The NCAA requires 6 teams for an automatic bid to the tournament, so we’d just need 5 more schools to join. Larry Scott had expressed outward support for more Pac-12 teams to start a LAX program — moreso than any other Men’s sport.
I hadn’t heard where we are on the talks that we’ve already had, but here is a brief synopsis of what’s already been reported on:
1. Utah wouldn’t be eligible to join a league until after our 3rd year as an independent. That’s the probationary period.
2. Because we’re a “P5” program, we’re already an enticing prospect for the top LAX leagues in the country. Partly because of the money that comes with being in a P5 league — plus the potential “name brand” that comes with it — and partly due to politics, which I will share in the 3rd bullet point.
3. The ACC f***ed up. Nearly a decade ago, Johns Hopkins applied for membership in the ACC, but the ACC declined their application. The reason: Not a “P5 program”; would thereby not be a good fit. Now I don’t know in what world JHU Lacrosse WOULDN’T be a good be a solid addition, but I guess the ACC does. Meanwhile, with the transition of Michigan from a MCLA program to an NCAA one, the BigTen finally had enough teams to initiate a brand new Lacrosse league. So with the ACC’s decline, JHU reached out to the BigTen for partial membership. The BigTen happily accepted. Then, a couple years later, Maryland announced their intention of leaving the ACC for the BigTen. This departure denied the ACC of the mandatory minimum league membership of 6 to be eligible for an automatic bid to the tournament. They’ve been at 5 ever since. And this is where Utah comes into play…
If Utah joins the ACC, the ACC will again have the minimum membership requirement to receive an autobid to the tournament. And with Utah’s P5 (and now AAU) status, we’d meet all the ACC’s admission requirements. The only drawback for the ACC is the fact that as the westernmost D1 team in the country, we’re not exactly a good “geographic” fit for that east coast league. And this is where the BigTen comes into play…
While not a huge improvement in travel, Utah WOULD be a better fit geographically in the BigTen than we would in the ACC. Plus the BigTen already broadcasts M-Lacrosse games on the BTN. With Utah broadcasting Home games on the PACN, this would make for good exposure for both us and them. With the addition of JHU, the BigTen reached the 6-team minimum standard. But JHU wasn’t added as a permanent partial member of that league. It was for a period of I think 10-yrs. I’m not sure on what the period length was, but once it expires, JHU would have the option to leave the BigTen. And since the ACC needs another team to replace Maryland, they might be more agreeable to overlooking JHU’s lack of P5 status. Geographically, JHU would be a better fit for the ACC. And due to JHU’s prior flirtation with the ACC, and due to the fact that the ACC needs another team, the BigTen might be interested in adding Utah. That way, should JHU opt to leave for the ACC, the BigTen would still have that 6-team minimum requirement. And should JHU opt to remain, the BigTen could add Utah as a way of blocking the ACC from reaching THEIR 6-team minimum requirement, as Utah would most certainly prefer the BigTen to the ACC.
The ACC and BigTen are the top Lacrosse leagues in the country. They’re like the SEC and the BigTen in “football” terms. However, UNLIKE “football”, there IS a clear #3 league: the Big East. Geographically, the Big East makes the most sense for Utah. Of all the ACC, BigTen, and Big East schools, the Big East has the closest membership. Specifically Denver and Marquette. Utah would be a better fit “competitively” in the Big East than we would be either of the other 2, but the Big East doesn’t really need new blood, as they already have 6 teams, and there is no threat of losing the teams that they have.
Air Force plays in the SoCon — the same league as Bellarmine, Furman, and Jacksonville. That puts us as playing 4 out of the 8 teams in that league this year. I hadn’t heard of any talks between us and them, but due to the number of times we’ve scheduled them, it’s possible there had been some. That said, at 8 teams right now, the SoCon really doesn’t need new blood.
So that’s it. It was long, but it’s all I know. I hope that answered your questions.
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