NAIA lacrosse

College lacrosse program

Map of varsity NAIA men's lacrosse teams. Men's lacrosseFirst season| 2016 (invitational sport), 2024 (championship sport)

|

No. of teams| 32
Most recent
champion(s)| Keiser Seahawks (2)
Most titles| Reinhardt Eagles (5)
Official website| NAIA.org
Women's lacrosseFirst season| 2016 (invitational sport), 2021 (championship sport)

|

No. of teams| 38
Most recent
champion(s)| Lawrence Tech Blue Devils (1)
Most titles| Savannah College of Art and Design Bees (3 NIT)
Official website| NAIA.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

[edit]

### Appalachian Athletic Conference

[edit]

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

[edit]

Institution  | Nickname  | Location  | Enrollment

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|
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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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

Institution  | Nickname  | Location  | Enrollment

|
|
|

St. Andrews University | Knights | Laurinburg, North Carolina | 736

## Women's programs

[edit]

### Appalachian Athletic Conference

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

Institution  | Nickname  | Location  | Enrollment

|
|
|

Eastern Oregon University | Mountaineers  | La Grande, Oregon | 3,488

## NAIA National Invitational Tournament (NIT) & National Championship Results

[edit]

### Men's NIT

[edit]

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

[edit]

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)

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

* NCAA men's lacrosse tournaments (Division I, Division II, Division III)
* NCAA women's lacrosse tournaments (Division I, Division II, Division III)
* List of NAIA institutions
* United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association
* Wingate Memorial Trophy
* North–South Senior All-Star Game
* Pre-NCAA Lacrosse Champion

## References

[edit]

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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Related topics|

* College athletics in the United States

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