IRVINE, Calif. – In a span of less than a month, a second club sport at Concordia University Irvine received the green light to move up to the NCAA DII level starting with the 2023-24 school year.

The CUI men's lacrosse program has been approved to be a NCAA-sponsored sport next season and will be joining the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) as an associate member.

The announcement comes just weeks after STUNT was approved to become a NCAA DII-sponsored sport in August of 2023 and scored a victory for female student-athletes across the country.

With the addition of both men's lacrosse and STUNT as soon-to-be NCAA-recognized sports, this means that Concordia will now offer 21 NCAA sports.  Even before these breakthroughs for men's lacrosse and STUNT, that number was already the most out of all NCAA DII West Region schools ranging from California to Hawaii and Alaska.

It's a great opportunity for one of the most successful programs in Concordia's history to shine in the spotlight as the university continues to evolve and grow over time. CUI men's lacrosse won the MCLA DII Championship in 2017 and is consistently nationally-ranked every season.

"It's very rewarding and I am thrilled for the program, the university, and the sport of lacrosse," said CUI head coach Jesse Foss. "For the sport to grow it needs to expand out West. CUI gives players an opportunity to stay out west, attend a great university, and play high-level NCAA lacrosse."

"We are thrilled with the news that our men's lacrosse team can officially transition into the NCAA Division II and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference," said CUI athletic director Crystal Rosenthal.  "After a remarkable run in the MCLA over the past several years, we are eager to take another step up and provide the next level experience for our men in our lacrosse program.  As we move towards the next era for men's lacrosse, I want to express my sincere gratitude to our past players and coaches that have made this legacy so strong in this program.  This is a huge moment for our entire department, and we could not be more excited to watch our Golden Eagles transition into the new era of men's lacrosse."

"We have been working hard to make this a reality and we are also honored that the university has made this commitment to the program and our student-athletes," continued Foss. "Thank you to Crystal Rosenthal, Tim Odle and all involved for the continued support and vision to make this happen."

The RMAC is the oldest NCAA DII conference and entered 2023 with 15 member institutions along with four associate member schools.  Colorado Mesa and MSU Denver often play Concordia in women's tennis, and Colorado Mesa and Colorado Christian were among the 20 softball programs that visited Irvine in early February for the 2023 Concordia Kickoff Classic at Orange County Great Park.

San Francisco State (wrestling), Nebraska-Kearney (women's swim and dive) as well as the University of Texas Permian Basin and Oklahoma Christian (both men's and women's swim and dive) are involved with the RMAC in just those specific sports.

"Being able to join a competitive conference is what has made this move possible," added Foss. "We appreciate the RMAC opening its doors to a new program and are excited to show what we can offer. We are excited for what's in store for next year and the future of the program."

"It's with great excitement that we welcome CUI men's lacrosse into the RMAC as an associate member," said RMAC Commissioner Chris Graham. "One of our membership priorities has been the identification and growth of Division II men's lacrosse in the West. We appreciate CUI's commitment to elevating men's lacrosse to the varsity level, and are very hopeful that sponsorship will continue trending upward as we provide more opportunities for our student-athletes."
 
The Golden Eagles opened the 2023 season ranked No. 7 in the nation in the MCLA Top 25 Preseason Poll.  Concordia defeated No. 3 BYU in the team's home opener 18-10 and boasts one of the toughest schedules in the entire nation with nearly all opponents on the docket ranked in the MCLA D1 Top 25 poll.  CUI has been ranked in the Top 15 this entire season.

Concordia students can get in for free with their school ID for all home games.

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS for upcoming home games!

CLICK HERE for the full 2023 CUI men's lacrosse schedule!