UConn to add men's lacrosse?
by tf86 (2018-09-12 11:18:54)
Post Reply Return to Arlotta Stadium

College Crosse, at least, is hinting that that is a real possibility. See link.

From the perspective of growing the game, UConn adds little. However, I seem to recall UConn conducting a study on this point a few years back. Of the FBS schools that currently do not have men's lacrosse, UConn is one of the more glaring omissions. So UConn passing on this option for any reason other than an insurmountable Title IX situation could be very detrimental to the possibility of other FBS schools adding the sport in the future.

From UConn's perspective, it would seem to be a good move. Given the school's history with the Big East, they would seem a natural fit within that conference. They're located in a lacrosse hotbed, and while there are five other Division I programs currently operating instate, only one (Yale) is a lacrosse powerhouse, and the others are all private schools. UConn being able to offer public tuition may be a benefit in an Olympic sport (likely less of one in men's lacrosse than in most other Olympic sports, but I hesitate to say that it would be of no importance).





FWIW, the 2021 and 22 Championships are at Rentschler Field,
by hoomanbeing  (2018-09-18 16:09:58)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

UConn's football stadium. Fairfield is currently listed as the sponsoring school.
Interesting...going back to smaller stadiums
by Steelhop  (2018-09-19 16:25:39)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Makes me wonder if they drop prices or stop the package deals that everyone hated.
Uconn
by ndirish2000  (2018-09-15 08:29:38)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

A big money booster publicly lobbied for the school to add lacrosse. The powers that be (President/AD) have denied that it is being considered right now. Merrimack (Defending D2 national champions) announced they are moving up to D1. It seems the only school where the administration has mentioned adding men’s lacrosse is Florida State
If we're talking about new programs as well
by tf86  (2019-02-15 13:11:04)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

LIU is going to Division I about the same time as Merrimack.

This is not a new program either. Rather, it's the result of the merger of LIU-Brooklyn and CW Post into a single entity, with all sports moving to Division I as a result of said merger. CW Post currently has a Division II men's lacrosse program.

LIU and Merrimack are both moving to the NEC, which will give that conference nine men's lacrosse-playing members. It will be interesting to see if they follow the Patriot's lead and increase the conference tournament to six teams.
Floida State would have a significant Title IX issue
by tf86  (2018-09-18 08:29:23)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

55% of undergraduate students are female, currently more athletic scholarships are awarded to male student-athletes by a significant margin.

I have to believe Title IX offers some wiggle room in this area, but Florida State probably has to add a significant number of women's sports, or cut a significant number of men's sports, or both, to make this happen.
There has been a rumor circulating for some time about FSU.
by hoomanbeing  (2018-10-07 10:47:49)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

They supposedly have a Sugar Daddy who will pay the start-up costs for both lacrosse teams if they can get their Title IX numbers to work.
Adding men’s and women’s lacrosse isnt Title IX neutral.
by vitadulcedospes  (2018-10-19 06:18:41)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Men’s lax rosters are much larger, and they even have slightly more scholarships than women’s.
True, but that's not the whole story
by tf86  (2019-01-11 11:23:59)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

It's scholarships that count, not roster size. Men's lacrosse (maximum 12.6 scholarships) has a slightly higher scholarship limit than women's lacrosse (maximum 12 scholarships). But that doesn't mean that adding men's lacrosse and women's lacrosse simultaneously hurts every school from a Title IX standpoint. You also have to take into consideration the percentage of overall student body enrollment by gender, as well as the athletic scholarships by gender already being awarded in the sports the school plays. Remember, Title IX only requires that athletic scholarships must be awarded, on the basis of gender, in an equitable ratio compared to the overall student body ratio. It does not require equal amounts of scholarships to be awarded by gender. So adding both lacrosse sports may hurt some schools from a Title IX standpoint, while helping others.

Since we're talking largely about ACC schools, I believe Georgia Tech could add men's lacrosse alone without running afoul of Title IX rules. As it currently stands, Georgia Tech has only approximately 35% female student body enrollment, and actually awards a slightly higher percentage (assuming full scholarship limits in every sport) than that to female student-athletes.
For recruiting, lax at UConn = football at Florida *
by jrdjr84  (2018-09-13 12:49:50)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

It really is amazing they haven't tried it before.
by flanner96  (2018-09-14 18:14:50)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

Wilton, Greenwich, Darien, Fairfield Prep, New Canaan in Fairfield County alone.

Maybe they had a Title IX numbers problem and now ...
by hoomanbeing  (2018-09-26 13:35:50)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

are in a better position?
I thought UConn once had men's lacrosse
by tf86  (2019-01-11 11:30:10)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

But discontinued the program. I could be wrong about that.

In any event, the sheer number of Division I programs in Connecticut could be daunting. Just off the top of my head, there's Hartford, Sacred Heart, Quinnipiac, Fairfield, and Yale, and probably a few others I'm forgetting at the moment. That's a lot for a relatively small state. OTOH, UConn has the advantage of offering in-state tuition (all the other schools mentioned are private schools, although I'm not certain how much impact that would have in men's lacrosse), and of the schools mentioned, only Yale is a true powerhouse program.