The University of Utah men’s lacrosse program (a LaxAllStars team partner) is moving up to the NCAA Division I ranks! Could Pac-12 men’s lacrosse be on the horizon?
The official announcement was made at a press conference held in Salt Lake City this morning by the Utes Athletics Department. Coach Brian Holman, assistants Will Manny and Marcus Holman, and plus majority of the 2017 squad were in attendance gleaming with excitement.
Truth be told, Pac-12 men’s lacrosse isn’t exactly imminent. Whether or not this move by Utah starts a trend amongst other universities in the Pac-12 Conference is yet to be seen. However, Utah’s Athletic Director Chris Hill told the Salt Lake Tribune the momentum for it is promoting. Hill says there are five Pac-12 schools already eyeing the opportunity.
“I thought this morning, ‘How would [Utah football coach Kyle Whittingham] feel if he had the entire Western part of the country to recruit, and nobody else could?’ And I thought that’d be pretty cool. Everything we do, we want to make sure we’re being an innovator in the Pac-12.”
– Chris Hill, University of Utah Athletic Director to the Salt Lake Tribune
The University of Utah men’s lacrosse team will kick off its first NCAA Division I season in 2019, but the team will have to compete elsewhere for now.
Where Do The Utes Fit Sans Pac-12 Men’s Lacrosse?
Reality is the Utes men’s lacrosse team will have three options in the meantime:
1. Join a separate DI conference from the rest of the University of Utah- one that currently fields NCAA men’s lacrosse like the ACC, Big Ten or Big East. Hey, Coach Holman has the ties so why not?
2. Play independent like our boys over at Cleveland State University. History says this can get expensive and complicated for teams West of the Mississippi.
3. Start their own new NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse conference in the meantime. There’s plenty of time to start lobbying.
Related Stories:
- Utah officially adds men’s lacrosse as a varsity sport
- Utes add men’s lacrosse to become first Division I program in state, Pac 12
- ICYMI: Utes hammering out details on capital projects and more
- ICYMI: Utah Lacrosse builds torward Division I dream
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