TACOMA, Wash. — The Pacific Lutheran University Athletic Department will expand its varsity sport offerings for the first time since 1996, elevating women's lacrosse to varsity status for the 2024–2025 academic year.
 
Already an established club program on campus, the women's lacrosse program will remain a club sport next academic year before gearing up to make the jump as PLU's 18th varsity sport for 2024–2025. 
 
"PLU has a rich tradition of varsity sports," said President Allan Belton. "We're proud of our national championships and All-Americans, but we're even more proud of the student-athlete experience we cultivate here, and the leaders our student-athletes grow into. We look forward to extending that experience to women's lacrosse athletes."
 
The Lutes will practice and compete at East Field, home of the Lutes' championship-winning men's and women's soccer programs, and will be members of the Northwest Conference. PLU will be the ninth institution in the NWC to add women's lacrosse.
 
"Women's lacrosse continues to grow across the country in popularity and that has been demonstrated by the strong women's lacrosse club currently on campus," said Athletic Director Mike Snyder. "This growth, combined with the existing championship sponsorship in the Northwest Conference, allowed us to make this exciting decision. This new program will be welcomed into the storied history of PLU athletics, and I look forward to engaging with the future leaders and excellent student-athletes that will populate this program."
 
The decision to elevate women's lacrosse to a varsity sport offering follows a comprehensive review of the university's sport offerings, a process that began in 2021. It will be the Lutes' first department expansion since the addition of women's golf in 1996. 
 
Women's lacrosse is one of the fastest growing sports in NCAA Division III. Division III has grown from 204 varsity women's lacrosse programs during the 2011 season to more than 280 varsity programs this spring. 
 
A national search for the PLU women's lacrosse program's first head coach is currently underway. Interested candidates can apply using the following link: APPLY NOW