Marywood (Pa.) to Add Men's and Women's Lacrosse

[Sonny]

Marywood (Pa.) to Add Men's and Women's Lacrosse

SCRANTON, PA – March 8, 2006. Marywood University will add varsity men's and women's lacrosse at the start of the 2007-2008 academic year, fielding its first competitive teams in spring 2008. A national search for head coaches for both teams has begun. Appointment of the new coaches is expected to be announced by June 2006.

"We are excited at the prospect of bringing lacrosse to Marywood University" said Marywood President Mary Reap, I.H.M., Ph.D. "We anticipate attracting college-bound high school students as well as college transfer students from regions throughout the U.S. and Canada to participate not only in this exciting and growing sport but to continue building our reputation for scholastic achievement by college athletes. Marywood has been consistently recognized as one of the nation's top five NCAA Division III colleges and universities for our exceptional student athlete graduation rate."

Marywood's men's and women's lacrosse players will have the additional advantage of training and conditioning in the University's new $14 million Robert J. Mellow Center for Athletics and Wellness, scheduled to open in August 2006. These athletes will be part of Marywood's steadily expanding student population. In addition to opening the Mellow Center, the University this fall will open Loughran Hall--a building renovation adjacent to the Mellow Center that will provide living space for an additional 325 students. The $20 million Loughran Hall, named in memory of two Marywood alumni, Mary and Helen Loughran, will also house the new University Chapel, located in the building's Center for Spiritual Life, and Marywood's newly established Conference and Community Outreach Center.

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHSA), lacrosse has grown 188% over the past ten years—faster than any other high school sport. Youth membership in U.S. Lacrosse has more than tripled in the past decade, resulting in over 130,000 high school level lacrosse players nationwide. With more than 500 college lacrosse clubs currently in existence, lacrosse is growing at a similar pace at all NCAA levels as well.

Marywood University, a member of both the NCAA Division III and the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference (PAC), currently sponsors 12 sports. Marywood has five men's teams (Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer and Tennis) and seven women's (Basketball, Cross Country, Field Hockey, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball).

"As a spring sport, men's and women's lacrosse will be an ideal complement to our current offerings" said Dr. Mary Jo Gunning, Marywood University Director of Athletics. "Our teams will participate in the Philadelphia-based PAC, a well-established lacrosse league, bringing with it an automatic qualification for an NCAA tournament bid. This affiliation will also bring Marywood University lacrosse into competition with many traditional local rivals."

Marywood University is an independent, comprehensive, Catholic institution with more than 3200 students, committed to the integration of liberal arts and professional studies in the context of ethical and religious values. Founded by the Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1915, Marywood offers a wide variety of bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs, as well as continuing education programs, designed to place men and women of all backgrounds and ages at the forefront of service, knowledge, and technology.