Midwest Lacrosse Conference

The Midwest Lacrosse Conference (MLC) is a men's National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III lacrosse-only college athletic conference composed of schools located in the Midwestern United States. All schools are members of conferences that do not sponsor lacrosse.

Midwest Lacrosse Conference
AssociationNCAA
Founded2010
CommissionerG. Steven Larson
Sports fielded
  • 1 (men's lacrosse)
DivisionDivision III
No. of teams6 (2022)
HeadquartersMinneapolis, Minnesota
RegionMidwestern United States
Official websitemlc-mwlc.org

History

Founding members Adrian College, Albion College, Carthage College, Fontbonne University, Milwaukee School of Engineering, College of Mount St. Joseph and Trine University ratified bylaws on June 2, 2009.[1] The NCAA recognition of the new conference went into effect September 1, 2009 and conference play began on February 13, 2010. Many of the MLC members also field women's lacrosse as part of the Midwest Women's Lacrosse Conference, which began in 2011.[2]

Because the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association added lacrosse beginning with the 2013 season, their members played their last season in the MLC during 2012. Likewise, the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin added lacrosse beginning with the 2015 season, so their teams played their last season in the MLC during 2014.[3] The three schools in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference starting playing in the new lacrosse-only Ohio River Lacrosse Conference in 2015 as well.[4]

Beloit College and Cornell College joined the MLC in the spring of 2015. Concordia University Chicago joined in 2016 and Monmouth College joined in 2017.[4] Marian University continued to expand the conference in 2018.

In 2019, the conference added North Central University and University of Northwestern – St. Paul. Both universities are members of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference for other sports and had been independent programs for men's lacrosse.[5] Further change came before the 2020 season when the conference added Illinois Tech and Fontbonne announced that the men's lacrosse program would be suspended indefinitely due to low participation numbers for the program.[6][7] In 2021, the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference brought its lacrosse-sponsoring institutions - Aurora, Benedictine, Concordia Chicago, Concordia Wisconsin, Illinois Tech, Marian, Milwaukee School of Engineering and affiliate member Beloit - directly under the NACC umbrella.[8] This continues the pattern of the Midwest Lacrosse Conference providing league opportunities for schools until such time that their conference sponsors the sport.

Member schools

Current members
Institution Nickname Location Founded Type Enrollment Joined Home Conference
Cornell College Ram Mount Vernon, Iowa 1853 Private (United Methodist) 1,200 2015 Midwest
University of Dubuque Spartans Dubuque, Iowa 1852 Private (Presbyterian) 2,190 2022 American Rivers
Lake Forest College Foresters Lake Forest, Illinois 1857 Private (Nonsectarian) 1,700 2022 Midwest
Monmouth College Fighting Scots Monmouth, Illinois 1853 Private (Presbyterian) 1,300 2017 Midwest
Northland College (Wisconsin) LumberJacks Ashland, Wisconsin 1892 Private (United Church of Christ) 526 2021 Upper Midwest
University of Northwestern – St. Paul Eagles Roseville, Minnesota 1902 Private (Nondenominational) 2,944 2019 Upper Midwest

Former Members
Institution Nickname Location Founded Type Joined Left Current Conference
Adrian College Bulldogs Adrian, Michigan 1859 Private (United Methodist) 2010 2013 MIAA
Albion College Britons Albion, Michigan 1835 Private (United Methodist) 2010 2013 MIAA
Augustana College Vikings Rock Island, Illinois 1860 Private (Lutheran ELCA) 2013 2015 CCIW
Aurora University Spartans Aurora, Illinois 1893 Private (Nonsectarian) 3,000 2011 Northern
Beloit College Buccaneers Beloit, Wisconsin 1846 Private (Nonsectarian) 1,300 2015 Midwest
Benedictine University Eagles Lisle, Illinois 1887 Private (Catholic) 3,800 2013 Northern
Carthage College Red Men Kenosha, Wisconsin 1847 Private (Lutheran ELCA) 2010 2015 CCIW
Concordia University Chicago Cougars River Forest. Illinois 1864 Private (Lutheran LCMS) 1,600 2016 Northern
Concordia University Wisconsin Falcons Mequon. Wisconsin 1881 Private (Lutheran LCMS) 4,400 2011 Northern
Defiance College Yellow Jackets Defiance, Ohio 1850 Private (United Church of Christ) 2013 2015 Ohio River
Fontbonne University Griffins St. Louis, Missouri 1923 Private (Catholic) 2010 2019 Program disbanded
Elmhurst College Bluejays Elmhurst, Illinois 1871 Private (United Church of Christ) 2013 2015 CCIW
Hanover College Panthers Hanover, Indiana 1827 Private (Presbyterian) 2012 2015 Ohio River
Illinois Institute of Technology Scarlet Hawks Chicago, Illinois 1890 Private (Nonsectarian) 2,977 2020 Northern
Marian University Sabres Fond du Lac, Wisconsin 1936 Private (Catholic) 1,497 2018 Northern
Milwaukee School of Engineering Raiders Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1903 Private (Nonsectarian) 2,500 2010 Northern
Mount St. Joseph University Lions Delhi Township, Ohio 1920 Private (Catholic) 2012 2015 Ohio River
North Central University Rams Minneapolis, Minnesota 1930 Private (Assemblies of God) 1,200 2019 Upper Midwest
Trine University Thunder Angola, Indiana 1884 Private (Nonsectarian) 2010 2013 MIAA

References
  1. LaxPower staff (2010-01-07). "Midwest Lacrosse Conference Ready for Inaugural Season". LaxPower.com. Retrieved April 15, 2011.
  2. "About the Midwest Women's Lacrosse Conference". Retrieved December 5, 2015.
  3. College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (2013-10-25). "CCIW to add men's and women's lacrosse beginning in 2014-15". cciw.org. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
  4. "About the Midwest Lacrosse Conference". Retrieved December 5, 2015.
  5. "Rams Accept Conference Invitation to Join Midwest Lacrosse Conference". North Central Athletics. December 5, 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  6. "PREVIEW: Men's Lacrosse Ready to Begin Inaugural Season". Illinois Tech Athletics. February 25, 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  7. "Fontbonne Suspends Men's Lacrosse Program Indefinitely". MLC. February 21, 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  8. "NACC Announces Addition of Men's and Women's Lacrosse in 2021". NACC. August 8, 2019. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
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