MILWAUKEE, Wis. (naccsports.org) --- The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) Council of Chief Executive Officers announced that Cornell College, the University of Dubuque, and Lake Forest College have been accepted as affiliate members beginning with the 2024-25 academic year.
Cornell and Lake Forest will join the NACC in both men's and women's lacrosse, while Dubuque will participate in men's lacrosse only. All three institutions currently compete in the Midwest Lacrosse Conference.
"We are excited to welcome Cornell College, the University of Dubuque, and Lake Forest College into the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference as affiliate members for lacrosse," said NACC Commissioner Jeff Ligney. "Current NACC programs regularly compete against all three institutions, so they are all natural fits for us. Their addition brings more competitive depth to our conference when we are moving to enhance the NACC Championships experience for our student-athletes."
The addition of the Rams, Spartans, and Foresters will increase the number of institutions sponsoring men's lacrosse to 13 and the number sponsoring women's lacrosse to 11.
“We are very excited to join the NACC and believe it will be an outstanding new home for Cornell women's and men's lacrosse," said Cornell College Director of Athletics Jeff Meeker. "We think we are a good fit both geographically and competitively and Cornell will add further stability to lacrosse in the NACC. Cornell is grateful for this opportunity to join like-minded institutions. We can't wait to see what the 2025 season brings."
“We are excited for the opportunity to work with our regional partners in the NACC to grow the sport of lacrosse and build a conference that can compete with its’ peers around the country,“ stated University of Dubuque Vice President of Student Engagement and Intercollegiate Athletics Nelson Edmonds.
"Lake Forest College is excited to join the NACC for both men's and women's lacrosse for the 2025 season," noted Lake Forest College Director of Athletics Nicki Pieart. "The conference's geographic footprint and competitive landscape make the league a great fit for our programs. We have enjoyed the opportunity to compete against NACC institutions in non-conference play and are looking forward to this new chapter of competing for conference championships."
The trio of institutions join current NACC lacrosse programs at Aurora University, Benedictine University (men only), Concordia University Chicago, Concordia University Wisconsin, Edgewood College, Illinois Institute of Technology, Marian University, and Milwaukee School of Engineering, along with current lacrosse affiliate Beloit College and future affiliate member Lawrence University, whose acceptance was announced earlier this spring.
ABOUT THE NORTHERN ATHLETICS COLLEGIATE CONFERENCE
The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference began its first season of competition in the fall of 2006, then known as the Northern Athletics Conference. The conference consists of 14 private colleges and universities from the shared-border states of Illinois and Wisconsin, all of which are NCAA Division III members.
ABOUT CORNELL COLLEGE
Cornell College is a national liberal arts college established in 1853, located in Mount Vernon, Iowa. The historic, hilltop campus has a population of more than 1,000 students from all over the world. Our undergraduate students learn on a distinctive block plan schedule, taking One Course At A Time for 18 days before starting the next course. This curriculum allows them to fully immerse themselves in their chosen topic of study, including taking field trips to another country, diving into research, creating an art exhibit, or exploring issues in the local community.
ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE
University of Dubuque - UD to our friends - is a private, coed university founded in 1852. Our 77-acre campus sits near the scenic bluffs along the mighty Mississippi in a dynamic river town that's grown into a center of business and culture. Here, the value of an education is measured in helping our students find their calling in life through academics, community, character, vocation, and stewardship. Our approach to learning is based on professional programs with a liberal arts core, and we prepare students to find their purpose and make meaningful contributions to the world.
ABOUT LAKE FOREST COLLEGE
Founded in 1857, Lake Forest College is a selective residential, national liberal arts institution located 30 miles north of downtown Chicago. The College has 1,795 students representing nearly every state and 120 countries. Lake Forest College has a long tradition of academic excellence and is known for its innovative curriculum and focus on career preparation. The Wall Street Journal recently ranked Lake Forest College the Best Liberal Arts College in the Midwest.