LAX at SMU?
With SMU heading to the Big East Conference, talk of the school adding lacrosse as a sport has come up.
Athletic director Steve Orsini told ESPN that “lacrosse, as you know, is growing here, and the Big East represents the footprint of the best lacrosse in America … Those are all things we’ll discuss and see at the presidential level here.”
As Orsini said, adding lacrosse would make total sense for SMU. Dallas/Fort Worth is a hotbed for lacrosse, and several of the state’s top high school programs — Highland Park, Hillcrest, Jesuit, and St. Mark’s — are all a stone’s throw from the Hilltop.
That would be very cool indeed.
It would be great to have a D1 Lacrosse program in DFW. Although the Big East lost its top lacrosse program, at Syracuse, to the ACC, which is arguably the strongest Lacrosse conference in the country, the remaining 6 teams (G’town, Notre Dame, Providence, St. Johns, Rutgers and Villanova) are worthy competitors. It would give the local athletes a chance to play closer to home at the D1 level. It would take a few years to get up to the same level as the other Big East teams, but you have start somewhere. Let’s hope Orsini gives it serious consideration.
Women’s lax would be first to go and then men. Since SMU already draws from all over the country they could actually have a fighting chance at recruiting nationally as well. All in all this a positive step forward for Texas lacrosse.
To Ash:
What is your basis for womens lax first?
@rabblerouser- I’m thinking it’s Title IX-related, but I could be wrong.
Yes, Title IX.