UM Women’s Lax Granted Membership to ALC

The women now have a conference to play in during their first varsity season.

Press release:

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The University of Michigan women’s lacrosse team will join the American Lacrosse Conference (ALC), announced Wednesday (June 15) by league commissioner Peggy Pruitt. Michigan recently elevated the club-varsity program to varsity status to begin play in the 2012-13 academic year.

“The American Lacrosse Conference has a history of producing national champions, and we are proud to become its seventh member,” said Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon. “This will be a great opportunity for our program to play in one of the top lacrosse leagues in the country.”

“I am excited about the addition of the University of Michigan into the ALC,” said Dr. Peggy Pruitt, Commissioner of the ALC. “The institution brings a reputation of excellence in academics and athletics into a group of equally excellent institutions.”

The addition of the Wolverines gives the conference seven teams, including three whose primary affiliation is the Big Ten. Michigan joins Northwestern, Penn State, and Ohio State as well as Florida, Vanderbilt, and Johns Hopkins in the league, which just completed its 10th year of existence.

The first ALC postseason tournament was in 2007 — with the winner receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships — but was suspended in 2008 when it featured only five teams. Florida became the sixth team in the ALC after its program was elevated to varsity status in 2010. The tournament will return in 2012 with Michigan’s addition.

The U-M women’s club lacrosse program started in the mid-1990s and reached club-varsity status in 2003. Michigan claimed the Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse League (WCLL) title six times since 2002, including 2011, and was the Women’s Division Intercollegiate Associates (WDIA) national runner-up in 2006.

Michigan is in the midst of a national coaching search for the women’s head coaching position.

And since I only blockquote press releases that come from Michigan (just kidding), here’s a link to an ALC release on the news.