Oglethorpe will add men’s and women’s lacrosse as varsity sports, with the men taking the field in 2011 and the women beginning play a year later.

The additions will boost sports sponsorship at the school to 31 sports – 15 for men and 16 for women.

“Lacrosse is one of the fastest-growing sports right now at the high school and collegiate levels,” said university President Lawrence Schall. “This move allows us the opportunity to recruit in areas of the country that best feed our university.”

The Stormy Petrels will join five other Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference members – including Southwestern (Texas), which will add a team in 2010 – in sponsoring men’s lacrosse. Two of those five schools – Colorado College and Sewanee (University of the South) – currently also sponsor the sport for women.

“It's an exciting sport to play and an equally exciting sport to watch,” said Jay Gardiner, Oglethorpe athletics director and a former McDaniel lacrosse student-athlete and high school and college coach who will add duties as head coach for the new men’s team.

“Lacrosse will be an excellent addition to our athletics program," he said.