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

The only team to play as an independent in the most recent 2023 season was Hartford, which began a transition from Division I to Division III in the 2021–22 school year.[3] The 2022–23 school year, in which Hartford's entire athletic program (except men's and women's golf) was independent, was the last for Hartford in Division I, as it joined the D-III Commonwealth Coast Conference in July 2023.[4]

One school is a potential independent in the 2024 season. Le Moyne started a transition from Division II to Division I in July 2023 as the newest member of the Northeast Conference, which sponsors all of Le Moyne's current sports except men's lacrosse.[5]

Potential independent
Institution Location Nickname Affiliation Enrollment
Le Moyne CollegeSyracuse, New York[lower-alpha 1]DolphinsPrivate (Catholic – Jesuit)3,409
  1. The Le Moyne campus has a Syracuse mailing address, but almost entirely lies in the adjacent town of DeWitt.

Women's

Four schools competed as D-I independents in the 2023 season. As noted above, Hartford was a full independent in its final D-I season before moving to D-III in July 2023. San Diego State and UC Davis became independents after the 2021 season, when their former women's lacrosse home of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation shut down its league due to a lack of sponsoring members. Both joined Pac-12 Conference women's lacrosse after the 2023 season.[6] Xavier played its inaugural women's lacrosse season as an independent before starting play in its full-time home of the Big East Conference in 2024.[7]

No programs will compete as independents in the 2024 season. After the 2023 season, two programs that had been full members of conferences that sponsor women's lacrosse moved to conferences that do not sponsor the sport. Cincinnati left the American Athletic Conference for the Big 12 Conference, and Liberty left the ASUN Conference for Conference USA. Both schools kept their women's lacrosse programs in their former full-time conferences.[8][9]

Division II

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

    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. "Athletics Transition" (Press release). University of Hartford. May 6, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
    4. "CCC Grants Full Membership to University of Hartford, Beginning Competition in 2023-24" (Press release). Commonwealth Coast Conference. June 21, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
    5. "Le Moyne College Accepts Invitation to Join Northeast Conference" (Press release). Northeast Conference. May 10, 2023. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
    6. "Pac-12 women's lacrosse to add UC Davis and San Diego State as affiliate members" (Press release). Pac-12 Conference. May 31, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
    7. "Xavier Athletics Announces the Addition of Women's Lacrosse" (Press release). Xavier Musketeers. May 16, 2021. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
    8. "About The American: Sponsored Sports". American Athletic Conference. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
    9. "About the ASUN: Affiliate Members". ASUN Conference. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
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