Xavier University Athletics
Xavier Athletics Announces The Addition Of Women's Lacrosse
05.16.21 | Women's Lacrosse
Women's lacrosse will be Xavier's 19th sport
CINCINNATI - Xavier University Vice President and Director of Athletics Greg Christopher announced today that Xavier will add women's lacrosse as its 19th NCAA Division I varsity sport. The program will play its inaugural season in the 2022-23 academic year.
"We are excited about the addition of the nation's fastest-growing sport, women's lacrosse, as our 10th women's sport at Xavier," said Christopher. "Women's lacrosse has exploded in popularity at the high school and collegiate level in Ohio and throughout the Midwest and East Coast footprint of the BIG EAST Conference."
Xavier will join Butler, Connecticut, Georgetown, Marquette, Villanova and affiliate member Denver as women's lacrosse-playing members of the BIG EAST Conference. Women's lacrosse, which plays its championship season in the spring, will compete in BIG EAST Conference play beginning in the Spring of 2024. There are currently 524 NCAA women's lacrosse programs, including 117 in NCAA Division I, and the list is growing. The Ohio High School Athletic Association sponsored women's lacrosse beginning in 2017 and now there are more than 130 programs statewide.
"The addition of women's lacrosse reaffirms our commitment to Title IX," said Christopher. "The long-range strategic plan for a self-sustaining program makes sense for Xavier Athletics and the University. This also deepens our relationships in key target areas for admissions."
The addition of women's lacrosse will require coordination but will not require new facilities. The existing Corcoran Field, home of Xavier men's and women's soccer, can be used for practices and matches, while the team itself will be housed in the new Heidt Family Champions Center.
The women's lacrosse roster will add approximately 35 undergraduate student-athletes to Xavier's roster of 300 student-athletes. Xavier's undergraduate enrollment number is at 5,300, which is 57 percent female.
ABOUT XAVIER ATHLETICS
Xavier University, a Jesuit Catholic University located in Cincinnati, Ohio, was founded in 1831. Xavier, an NCAA Division I member for intercollegiate athletics, will sponsor 19 athletic programs, including nine men's sports (baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, soccer, swimming and tennis) and 10 women's sports (basketball, cross country, golf, indoor track and field, lacrosse, outdoor track and field, soccer, swimming, tennis and volleyball). All 19 sports will compete in the BIG EAST Conference. Xavier Athletics empowers student-athletes to excel academically, athletically and spiritually. Athletics serves as a platform for national exposure and a vehicle for student, faculty, staff, alumni and community pride and engagement. For more information on Xavier Athletics visit GoXavier.com.
WHY IS XAVIER ADDING A SPORT?
This decision best positions Xavier Athletics for the future. The addition of any athletic program at Xavier University is a strategic decision that takes into consideration a number of factors, including participation rates at all levels and resource requirements. The long-range strategic plan for a self-sustaining program makes sense for Xavier Athletics and the University. This deepens our relationships in key target areas for admissions, including the Midwest, East Coast and Colorado.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE WOMEN'S LACROSSE?
Women's lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in high schools across the country.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME XAVIER ADDED A SPORT?
It marks the first addition of a new varsity sport at the University since men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field were added 16 years ago. The addition of women's lacrosse will increase Xavier's sport total to 19, including 10 women's programs.
WHEN IS THE FIRST COMPETITIVE SEASON?
Xavier's women's lacrosse inaugural season will take place in the 2022-23 academic year, with competition starting in the spring of 2023. Xavier will compete independently in 2023 and then compete as a BIG EAST Conference member beginning in 2024.
WHAT FACILITIES WILL THE TEAM USE FOR PRACTICES AND COMPETITION?
The team will use the existing Corcoran Field, home of Xavier men's and women's soccer, for practices and matches, while the team itself will be housed in the new Heidt Family Champions Center.
HOW MANY ROSTER SPOTS DO YOU PLAN TO HAVE?
The target number is to have a roster of 25 in the first year, 2022-23, and to eventually get to 35 student-athletes.
DOES THE BIG EAST CONFERENCE SPONSOR WOMEN'S LACROSSE?
Yes, currently Butler, Connecticut, Georgetown, Marquette, Villanova and affiliate member Denver compete in women's lacrosse in the BIG EAST.
DO ENOUGH TEAMS COMPETE TO SCHEDULE REGIONALLY AND NATIONALLY?
There are currently 117 NCAA Division I members that sponsor women's lacrosse and that number is growing each year. In addition to the BIG EAST rivals already mentioned, there are a number of familiar names within a short drive, including Cincinnati, Louisville, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Akron and Kent State for starters. Other regional competition includes Detroit Mercy, Duquesne, Eastern Michigan, Michigan and Pittsburgh.
WHO WILL COACH THE TEAM?
Xavier will conduct a national search for its first lacrosse head coach this summer. Additional coaching and support staff will be added after the head coach is selected.
HOW DOES THIS DECISION AFFECT XAVIER'S TITLE IX COMPLIANCE?
The addition of women's lacrosse support's Xavier's efforts toward Title IX compliance. We presently have 300 student-athletes and over 50 percent of those are female; the addition of women's lacrosse will provide even more opportunities for female student-athletes on campus and increase that percentage. Across the University, Xavier's undergraduate enrollment number for this school year is 5,300, which is 57 percent female.
ARE THERE PLANS TO ADD OR DROP OTHER SPORTS?
The University has no plans to add or discontinue any other sports at Xavier.
"We are excited about the addition of the nation's fastest-growing sport, women's lacrosse, as our 10th women's sport at Xavier," said Christopher. "Women's lacrosse has exploded in popularity at the high school and collegiate level in Ohio and throughout the Midwest and East Coast footprint of the BIG EAST Conference."
Xavier will join Butler, Connecticut, Georgetown, Marquette, Villanova and affiliate member Denver as women's lacrosse-playing members of the BIG EAST Conference. Women's lacrosse, which plays its championship season in the spring, will compete in BIG EAST Conference play beginning in the Spring of 2024. There are currently 524 NCAA women's lacrosse programs, including 117 in NCAA Division I, and the list is growing. The Ohio High School Athletic Association sponsored women's lacrosse beginning in 2017 and now there are more than 130 programs statewide.
"The addition of women's lacrosse reaffirms our commitment to Title IX," said Christopher. "The long-range strategic plan for a self-sustaining program makes sense for Xavier Athletics and the University. This also deepens our relationships in key target areas for admissions."
The addition of women's lacrosse will require coordination but will not require new facilities. The existing Corcoran Field, home of Xavier men's and women's soccer, can be used for practices and matches, while the team itself will be housed in the new Heidt Family Champions Center.
The women's lacrosse roster will add approximately 35 undergraduate student-athletes to Xavier's roster of 300 student-athletes. Xavier's undergraduate enrollment number is at 5,300, which is 57 percent female.
ABOUT XAVIER ATHLETICS
Xavier University, a Jesuit Catholic University located in Cincinnati, Ohio, was founded in 1831. Xavier, an NCAA Division I member for intercollegiate athletics, will sponsor 19 athletic programs, including nine men's sports (baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, soccer, swimming and tennis) and 10 women's sports (basketball, cross country, golf, indoor track and field, lacrosse, outdoor track and field, soccer, swimming, tennis and volleyball). All 19 sports will compete in the BIG EAST Conference. Xavier Athletics empowers student-athletes to excel academically, athletically and spiritually. Athletics serves as a platform for national exposure and a vehicle for student, faculty, staff, alumni and community pride and engagement. For more information on Xavier Athletics visit GoXavier.com.
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XAVIER WLAX FAQ |
WHY IS XAVIER ADDING A SPORT?
This decision best positions Xavier Athletics for the future. The addition of any athletic program at Xavier University is a strategic decision that takes into consideration a number of factors, including participation rates at all levels and resource requirements. The long-range strategic plan for a self-sustaining program makes sense for Xavier Athletics and the University. This deepens our relationships in key target areas for admissions, including the Midwest, East Coast and Colorado.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE WOMEN'S LACROSSE?
Women's lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in high schools across the country.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME XAVIER ADDED A SPORT?
It marks the first addition of a new varsity sport at the University since men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field were added 16 years ago. The addition of women's lacrosse will increase Xavier's sport total to 19, including 10 women's programs.
WHEN IS THE FIRST COMPETITIVE SEASON?
Xavier's women's lacrosse inaugural season will take place in the 2022-23 academic year, with competition starting in the spring of 2023. Xavier will compete independently in 2023 and then compete as a BIG EAST Conference member beginning in 2024.
WHAT FACILITIES WILL THE TEAM USE FOR PRACTICES AND COMPETITION?
The team will use the existing Corcoran Field, home of Xavier men's and women's soccer, for practices and matches, while the team itself will be housed in the new Heidt Family Champions Center.
HOW MANY ROSTER SPOTS DO YOU PLAN TO HAVE?
The target number is to have a roster of 25 in the first year, 2022-23, and to eventually get to 35 student-athletes.
DOES THE BIG EAST CONFERENCE SPONSOR WOMEN'S LACROSSE?
Yes, currently Butler, Connecticut, Georgetown, Marquette, Villanova and affiliate member Denver compete in women's lacrosse in the BIG EAST.
DO ENOUGH TEAMS COMPETE TO SCHEDULE REGIONALLY AND NATIONALLY?
There are currently 117 NCAA Division I members that sponsor women's lacrosse and that number is growing each year. In addition to the BIG EAST rivals already mentioned, there are a number of familiar names within a short drive, including Cincinnati, Louisville, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Akron and Kent State for starters. Other regional competition includes Detroit Mercy, Duquesne, Eastern Michigan, Michigan and Pittsburgh.
WHO WILL COACH THE TEAM?
Xavier will conduct a national search for its first lacrosse head coach this summer. Additional coaching and support staff will be added after the head coach is selected.
HOW DOES THIS DECISION AFFECT XAVIER'S TITLE IX COMPLIANCE?
The addition of women's lacrosse support's Xavier's efforts toward Title IX compliance. We presently have 300 student-athletes and over 50 percent of those are female; the addition of women's lacrosse will provide even more opportunities for female student-athletes on campus and increase that percentage. Across the University, Xavier's undergraduate enrollment number for this school year is 5,300, which is 57 percent female.
ARE THERE PLANS TO ADD OR DROP OTHER SPORTS?
The University has no plans to add or discontinue any other sports at Xavier.
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— Xavier Lacrosse (@XavierWLAX) May 16, 2021
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