Southern Methodist University announced Thursday that it will add men\u2019s lacrosse as a varsity sport. The Mustangs will begin competition in the 2027-28 academic year. Private donors are funding the program entirely.<\/p>\n
Rumors circulated around this move for the last six months. In May, SMU athletic director Damon Evans told On3 there\u2019s \u201cchatter about lacrosse.\u201d<\/a> It grew to a clamor in recent weeks as SMU neared this historic announcement, especially after a slew of high-profile Ivy League players entered the transfer portal to pursue fifth years elsewhere after they graduate this spring.<\/p>\n The move makes SMU the first Power Four school to add men\u2019s lacrosse since Utah in 2018-19 and just the fourth in the last 40-plus years, joining Michigan (2012) and Notre Dame (1981). Utah\u2019s launch was also funded by donors.<\/p>\n SMU also becomes the first NCAA Division I lacrosse program in Texas history and increases ACC men\u2019s lacrosse membership to six schools \u2014 the minimum required for the conference champion to receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament \u2014 for the first time since 2014 when Maryland was still a part of the conference.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a historic moment for SMU and for the sport of lacrosse,\u201d Evans said in a press release issued Thursday. \u201cWe are proud to be the first Division I school to bring men’s lacrosse to Texas, a sport that has tremendous growth potential across our state. This is a bold investment that will bring another elite program to our campus, and we expect to compete and win immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n In a separate statement emailed to USA Lacrosse Magazine, Evans indicated the school has already begun its search for a head coach.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re being thorough in our search because this hire sets the tone for everything that follows,\u201d he said. \u201cWe want a coach who can recruit, develop and build a culture that wins in the ACC. We\u2019re not there yet, but we\u2019ll have more to share soon.\u201d<\/p>\n SMU already has a lacrosse venue \u2014 Crum Lacrosse and Sports Field \u2014 built for its club teams in 2016. The university aims to renovate and expand it as part of the $25 million campaign to launch and sustain varsity lacrosse.<\/p>\n The athletics department has raised $15 million toward that goal and expects to generate the remaining $10 million by April 1, 2027.<\/p>\n The founding donors are:<\/p>\n Kamela A. Aboussie and Kenneth E. Aboussie, Jr.Anthony N. Creme ’98 and Kali N. Cr\u00e8meGary T. Crum ’69 and Sylvie P. CrumBert A. Getz, Jr. ’89, Susan Getz, and the Globe FoundationAndrew D. McCullough, Jr. ’91 and Laura McCulloughDrew and Amy McKnightScott and KimberlySarah A. Scharbauer ’03Karen J. Scharbauer ’74Christine Underwood and David M. Underwood, Jr. ’88Danielle A. Walker and Thomas B. Walker, III\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cSMU is so proud to bring high-level lacrosse to the Hilltop,\u201d said Jay Hartzell, the university\u2019s president. \u201cFrom the moment we began exploring this opportunity, the enthusiastic support we received has only reinforced our conviction that lacrosse belongs in Texas. SMU is thrilled to be once again leading the way.\u201d<\/p>\n For a state where the sport has grown rapidly of late, this moment was a long time coming.<\/p>\n FIFTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE MAKING<\/p>\n College lacrosse first came to Texas on May 8, 1971. That day, Johns Hopkins and Navy played inside the Houston Astrodome, and Navy won 9-6. Two years later, the University of Texas started a club team. It still competes in the Men\u2019s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA).<\/p>\n Varsity lacrosse followed slowly, and only at the Division III level. The University of Dallas added women\u2019s lacrosse in 2004 and men\u2019s lacrosse in 2011, then dropped both programs in 2022. Southwestern University added men\u2019s lacrosse in 2010 and women\u2019s lacrosse in 2014.<\/p>\n Division I lacrosse stayed out of reach. Apart from occasional neutral-site games, Texas fans had to travel to see the sport\u2019s top level. SMU\u2019s own Ford Stadium once hosted the Patriot Cup, a showcase that brought high school, MCLA and Division I teams to campus.<\/p>\n