Hampton will join Southern Conference men's lacrosse.[4]

Institution Location Nickname Affiliation Enrollment
Cleveland State University Cleveland, Ohio Vikings Public 17,730
Hampton University Hampton, Virginia Pirates Private 5,000
University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah Utes Public 31,860

Women's

There have been no independent teams in Division I women's lacrosse since the 2018 season. The only independent team in that season was East Carolina, which played its first season of varsity lacrosse as such before its all-sports league, the American Athletic Conference, launched a women's lacrosse league for 2019.

The next three schools to add women's lacrosse have confirmed conference homes for that sport. Youngstown State, which launches its program in the 2021 season, will become a single-sport member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC), which is launching a women's lacrosse league that season. In 2022, Eastern Michigan and Pittsburgh will add the sport, both housing that sport in their full-time conference homes, respectively the MAC and Atlantic Coast Conference.


Division II

Men's
Institution Location Nickname Affiliation Enrollment
Notre Dame de Namur University Belmont, California Argonauts Catholic (Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur) 1,982

Women's
Institution Location Nickname Affiliation Enrollment
Concordia University (St. Paul) Saint Paul, Minnesota Golden Bears Lutheran (LCMS) 2,800
Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne, Florida Panthers Private 6,631

    Division III

    Men's
    Institution Location Nickname Affiliation Enrollment
    Northland College Ashland, Wisconsin LumberJacks United Church of Christ 600
    Whittier College Whittier, California Poets Private 2,259

    Women's
    Institution Location Nickname Affiliation Enrollment
    Colorado College Colorado Springs, Colorado Tigers Private 2,011
    University of Dallas Irving, Texas Crusaders Catholic (Diocesan) 2,576
    Northland College Ashland, Wisconsin LumberJills United Church of Christ 600
    University of Northwestern – St. Paul Saint Paul, Minnesota Eagles Nondenominational Christian 2,005
    SUNY Canton* Canton, New York Roos Public 3,700

    * Transitioning from NAIA to NCAA Division III.

    See also

    References
    1. "Men's College Lacrosse 2016". LaxPower. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
    2. "Women's College Lacrosse 2016". LaxPower. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
    3. "ASUN Conference Announces Formation of Men's Lacrosse League" (Press release). ASUN Conference. February 5, 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
    4. "Hampton joining SoCon as associate member for men's lacrosse" (Press release). Southern Conference. February 5, 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
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