Men’s lacrosse is a team sport played by over 400 colleges and universities in the United States. Lacrosse is a game played on a field with 10 players on each team: a goalie, three defensem*n, three midfielders, and three attackmen. By becoming a collegiate student athlete, you will learn hard work, discipline, and responsibility. With lacrosse programs emerging all of the country, there are several levels of competition they separate into: D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and MCLA. Division I schools are typically the largest and most prestigious institutions that offer the most athletic scholarships. Division II schools are typically smaller and they offer fewer athletic scholarships. Division III schools do not offer athletic scholarships but have highly competitive lacrosse programs. NAIA and MCLA are alternative college lacrosse leagues outside of the NCAA that offer players opportunities to continue playing lacrosse at the collegiate level. In this article, we will break down the best lacrosse colleges for all levels of competition.
Best Lacrosse Colleges For Men’s Lacrosse
Division 1 Lacrosse Colleges (Top 20)
- University of Virginia
- University of Maryland
- Yale University
- Cornell University
- Georgetown University
- University of North Carolina
- University of Pennsylvania
- Princeton University
- University of Notre Dame
- Rutgers University
- Duke University
- Army West Point
- Navy (US Naval Academy)
- Harvard University
- Brown University
- Boston University
- University of Michigan
- Syracuse University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Air Force (US Air Force Academy)
- Stony Brook University
Division 2 Lacrosse Colleges (Top 10)
- University of Tampa
- Limeston University
- Mercy College
- Le Moyne College
- Adelphi University
- Colorado Mesa University
- University of Indianapolis
- Lenoir-Rhyne University
- Wingate University
- Rollins College
Division 3 Lacrosse Colleges (Top 20)
- Rochester Institute of Technology
- Salisbury
- York
- Dickinson
- Norwich
- Christopher Newport
- Bowdoin
- Tufts
- Union
- MIT
- John Caroll
- Stockton
- Umass-Boston
- Saint Johns Fisher
- Cabrini
- Denison
- Albion
- Grove City
- Lynchburg
- Hope College
Best NAIA Men’s Lacrosse Programs (Top 10)
- Reinhardt University
- Indiana Tech
- University of Cumberlands
- Aquinas College
- Tennessee Wesleyan
- St. Ambrose
- Benedictine
- Keiser
- Siena Heights
- Webber International
Top 10 MCLA Lacrosse Teams
- University of South Carolina
- Georgia Tech
- Brigham Young University
- Virginia Teach
- Clemson University
- Liberty University
- University of Minnesota
- Concordia University
- USC
- University of Florida
College Lacrosse Programs In Emerging Areas
Lacrosse programs are rapidly emerging in different pockets of the U.S. At the collegiate level, lacrosse is growing quickly in Florida, California, Georgia, and North Carolina.
Lacrosse Colleges In Florida
D1 Lacrosse Programs In Florida
- Jacksonville University
D2 Lacrosse programs In Florida
- Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
- Flagler College – St. Augustine
- Florida Southern College
- Florida Tech
- Lynn University
- Palm Beach Atlantic University
- Rollins College
- Saint Leo University
- University of Tampa
NAIA Lacrosse Programs In Florida
- Keiser University
- Webber International University
MCLA Lacrosse Programs In Florida
- Florida Atlantic University
- Florida Gulf Coast University
- Florida Polytechnic University
- Florida State University
- University of Central Florida
- University of Florida
- University of North Florida
- University of South Florida
Lacrosse Colleges In California
There are no D1 lacrosse programs in California and there are no D2 lacrosse programs in California.
D3 Colleges In California
- Whittier College
NAIA Lacrosse Colleges In California
- Westcliff University
MCLA Lacrosse Colleges In California
- California Polytechnic State University
- California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt
- California State University, Fullerton
- California State University San Marcos
- San Jose State University
- University of California
- UCLA
- University of San Diego
Lacrosse Colleges In Georgia
D1 Colleges In Georgia
- Mercer University
D2 Colleges In Georgia
- Emmanuel College – Georgia
- Shorter University
- Young Harris College
D3 Colleges In Georgia
- Berry College
- LaGrange College
- Oglethorpe University
- Piedmont University
NAIA Lacrosse Colleges In Georgia
- Point University
- Reinhardt University
- Savannah College of Art & Design
MCLA Lacrosse Colleges In Georgia
- University of Georgia
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Georgia Southern
Lacrosse Colleges In North Carolina
D1 Lacrosse Colleges In North Carolina
- Duke University
- High Point University
- University of North Carolina
D2 Colleges In North Carolina
- Barton College
- Belmont Abbey College
- Catawba College
- Chowan University
- Lees-McRae College
- Lenoir-Rhyne University
- Mars Hill University
- Queens University of Charlotte
- University of Mount Olive
- Wingate University
D3 Colleges In North Carolina
- Brevard College
- Greensboro College
- Guilford College
- Methodist University
- Pfeiffer University
- Warren Wilson College
- William Peace University
NAIA Colleges In North Carolina
- Montreat College
- St. Andrews University
MCLA Colleges In North Carolina
- Coastal Carolina University
- East Carolina University
- University of South Carolina
FAQ
How Many Colleges Compete In Lacrosse Today?
There are over 580 colleges that compete in men’s lacrosse today. The NCAA is home to 397 men’s lacrosse teams. The NAIA is home to 33 men’s lacrosse teams. The MCLA is home to over 150 men’s lacrosse teams.
What Are The Levels Of Competition In College Lacrosse?
In college lacrosse, there are different divisions in the NCAA and other leagues outside the NCAA that provide student athletes the ability to play lacrosse at the college level. Let’s break down the differences between these levels of competition 👇.
Division 1 Lacrosse
Division 1 lacrosse is the highest level of college lacrosse in the United States, and it is governed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). D1 lacrosse teams are typically composed of the best and most competitive players in the country, and they compete in a variety of conferences and leagues across the country. Division 1 lacrosse programs often have large budgets and offer athletic scholarships to their players.
Division 2 Lacrosse
Division 2 lacrosse is the second-highest level of college lacrosse in the United States. Like D1, it is also governed by the NCAA and features a high level of competition. However, D2 programs may have smaller budgets and offer fewer athletic scholarships than D1 programs. D2 lacrosse teams are typically composed of players who are still highly skilled and competitive, but may not have the same level of experience or talent as those in Division 1.
Division 3 Lacrosse
Division 3 lacrosse is the third and lowest level of NCAA-governed college lacrosse in the United States. D3 programs do not offer athletic scholarships, and they have smaller budgets and less competitive teams than those in D1 and D2. However, D3 programs still provide opportunities for student athletes to compete at the collegiate level and to develop their skills on and off the field.
NAIA Lacrosse
NAIA lacrosse is a college lacrosse league that is not governed by the NCAA. It is organized by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), which is a smaller organization that consists of smaller colleges and universities. NAIA programs may not have the same level of competition or resources as NCAA programs, but they still provide opportunities for student athletes to compete and to pursue their athletic and academic goals.
MCLA Lacrosse
MCLA lacrosse, or Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association, is a college lacrosse league that is not affiliated with the NCAA. MCLA programs are typically composed of club teams from colleges and universities that do not have varsity lacrosse programs. MCLA teams may not have the same level of competition or resources as NCAA teams, but they still provide opportunities for students to play lacrosse at the collegiate level. MCLA teams include big name schools like Clemson, Texas, Stanford, West Virginia, and Boston College.
