ATLANTA, Ga. - Oglethorpe University
president Dr. Lawrence Schall and the Oglethorpe University Board
of Trustees announced at the February 20 board meeting that the
school will be adding both men's and women's lacrosse as varsity
sports.
"Lacrosse is one of the fastest growing sports right now at the
high school and collegiate levels," said Dr. Schall. "This move
allows us the opportunity to recruit in areas of the country that
best feed our university."
Men's lacrosse will become the 15th varsity sport offered at
Oglethorpe when the team begins play in the 2010-2011 academic
year. The inaugural women's lacrosse team will take the field in
2012-2013, becoming the 16th varsity sport offered at
Oglethorpe.
There will not be a national search for a head men's lacrosse coach
as Oglethorpe athletics director Jay Gardiner will assume the
duties of head coach. Gardiner played lacrosse collegiately at
McDaniel College and has coached at both the high school and
college levels.
"It's an exciting sport to play and an equally exciting sport to
watch," said Gardiner. "Lacrosse will be an excellent addition to
our athletic program."
Four other teams in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference,
which Oglethorpe competes in, currently have varsity men's lacrosse
teams - Colorado College, Hendrix College, Sewanee and
Birmingham-Southern. In October, another member, Southwestern
University, announced it will be adding men's lacrosse in the
spring of 2010.
There will be a campus-wide announcement open to the media,
lacrosse coaches and athletes and Oglethorpe faculty and trustee
members on Wednesday, March 4 at 4:00 p.m. in the Talmage Room of
the Emerson Student Center.