How many schools will drop lacrosse?

[caneedsmorelax]

Sadly, I think it's inevitable that non-revenue sports across all divisions will be shedding sports in the wake of the COVID-19 shutdown. Apparently, a lot of people in the business think so too. Some D2 and D3 schools may even shut down entire athletic departments. Some schools may not even come back at all.

https://www.inquirer.com/health/coronav ... 00327.html

[redfoxalum]

I was wondering if some schools may try to add D1 lacrosse, on a shoestring budget, in the wake of Covid-19 as a means to boost enrollment provided they can weather the storm of the next couple of academic years. Particularly at small private institutions unencumbered by the costs of FBS and FCS scholarship football. I believe St. Bonaventure is fully funded, but their AD did mention enrollment as a benefit of adding D1 men's lacrosse in the press release announcing the rebirth of the program.

https://gobonnies.sbu.edu/general/2016- ... 0321n1yrqr

In an era where females account for the majority of college students, adding 40-50 male students living on campus and paying a high percentage of the full tuition sticker price might be an attractive proposition to small private schools, especially those in conferences that already sponsor D1 men's lacrosse. Butler and Niagara previously played D1 lacrosse. I could see adding teams at Seton Hall, Xavier, Iona, Rider. The SoCon would likely accept schools like Belmont, Stetson, Lipscomb if they were so inclined to add a team.

[laxreference]

I have no knowledge of whether this is reasonable, but I have to imagine that adding a new lacrosse program is much more difficult when it would mean getting rid of an existing program. And that is the situation that pretty much all potential programs have faced until now.

But if COVID-19 means that existing programs get dropped, you could imagine a new lacrosse program actually having an easier time getting funded. Maybe not this year, but if a bunch of programs get dropped this year and next, then I could see new lacrosse programs having an easier time making their case in 2022 or 2023.

At least that's the optimistic view from a lacrosse perspective.

[laxpert]

The author of this article states 500-1000 schools are in danger.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardved ... 82aec011a1

How many are lacrosse playing schools? I guess only time will tell.

There will be belt tightening the question is how much ? Probably not a good time to start that new wing on the house.

[Homer]

I was wondering if some schools may try to add D1 lacrosse, on a shoestring budget, in the wake of Covid-19 as a means to boost enrollment provided they can weather the storm of the next couple of academic years.

It's possible. But at the moment I'm skeptical that we'll see much of this. The problem is that schools having to lay off faculty and make deep cuts into academic programs aren't going to be in any kind of position to be starting new athletic teams from a political and legal standpoint, even if privately they think the enrollment math works out. To start pink-slipping tenured professors, the institution basically has to declare a state of fiscal emergency, which would presumably not sit well with throwing new cash at extracurriculars that are considered by most a luxury. I may be wrong about this. But I wouldn't be banking on a bunch of new programs showing up to mitigate the effects of the crunch that's coming.

[Homer]

The author of this article states 500-1000 schools are in danger.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardved ... 82aec011a1

How many are lacrosse playing schools? I guess only time will tell.

I'm copying over what I just posted on the Transfer Portal thread. This is based on the really impressive Forbes study that the author relies upon for most of his analysis.

I want to emphasize that my intent in posting this isn't to take a shot at anybody or to pronounce a death sentence on any of these schools just based on one number. I'm more genuinely curious to hear from folks who have close connections to the schools that don't show well here -- what are you hearing?

Here's a listing of all the schools graded C- or D that have NCAA men's lacrosse programs. I can't guarantee I didn't miss anybody, and it looks like some schools weren't included in the ranking for whatever reason. Bear in mind again that this is only the private schools.

C-minus

D1: St. Bonaventure, Merrimack, Drexel, Hartford, Siena

D2: Molloy, Lynn, St. Michael's, Roberts Wesleyan, Emmanuel (Ga.), Barton, Seton Hill, NYIT, Mars Hill, Indianapolis, Chowan, Dominican (NY)

D3: Ferrum, Hartwick, Virginia Wesleyan, Baldwin Wallace, Elmhurst, Emmanuel (Mass.), North Central (Minn.), Arcadia, Cabrini, Guilford, Aurora, New England College, Husson, Albright, Capital, Hood, Stevenson, Johnson & Wales (RI), Wilmington (Ohio), Alvernia, RPI, Wilkes, Bethany, William Peace, Fontbonne, Clarkson


D

D1: Canisius, Detroit Mercy, Bellarmine, Robert Morris, Mount St. Mary's

D2: St. Leo, Pace, Felician, Franklin Pierce, Mercyhurst, Tusculum, Mount Olive, Newberry, American International, Shorter, St. Rose, Alderson Broaddus, Chestnut Hill, Florida Tech

D3: Nichols, Birmingham-Southern, La Roche, Medaille, Huntingdon, Manhattanville, Mount St. Vincent, Keystone, Delaware Valley, Methodist, Becker, Centenary, Western New England, Cazenovia, Eastern, Averett, Immaculata, Thomas, Anna Maria, Thiel, Hilbert, Brevard, Drew, Concordia-Chicago, Chatham, St. Joseph's (NY), St. Joseph's (Me.), Marywood, Regis (Mass.), Keuka, Benedictine (Il.), Pfeiffer


Sub-1.0 (also D, but I'm breaking these out separately)

D1: Jacksonville

D2: Rockhurst, Lake Erie, Lenoir-Rhyne, Belmont Abbey, Wheeling

D3: Utica, Wesley, Widener, Elmira, Adrian

[stupefied]

Are most club teams self funded?

[gunnerz]

Are most club teams self funded?

My son played club lacrosse at a D! lacrosse school and had to pay fees/dues to play/be on the team.

[laxfan22]

A lot of club teams will also get student activity funds like any other organization, but obviously they rely on dues/fundraising/etc.

[stupefied]

Thanks for answers. I asked because some of these programs on the fringe could downgrade to club if limited financial cost to run. Maybe some are already in place as supplement, they usually competitive and enjoyable while offering much greater flexibility. Guess my point is lax doesn't need to cease at these schools, can just be offered at a different level

[holmes435]

Old Dominion University cancels wrestling program - coronavirus was the nail in the coffin

[The Shadow]

According to ESPN. the U of Cincinnati is dropping men's soccer.

[jhu06]

a lot of schools have added it w/the view it helps them market to wealthier communities and students that are more able to pay and have better graes etc. IL had an article on umass lowell adding it and that's what the school admins told them. I'd think basketball would be the first they'd protect and then lacrosse with soccer and baseball as more obvious elimination targets.

[shaadb-man]

Todays biggest story is Petro having to step down, the summers might be who still has lacrosse

another program bites the dust

https://local12.com/sports/uc-bearcats/ ... m-bearcats

[laxreference]

Sadly, I think it's inevitable that non-revenue sports across all divisions will be shedding sports in the wake of the COVID-19 shutdown. Apparently, a lot of people in the business think so too. Some D2 and D3 schools may even shut down entire athletic departments. Some schools may not even come back at all.

https://www.inquirer.com/health/coronav ... 00327.html

Better question: will lacrosse have gained or shed programs by 2026 relative to the 2020 baseline? There's a reasonable argument that lacrosse comes out of COVID-19 in better shape than it went in.

[TheBigIguana]

Most of the historically big schools will get too much backlash to cancel the program. That means the ACC, most of the Big Ten and the Ivies are pretty safe. Non-football schools are probably all safe so Denver, Loyola, etc. But some of the other schools will have to make hard decisions. Villanova, Richmond, depending on funding the service academies and I'm sure others are at risk here.

[harflax]

Joel Klatt
@joelklatt
·
Apr 14
Non-revenue sports within athletic departments are in big trouble. More in particular, mens non-revenue sports will be eliminated at an alarming rate in the coming months.

tennis
soccer
golf
lacrosse
baseball
wrestling

[steel_hop]

Most of the historically big schools will get too much backlash to cancel the program. That means the ACC, most of the Big Ten and the Ivies are pretty safe. Non-football schools are probably all safe so Denver, Loyola, etc. But some of the other schools will have to make hard decisions. Villanova, Richmond, depending on funding the service academies and I'm sure others are at risk here.

This all depend on how programs fund their scholarships and programs. If schools have been doing a good job getting alumni and other interested stakeholders invested into the program by funding scholarships they should survive. If they have not, then that is another story. To provide funding to scholarships means you have to have some money from alumni. Given the demographics of lacrosse and golf and the careers that many ex-players end up heading into (particularly from the schools like Hopkins, Ivies, etc.), they should, but is not a guarantee, have a better ability to overcome financial issues. Tennis is probably next. If I was wrestling or soccer at some smaller schools I would be worried. This isn't to say some schools might not drop lacrosse (particularly at newer programs) just that is a higher likelihood of alumni support for sports that have more demographically more affluent alumni than others.

The three programs that I am not worried about at all are the service academies.

[renault]

Most of the historically big schools will get too much backlash to cancel the program. That means the ACC, most of the Big Ten and the Ivies are pretty safe. Non-football schools are probably all safe so Denver, Loyola, etc. But some of the other schools will have to make hard decisions. Villanova, Richmond, depending on funding the service academies and I'm sure others are at risk here.

Why would the service academies be at risk?

[pcowlax]

Most of the historically big schools will get too much backlash to cancel the program. That means the ACC, most of the Big Ten and the Ivies are pretty safe. Non-football schools are probably all safe so Denver, Loyola, etc. But some of the other schools will have to make hard decisions. Villanova, Richmond, depending on funding the service academies and I'm sure others are at risk here.

Why would the service academies be at risk?

Agree with steel_hop, service academies are the last ones to be at risk. A Richmond, Sacred Hart, Quinnipiac, RoMo, those are in danger.