I'm an incredibly casual LAX fan, but am still disappointed I don't have access to either network.
Disappointed, but not surprised.
I hoped for an extra game or two to make the overall record look more impressive.
I also remain mildly surprised that the ACC as a whole isn't doing something to address the post-season tourney issue.
It's a longshot, but it's probably their best option short of adding a homegrown member or the Big Ten adding a homegrown member and kicking Hopkins to the curb in the process.
Engineer a deal with the A-10 and CAA where the ACC adds High Point as an affiliate member from the A-10 and A-10 adds Fairfield as an affiliate member from the CAA. That would give the ACC an AQ bid, the A-10 retains an AQ bid because it still has six members, and even with the loss of Fairfield, the CAA still has enough members to retain AQ status.
High Point would be a good geographic fit with the southern ACC members, and High Point is not a huge reach from a competition standpoint. IIRC, last year their RPI was comparable to Syracuse's (32 vs. 29 IIRC, although last year was a very down year by Syracuse's standards).
The big question, of course, is what would High Point be willing to commit to? Most of their sports play in the Big South, so the ACC is a considerable step up, even if it's only for one sport.
The rest of M LAX probably would like to see this happen, if they think about it. Adding an AQ bid for the ACC would create a second play-in game, and therefore, essentially would create an extra at-large bid. Granted, the ACC hasn't historically been too concerned with an AQ bid, but maybe last year changed their mind. From the Committee's explanation, ND would have received the extra at-large bid, assuming UVa won the AQ bid. And of course, an AQ bid will require them to revisit the ACC tourney.
That would probably be the quickest fix too. If FSU, Clemson or Louisville are going to step up and add a men's team, it would be several years before any of them actually played a game.
all already have club teams playing in the MCLA. I know Va Tech is a perennial conference championship contender, not sure how the other have done. However, club success is less of a factor than funding and Title IX implications.
Michigan announced they were moving up from the MCLA to varsity status one off season and 8 months later were playing in the Big Ten.
Along with adding Maryland and Rutgers to the conference at the same time. Prior to that, Penn State and Ohio State were the only Big Ten programs that had men's lacrosse. Penn State played in the CAA and Ohio State played in the ECAC lacrosse conference, which disbanded when the Big Ten started playing men's lacrosse.
Michigan upgrading to D1 level, along with the addition of Maryland and Rutgers to the conference, pushed the number of men's lacrosse programs in the Big Ten to five. At the same time, Hopkins was pursuing conference membership, and the Big Ten added them to get to AQ status.
I know Utah and Marquette brought their teams into existence slowly. Not sure about Lindenwood, but they seem to have generated a lot of excitement on campus. I'd love to see anyone of those teams you mentioned step up.
At the D2 level. When Lindenwood decided to make the transition to D1, their men's lax program made the transition as well.
In fact, the last four new D1 programs all were former D2 programs that made the transition to D1 when their school's athletic department transitioned to D1: LIU and Merrimack in 2020, Lindenwood and Queens this year.
Clemson would be the natural homegrown fit. They are investing heavily in their women's lacrosse program, as I believe it starts in either 2023 or 2024. Additionally, with the success of their football program they get a ton of students from the NY/NJ area, so there's a potential recruiting tie to that area.
I believe they have a club level program.
That does not have a Division 1 men's lacrosse program has a club men's lacrosse program.
I've also heard talk about Michigan State possibly adding men's lacrosse in the fairly near future. The coach of their club team at present is Matt Holtz, who coached Detroit against ND in the NCAA tournament a few years back.