Millsaps will sponsor men’s and women’s lacrosse beginning in the 2010-11 school year – becoming the first Mississippi university or college to sponsor men’s lacrosse or women’s lacrosse at the varsity level.

Lacrosse has been a women’s club sport at Millsaps since 2005. The move will give the school eight men’s and eight women’s sports.

“Millsaps College is widely recognized for our strong tradition of successful scholar-athletes,” President Frances Lucas said. “The new lacrosse teams will allow us to build on this tradition by offering more varsity opportunities for our students.” 

The school becomes the sixth member of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference to sponsor men’s lacrosse and the fifth to sponsor women’s lacrosse. The conference does not currently sponsor championships in the sports.

“The addition of lacrosse will make Millsaps College more attractive to prospective students who want to play the sport as part of their college experience. We can recruit students more competitively at the national level,” said Brit Katz, vice president for student life and dean of students. 

Athletics Director Tim Wise said a search for coaches of the teams is underway.

“A college of Millsaps’ great academic stature will attract terrific applicants,” he said.