Sept. 15, 2009

Allendale, Mich. - Grand Valley State Director of Athletics Tim Selgo announced Tuesday that women's lacrosse will be added as a varsity sport. The Lakers are slated to begin intercollegiate competition during the spring of 2012.

"We are excited to add women's lacrosse as a varsity sport at Grand Valley State," said Selgo. "Lacrosse is one of the fastest growing and most popular sports in the Midwest and we want to be a leader in our region in Division II women's lacrosse. Our intent is to make the commitment so that in time, women's lacrosse can compete on the national stage in Division II like our other sports," added Selgo.

Grand Valley State will begin its search for a head coach immediately, with a timeline for having a coach in place by January 1, 2010. The GVSU women's lacrosse program will spend the 2010-11 academic year recruiting and building a squad in preparation for the 2012 spring playing season. GVSU will be the first Division II school in Michigan to offer a varsity women's lacrosse program, with the University of Detroit (DI) and Adrian College (DIII) being the only other intercollegiate programs. The Lakers will compete as a Division II independent in women's lacrosse for the time being.

Grand Valley State currently offers 19 varsity sports (10 women/9 men) at the NCAA Division II level. The Lakers have won six straight Learfield Sports Directors' Cup titles as the top overall DII athletics program in the country and 11 straight Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Presidents' Cup crowns, the all-sports trophy for the GLIAC. The last intercollegiate sport added at Grand Valley State was women's soccer in 1996.

Additional information on the Grand Valley State women's lacrosse program will be post once a head coach is hired.