NCAA Report: Lacrosse is Fastest-Growing College Sport

[NYBuckeye96]

NCAA Report: Lacrosse is Fastest-Growing College Sport
October 30, 2015

Lacrosse is the fastest-growing college sport in the nation, according to the annual NCAA Sports Sponsorship and Participation Rates Report released Thursday.

Growth across men’s and women’s lacrosse across all NCAA divisions notably outpaced all other sports from 2000-2014. Participation in women’s lacrosse increased by 109% (225 teams to 470), followed by indoor track (59%), ice hockey (58%), outdoor track (52%) and golf (48%). At the Division I women’s level, sport sponsorship is up 49% since 2000, increasing from 71 to 106 teams.

Among men’s sports, total lacrosse participation is up 95% (203 teams to 350) over the same period, followed by volleyball (54%), indoor track (40%), outdoor track (35%) and soccer (32%). Division I sponsorship has grown by 24% from 55 to 68 teams.

In total, 24,159 student-athletes played on 820 men’s and women’s NCAA lacrosse teams in 2014-15. Both men’s and women’s lacrosse support the eighth-largest total of student-athletes across all sports in their respective genders.

Thirty one women’s lacrosse teams (+26 net growth) were added across all divisions in 2014-15, tied with outdoor track and field for most in the NCAA. Men’s lacrosse experienced a net growth of +11 in sport sponsorship this year.

A total of 57 teams have already announced new men’s and women’s lacrosse programs slated to begin in the 2016, 2017 or 2018 seasons. Among notable teams making their debuts in 2016 are the Hampton (Va.) men—the first Division I HBCU to sponsor men’s lacrosse since 1981 and Lacrosse Magazine’s November cover story—as well as Army, VCU, Radford and Central Michigan women’s teams. Cleveland State men and Butler (Ind.) women headline the 2017 additions.

Earlier this month, Arizona State announced its new women's program and a new Pac-12 women’s conference was announced for 2018, bringing the total to three of the Power Five conferences (ACC, Big Ten) sponsoring women’s lacrosse. Lacrosse Magazine recently analyzed the prospects of 25 more Division I men’s and women’s teams that could be next to follow suit, as well as the domino effect of Arizona State adding women’s lacrosse.

For a complete look at the NCAA Sports Sponsorship and Participation Rates Report, visit NCAA.org.

[Omega]

Interesting. In the South, lacrosse is gaining more than a foot hold in boys and girls high school leagues. You do not have to be freakish in size and strength to play and the chance of injury is a good bit less than in football (though think swinging sticks versus the human body). As high school participation grows, so will the college programs.

[Chieftain2009]

If you watch much college sports on tv, lacrosse is on about as much as college baseball, softball, volleyball. Even this summer they had some kind of Under Armour national lacrosse tournament on ESPN for ages 16 and under. I don't know if anyone noticed, but in the 2016-17 school year, the OHSAA is adding lacrosse as a state championship sport.

[cbolt]

This and soccer will probably be king of the hill in the future,glad I am on the back nine.

[TRENCHFOOT]

It might grow but it will never have a football gate, not in this lifetime or the next.

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

Love the sport, both the indoor and outdoor game.

I watch both pro and college.


Been to two Ohio State games.

Hope to go watch Denison next season.

[Chieftain2009]

Definitely won't ever reach the likes of football or basketball, but still awesome! It's really fun to watch, you should watch if you never have before.