With the recent success of the Denver Pioneers lacrosse team, it's great news to hear that the Michigan Wolverines will be adding lacrosse as a varsity sport for both men and women. The men's team will begin Division 1 competition in 2012 as a member of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC), the same one the University of Denver is in.
The Michigan lacrosse team won three club-level MCLA championships, 2008-2010, but fell in the semifinals of the 2011 tournament. And between 1999 and 2011, the Wolverines won 11 CCLA titles.
An official announcement is expected to be made on Wednesday afternoon.
Both the Colorado Buffaloes and the Colorado State Rams have successful club level teams that made the MCLA tournament in 2011. The Buffaloes lost to Boston College, 10-9, in the opening round, while the Rams advanced to the Final Four. Unfortunately, they lost to the BYU Cougars, 14-11. The Cougars went on to win the MCLA championship over Arizona State, the team that sent Michigan out of the tournament in the semis.
Hopefully soon the Buffs and the Rams will be able to figure out how to move up to the D1 level and continue to grow lacrosse in the Rocky Mountain region.