National Lacrosse Conference
AssociationNCAA
Founded2008
Ceased2012
Sports fielded
DivisionDivision I
No. of teams8
HeadquartersDetroit, Michigan
RegionSoutheastern United States, Michigan
Official websitenlclacrosse.com

The National Lacrosse Conference (NLC) was an NCAA Division I women's lacrosse-only college athletic conference whose members were located primarily in the Southeastern United States, with one team, Detroit (now athletically branded as Detroit Mercy), located in Michigan. The league formed in 2008 in advance of the 2009 NCAA lacrosse season, and played its first season with four member teams. Three more schools joined for the 2010 season with an additional school joining in 2011.[1] The NLC had 8 member schools by the end of its existence. The NLC did not have an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament; conference members could qualify through an at-large bid.

The conference disbanded in 2012 after the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) and Big South Conference began sponsoring women's lacrosse. In the ASUN, Jacksonville had been the only full member to sponsor women's lacrosse, but Kennesaw State and Stetson added the sport in 2012–13. Those schools brought Detroit and Howard into ASUN lacrosse.[2] As for the Big South, three full members—High Point, Liberty, and Presbyterian—sponsored the sport during the NLC's final season in 2012. The number of full Big South members sponsoring the sport increased to seven for the 2012–13 school year when NLC member Longwood, previously a basketball independent, joined the Big South and Campbell, Coastal Carolina, and Winthrop added the sport. Davidson followed these schools into Big South lacrosse.[3]

Final members

Institution City Nickname Founded Affiliation Enrollment Tenure[a 1] Current women's lacrosse conference
Davidson College Davidson, North Carolina Wildcats 1837 Private/Presbyterian 1,700 2009–2012 Atlantic 10 Conference
University of Detroit Mercy Detroit, Michigan Titans 1877 Private/Catholic 6,000 2009–2012 Mid-American Conference
Howard University Washington, D.C. Lady Bison 1867 Private 9,000 2009–2012 Northeast Conference
Jacksonville University Jacksonville, Florida Dolphins 1934 Private 3,100 2010–2012 ASUN Conference
Liberty University Lynchburg, Virginia Lady Flames 1971 Private/Baptist 19,900 2010–2012 ASUN Conference
Longwood University Farmville, Virginia Lancers 1839 Public 4,479 2009–2012 Big South Conference
Presbyterian College Clinton, South Carolina Blue Hose 1880 Private/Presbyterian 1,300 2010–2012 Big South Conference
High Point University[4] High Point, North Carolina Panthers 1924 Private/Methodist 3,079 2011–2012 Big South Conference
  1. ^ Years listed are lacrosse seasons. Since NCAA lacrosse is a spring sport, the year of joining is the calendar year before the first season.

Conference champions

References

  1. ^ "Detroit Helps Form National Lacrosse Conference".
  2. ^ "Lacrosse". Atlantic Sun Conference. Archived from the original on 31 January 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
  3. ^ "Women's Lacrosse Standings". Big South Conference. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
  4. ^ "HPU women's lacrosse continues preparation for debut season".
  5. ^ "Longwood Set to Host National Lacrosse Conference Tournament".
  6. ^ "Longwood Claims NLC Championship with 17-9 Win over Davidson".
  7. ^ "HPU women's lacrosse wins the NLC Championship in overtime".

External links

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