NAIA lacrosse

Men's lacrosse
First season2016 (invitational sport), 2024 (championship sport)
No. of teams32
Most recent
champion(s)		Keiser Seahawks (2)
Most titlesReinhardt Eagles (5)
Official websiteNAIA.org
Women's lacrosse
First season2016 (invitational sport), 2021 (championship sport)
No. of teams38
Most recent
champion(s)		Lawrence Tech Blue Devils (1)
Most titlesSavannah College of Art and Design Bees (3 NIT)
Official websiteNAIA.org
See also: NAIA women's lacrosse championship

There are numerous men's and women's college lacrosse teams at schools that are members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), which is an alternate varsity athletic organization to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

The Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) was the first NAIA lacrosse conference to offer a championship for both men and women.[1]

During the summer of 2015, the NAIA approved men's and women's lacrosse to move from emerging sport status to national invitational. This move allows NAIA varsity teams to compete within the NAIA rather than an outside organization. The first NAIA National Invitational Tournament (NIT) was held in May 2016 in Greenville, South Carolina. Lacrosse is required to remain an invitational sport for a minimum of two years before applying for full championship status. Women's lacrosse moved to championship status beginning in the 2020–21 season. The inaugural NAIA women's lacrosse championship was held in Savannah, Georgia, in May 2021. Men's lacrosse was also elevated to championship status in 2024–25.

Men's programs

Appalachian Athletic Conference

Institution Nickname Location Enrollment
University of the Cumberlands Patriots Williamsburg, Kentucky 1,743
Keiser University Seahwaks West Palm Beach, Florida 19,510
Life University Running Eagles Marietta, Georgia 718
Montreat College Cavaliers Montreat, North Carolina 1,145
Point University SkyHawks West Point, Georgia 1,035
Reinhardt University Eagles Waleska, Georgia 1,057
Savannah College of Art and Design Bees Savannah, Georgia 2,500+
Tennessee Wesleyan University Bulldogs Athens, Tennessee 1,100
Webber International University Warriors Babson Park, Florida 800

Heart of America Athletic Conference

Institution Nickname Location Enrollment
Benedictine College Ravens Atchison, Kansas 2,200
Clarke University Pride Dubuque, Iowa 1,100
Columbia College Cougars Columbia, Missouri 6,765
Midland University Warriors Fremont, Nebraska 1,395
Missouri Baptist University Spartans Creve Coeur, Missouri 2,800
Missouri Valley College Vikings Marshall, Missouri 1,800
Mount Vernon Nazarene University Cougars Mount Vernon, Ohio 2,222
Ottawa University Braves Ottawa, Kansas 725
St. Ambrose University Bees Davenport, Iowa 3,402
William Penn University Statesmen Oskaloosa, Iowa 1,050
William Woods University Owls Fulton, Missouri 2,300


Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

Institution Nickname Location Enrollment
Aquinas College Saints Grand Rapids, Michigan 2,300
Concordia University Ann Arbor Cardinals Ann Arbor, Michigan 1,200
Indiana Institute of Technology Warriors Fort Wayne, Indiana 7,000
Lawrence Technological University Blue Devils Southfield, Michigan 3,000
Madonna University Crusaders Livonia, Michigan 3,139
Siena Heights University Saints Adrian, Michigan 2,307
Taylor University Trojans Upland, Indiana 1,887
University of Michigan-Dearborn Wolverines Dearborn, Michigan 9,500

Club teams

Institution Nickname Location Enrollment
Arizona Christian University Firestorm Glendale, Arizona 1,001
Biola University Eagles La Mirada, California 3,924
College of Idaho Coyotes Caldwell, Idaho 1,000


Independent

Institution Nickname Location Enrollment
St. Andrews University Knights Laurinburg, North Carolina 736


Women's programs

Appalachian Athletic Conference

Institution Nickname Location Enrollment
University of the Cumberlands Patriots Williamsburg, Kentucky 1,743
Georgetown College Tigers Georgetown, Kentucky 1,400
Montreat College Cavaliers Montreat, North Carolina 1,145
Reinhardt University Eagles Waleska, Georgia 1,057
Tennessee Wesleyan University Bulldogs Athens, Tennessee 1,100
Truett McConnell University Bears Cleveland, Georgia 1,000

Heart of America Athletic Conference

Institution Nickname Location Enrollment
Benedictine College Ravens Atchison, Kansas 2,200
Culver-Stockton College Wildcats Canton, Missouri 1,066
Midland University Warriors Fremont, Nebraska 1,395
Missouri Baptist University Spartans St. Louis, Missouri 2,800
Missouri Valley College Vikings Marshall, Missouri 1,800
Mount Mercy University Mustangs Cedar Rapids, Iowa 1,280
Ottawa University Braves Ottawa, Kansas 725
St. Ambrose University Fighting Bees Davenport, Iowa 3,402
UHSP Eutectics St. Louis, Missouri 698

Sun Conference

Institution Nickname Location Enrollment
Ave Maria University Gyrenes Ave Maria, Florida 1,080
Keiser University Seahawks West Palm Beach, Florida 19,510
Life University Running Eagles Marietta, Georgia 2,000
New College of Florida Mighty Banyans Sarasota, Florida 669
Savannah College of Art and Design Bees Savannah, Georgia 2,500+
St. Thomas University Bobcats Miami Gardens, Florida 3,650
Warner University Royals Lake Wales, Florida 1,200
Webber International University Warriors Babson Park, Florida 800

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

Institution Nickname Location Enrollment
Aquinas College Saints Grand Rapids, Michigan 2,100
Bethel University Pilots Mishawaka, Indiana 1,964
Indiana Institute of Technology Warriors Fort Wayne, Indiana 3,500
Lawrence Technological University Blue Devils Southfield, Michigan 4,000
Madonna University Crusaders Livonia, Michigan 3,139
Marian University Knights Indianapolis, Indiana 3,595
Rochester Christian University Warriors Rochester Hills, Michigan 1,153
Siena Heights University Saints Adrian, Michigan 2,307

Independent

Institution Nickname Location Enrollment
Eastern Oregon University Mountaineers La Grande, Oregon 3,488

NAIA National Invitational Tournament (NIT) & National Championship Results

Men's NIT

Year Championship Team Score Runner-up Team Arena Location
2016 Davenport 13–10[2] Missouri Valley Sirrine Stadium Greenville, South Carolina
2017 Reinhardt 10–5[3] Keiser
2018 Reinhardt 8–7 (OT)[4] Madonna Aquinas Athletic Field Grand Rapids, Michigan
2019 Reinhardt 11–4[5] Aquinas (MI)
2020 Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic Memorial Stadium Savannah, Georgia
2021 Reinhardt 17–8[6] Indiana Tech
2022 Reinhardt 11-5[7] Indiana Tech Ashton Brosnaham Stadium Pensacola, Florida
2023 Keiser 15-8[8] Indiana Tech
2024 Keiser 12-11[9] Reinhardt Memorial Stadium Savannah, Georgia

List of NIT Champions

School Championships Winning Years Runner-Up Runner-Up Years
Reinhardt 5 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 1 2024
Keiser 2 2023, 2024 1 2017
Davenport 1 2016
Indiana Tech 3 2021, 2022, 2023
Missouri Valley 1 2016
Madonna 1 2018
Aquinas (MI) 1 2019

Women's NIT (2016-2019)

Main article: NAIA women's lacrosse championship
Year Championship Team Score Runner-up Team Arena Location
2016 Davenport 13–9[10] Georgetown (KY) Sirrine Stadium Greenville, South Carolina
2017 Savannah College of Art and Design 16–10[11] Lawrence Tech
2018 Savannah College of Art and Design 18–11[12] Indiana Tech Aquinas Athletic Field Grand Rapids, Michigan
2019 Savannah College of Art and Design 18–12[13] Benedictine (KS)

List of NIT champions

See also: NAIA women's lacrosse championship
School Championships Winning Years Runner-Up Runner-Up Years
Savannah College of Art and Design 3* 2017, 2018, 2019
Davenport 1* 2016
Benedictine (KS) 1 2019
Lawrence Tech 1 2017
Georgetown (KY) 1 2016
Indiana Tech 1 2018

See also

References

  1. ^ "WHAC Adds Two Conference Sports for 2012-13". WHAC. January 27, 2012. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  2. ^ Staff (May 7, 2016). "Davenport Wins Inaugural Men's Lacrosse Invitational Title". NAIA. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  3. ^ Chasanoff, Tommy (May 6, 2017). "Reinhardt Wins National Invitational Title". NAIA. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  4. ^ Green, Katie (May 12, 2018). "Reinhardt (Ga.) Wins Second-Straight Lacrosse Invitational Title". NAIA. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  5. ^ Staff (May 12, 2019). "2019 Invitational Championship Game Recap". NAIA. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  6. ^ Staff (May 8, 2021). "Reinhardt Captures Fourth Straight NAIA Men's Lacrosse Invitational". NAIA. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  7. ^ Staff (May 14, 2022). "Recap of the 2022 Men's Lacrosse Invitational Final". NAIA. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  8. ^ Staff (May 13, 2023). "Recap of the 2023 NAIA Men's Lacrosse Invitational Final and All-Tournament Team". NAIA. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  9. ^ "Keiser (Fla.) Repeats as NAIA Invitational Champions with 12-11 Victory". NAIA. May 11, 2024.
  10. ^ Staff (May 7, 2016). "Davenport Wins Inaugural Women's Lacrosse Invitational Title". NAIA. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  11. ^ Chasanoff, Tommy (May 6, 2017). "SCAD Savannah Wins Invitational Title". NAIA. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  12. ^ "Lacrosse Box Score (Final) 2018 SCAD Savannah (Ga.) Women's Lacrosse Statistics Indiana Tech vs SCAD Savannah (Ga.) (May 12, 2018 at Grand Rapids, MI.)". NAIA. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  13. ^ "SCAD Savannah (Ga.) vs. Benedictine (Kan.) 5/11/2019". NAIA. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
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