ECAC Lacrosse facts for kids
ECAC Lacrosse was a special sports group for college teams in the United States. It was officially called the ECAC Lacrosse League. This group was only for men's lacrosse teams. It was part of the top level of college sports, called NCAA Division I. The league started in 1999, and games began in the year 2000.
ECAC Lacrosse began with six teams. It grew to have as many as 10 schools. In its last few years, many teams joined or left. For example:
- The Big East Conference started its own lacrosse league in 2010. This made three ECAC teams leave.
- At the same time, two other teams joined the Colonial Athletic Association.
- Another league, the Great Western Lacrosse League, ended in 2009. Five of its teams then joined ECAC Lacrosse.
ECAC Lacrosse stopped existing after the 2014 season. This happened because the Big Ten Conference decided to start its own men's lacrosse league in 2015. Two of the last five ECAC teams were already in the Big Ten. The other three teams soon found new leagues to join.
Teams in ECAC Lacrosse
Last Teams in 2014
These schools were part of the ECAC Lacrosse League in its final season, 2014. Lacrosse is a spring sport. So, the "Joined" year means the calendar year before their first season of play.
| School | Location | Started | Type | Team Name | Joined ECAC | Main College League | Current Lacrosse League |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States Air Force Academy (Air Force) | Colorado Springs, Colorado | 1954 | Federal | Falcons | 2009 | Mountain West | Independent |
| Bellarmine University | Louisville, Kentucky | 1950 | Private | Knights | 2009 | GLVC (Div. II) | Southern Conference |
| Fairfield University | Fairfield, Connecticut | 1942 | Private | Stags | 2005 | MAAC | CAA |
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, Michigan | 1817 | Public | Wolverines | 2013 | Big Ten | Big Ten |
| Ohio State University | Columbus, Ohio | 1870 | Public | Buckeyes | 2009 | Big Ten | Big Ten |
Other Teams That Were Members
These schools were once part of ECAC Lacrosse but left before 2014. The "Joined" year is the calendar year before their first season of play.
| School | Location | Started | Type | Team Name | Joined ECAC | Left ECAC | Current Lacrosse League |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Denver | Denver, Colorado | 1864 | Private | Pioneers | 2009 | 2013 | Big East |
| Hobart College | Geneva, New York | 1822 | Private | Statesmen | 2004 | 2013 | Northeast Conference |
| Georgetown University | Washington, D.C. | 1789 | Private | Hoyas | 1999 | 2010 | Big East |
| Loyola University Maryland | Baltimore, Maryland | 1852 | Private | Greyhounds | 2004 | 2013 | Patriot League |
| United States Naval Academy (Navy) | Annapolis, Maryland | 1845 | Federal | Midshipmen | 1999 | 2004 | Patriot League |
| Pennsylvania State University | University Park, Pennsylvania | 1855 | Public/private hybrid | Nittany Lions | 1999 | 2010 | Big Ten |
| Quinnipiac University | Hamden, Connecticut | 1929 | Private | Bobcats | 2009 | 2011 | MAAC |
| Rutgers University | New Brunswick, New Jersey | 1766 | Public | Scarlet Knights | 1999 | 2010 | Big Ten |
| St. John's University | Jamaica, New York | 1870 | Private | Red Storm | 2004 | 2010 | Big East |
| Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, New Yotk | 1957 | Public | Seawolves | 1999 | 2002 | America East |
| University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass) | Amherst, Massachusetts | 1863 | Public | Minutemen | 1999 | 2010 | CAA |
| University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) | Catonsville, Maryland | 1966 | Public | Retrievers | 1999 | 2003 | America East |
