Topics

More

Penn State Lacrosse Joining Big Ten in 2015

Both Penn State men’s and women’s lacrosse are set to join a newly formed Big Ten lacrosse conference beginning in the spring of 2015.

The men’s program, coming off a 12-5 season that ended with a loss to Yale in the first round of the NCAA tournament, will spend one more season in the Colonial Athletic Association conference before switching over to the highly competitive Big Ten that will include perennial powerhouse Johns Hopkins.

The four other men’s programs making the formation of a conference possible are Maryland, Michigan, Ohio State, and Rutgers.

“Our staff is thrilled about the formation of the Big Ten Lacrosse Conference,” said head coach Jeff Tambroni, coming off his second season in Happy Valley after previously presiding over Cornell’s program. “It is symbolic of the expansion of our sport and the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Penn State lacrosse.”

The women’s team, fresh off a strong 14-7 season that ended with a loss to Northwestern in the NCAA quarterfinals, will play the 2014 in the American Lacrosse Conference.

“I am so excited for the future of Big Ten women’s lacrosse, ” said head coach Missy Doherty in a release. “As our sport expands across the country, it has been great to see so many institutions value and embrace the sport.”

“As a result, we now have lacrosse represented in one of the best conferences in the country. We’re grateful to the ALC for providing our program the opportunity to compete against the best teams in the nation and we’re looking forward to embracing our new role as a Big Ten program.”

The only difference in terms of conference opponents for the women is that Northwestern will be included and Johns Hopkins will not.

The conference programs on the men’s side currently combine for 11 national championships (Johns Hopkins 9, Maryland 2). Northwestern or Maryland took home a national championship on the women’s side for eight consecutive seasons until North Carolina put a stop to the streak this past spring.

To put into perspective the significance of Johns Hopkins joining the conference for lacrosse, the Blue Jays’ program has existed since 1883, won 44 championships counting several titles prior to the NCAA lacrosse era, and qualified for the tournament in 41 straight seasons dating back to 1972.

“We look forward to continuing to build partnerships with the other Big Ten schools sponsoring lacrosse,” said Penn State athletic director David Joyner. “It’s a great pleasure to welcome Johns Hopkins as an affiliate member; an institution with tremendous academics and lacrosse achievement.”

While a schedule is not yet made, the combination of a storied program in Johns Hopkins and a Penn State program on the rise soon playing in the same conference make for exciting times in Happy Valley when it comes to lacrosse.

For statements from others regarding the announcement including Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany, click here.

Your ad blocker is on.

Please choose an option below.

Sign up for our e-mail newsletter:
OR
Support quality journalism:
Purchase a Subscription!

About the Author

Drew Balis

Drew is a senior marketing major. This fall, he will be covering Penn State Football for Onward State. He is a huge Philadelphia sports fan and loves THON and Domonic Brown.

[Photo Story] Pro-Palestine Protesters March Through Downtown State College

Our photographers captured the pro-Palestine protest and pro-Israel counter-protesters as they took the streets of State College.

Penn State Football Looking For Faster Starts Offensively

“We are investing a lot of time in it, and we understand how important it is.”

How To Register To Vote In Pennsylvania As An Out-Of-State Student

Yes, out-of-state students can vote in Pennsylvania!

113kFollowers
164kFollowers
61.3kFollowers
4,570Subscribers
Other posts by Drew

McGloin Named NFL Rookie of the Week

The former Penn State record setting quarterback took home Pepsi Rookie of the Week honors following his impressive first NFL start that resulted in a 28-23 win for the Oakland Raiders on the road against the Houston Texans.

Will Adrian Amos Play Some Snaps at Linebacker?

Willis and Carson Talk Differences Between Butler and Roof