Emmanuel will join the ranks of Great Northeast Athletic Conference members sponsoring lacrosse, granting varsity status to a women’s program in 2010-11 and one year later to a men’s program.

The sport will be played by women at the club level this year and by men next year.

“The addition of men’s and women’s lacrosse allows Emmanuel to take full advantage of our new home field and offer a program in a sport that is one of the fastest growing in the country,” said Pam Roecker, director of athletics and recreation. “Men’s and women’s lacrosse are a great fit for our college and for the GNAC, given that several other conference schools have added these sports recently.”  

The additions will boost Emmanuel’s number of varsity programs to 17 – nine sports for women and eight sports for men. It’s the second time this year the school has announced a new sport, having added men’s golf for this fall.

Emmanuel will become one of eight GNAC members sponsoring women’s lacrosse, while nine schools (including associate members Becker and Daniel Webster from the New England Collegiate Conference) will compete in men’s play in the league.

The league has sponsored a women’s lacrosse championship since 2008 but has not yet sponsored a men’s championship, with some of the conference’s programs playing in other leagues.

Both Emmanuel teams will play at the newly renovated Roberto Clemente Field. Searches for head men’s and women’s lacrosse coaches are currently underway.