ECAC Announces New Division II Men's Lacrosse League to Begin Play in 2013

CENTERVILLE, Mass. – Commissioner Rudy Keeling has announced the formation of a new eight-team NCAA Division II men’s lacrosse conference that will be officially called the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division II Lacrosse League. The league will begin play with the 2013 season, culminating with a year-end tournament to determine the ECAC champion in a “final four” format.

The founding members based in four states are Alderson-Broaddus College of Philippi, W. Va.; Lake Erie College located in Painesville, Ohio; Lindenwood University based in Saint Charles, Mo.; Mercyhurst University of Erie, Pa.; Ohio Valley University of Vienna, W.Va.; Seton Hill University of Greensburg, Pa.; Walsh University of North Canton, Ohio; and Wheeling Jesuit University from Wheeling, W.Va.

“We are excited to bring this new eight-team league under the ECAC umbrella,” Commissioner Keeling said. “Not only does the addition of the Division II Lacrosse League add quality schools to our membership, it increases our presence in Division II and dramatically expands our footprint. I – like our new members – can’t wait to start the 2013 season.”

Mercyhurst is the defending national champion and is currently ranked No. 1 in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association coaches’ poll with a 5-0 mark. Seton Hill –with a 4-3 record – also appears in the national rankings picture at No. 9.

About the ECAC®
The ECAC is the nation’s largest athletic and only multi-divisional conference in the country with approximately 300 Division I, II and III colleges and universities. The ECAC stretches from Maine to North Carolina and westerly to Colorado. Established in 1938, the ECAC, a non-profit service organization, sponsors nearly 100 championships in 27 men’s and women’s sports and assigns more than 4,400 officials in 12 sports. The ECAC also administers nine affiliate sports organizations and six playing leagues, and more than 2,000 student-athletes are recognized annually through the public relations arm of the conference. Finally, the ECAC serves as the primary conference for select members in the sports of men’s ice hockey, women’s ice hockey and men’s lacrosse.

(TRANSACTION: Eastern College Athletic Conference– Announces formation of a Division II men’s lacrosse league that will begin play in 2013.)