MONTEVALLO, Ala. – University of Montevallo President John W. Stewart III recently announced the addition of men's lacrosse as the 18th intercollegiate sport.
Men's lacrosse will become the eighth men's intercollegiate sport at the University. It is the seventh intercollegiate sport added at the University in the past four years.
"I would like to thank the University Board of Trustees and President Stewart for approving men's lacrosse," said Athletic Director Mark Richard. "The lacrosse community continues to expand on the national landscape and in the state of Alabama and we're excited to be part of the sport's growth."
The men's lacrosse program will begin its inaugural season in the spring of 2018.
A national search to find the first head coach in the history of the program will begin immediately. The program will play home games at the natural grass field at the lacrosse/track and field facility that opened in the spring of 2016. For more information about the head coaching position and the program's new facility, visit www.montevallo.edu or www.montevallofalcons.com.
Montevallo will become the 61st NCAA Division II institution to field men's lacrosse. The Falcons will become the second Peach Belt Conference member to add the sport, joining Young Harris College.
Montevallo will become the 12th institution in the NCAA Division II Southeast Region to add men's lacrosse. The Falcons are the second NCAA Division II institution in the state of Alabama to add men's lacrosse, joining the University of Alabama-Huntsville.
With the addition of men's lacrosse, the University will continue to add to its student-athlete population, which makes up roughly 12 percent of the total undergraduate student population.
Student-athletes at the University have graduated at a 62 percent rate at the institution, a 17 percent higher rate than the general student body, in the latest NCAA Academic Success Report cohort covering federal graduation rates.
ABOUT THE MONTEVALLO FALCONS
More than 300 student-athletes at the University of Montevallo compete in 17 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II sports as a member of the Peach Belt Conference. Known as the "Falcons," student-athletes at Montevallo have been recognized regionally and nationally for excelling in both the competitive arena and in the classroom with a storied tradition that dates back to the 1958. Montevallo first competed at the intercollegiate level in 1966 with membership in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) before joining the NCAA in 1997.
Since its inception nearly 60 years ago, Montevallo and its student-athletes have brought pride and recognition to the University and the surrounding community. The Falcons have achieved their highest level of success as an NCAA member in recent history, culminating with the men's basketball team making its first appearance in the NCAA Division II National Championship game during the 2011-12 season.
In addition to the University's athletic success, a school record 156 Montevallo student-athletes were recognized for academic success with a spot on the Peach Belt Conference Presidential Honor Roll following the 2014-15 season. Five student-athletes at Montevallo have been named Academic All-Americans in the University's short history as a member of the NCAA.
For more information, visit www.MontevalloFalcons.com online. Also, like the Falcons on Facebook by searching for the Montevallo Falcons and follow @UMFalcons on Twitter.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTEVALLO
Founded on October 12, 1896, the University of Montevallo serves nearly 3,200 students on campus in Montevallo, Alabama. The University, which offers 30 degree programs with approximately 75 majors, is a member of the prestigious Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) and is one of 26 public liberal arts colleges in the United States and Canada.
Famous for its red brick streets and paths, the University's 160-acre main campus in the geographic center of Alabama has more than 40 buildings surrounded by lawns, groves and flower beds. The central portion of the campus is a National Historic District with two antebellum structures, including the 1823 Edmund King House. The Olmsted Brothers, members of the landscape architecture firm famous for designing New York's Central Park, Atlanta's Ponce de Leon Avenue parks and the grounds of the Biltmore Estate near Asheville, N.C., developed the first plan for the University's campus.
With a 17 to 1 student-to-faculty ratio, the University offers students an intimate academic environment with personal attention from a dedicated staff of highly qualified faculty members.
For more information, visit www.Montevallo.edu online. Also, like Montevallo on Facebook by searching for the University of Montevallo and follow @Montevallo on Twitter.
