ST. PAUL – The University of Northwestern continues to grow and enhance its athletic department, as the university has announced the addition of men's lacrosse – its 20^th varsity sport – for the 2016-17 academic year. UNW becomes just the second school in the state to announce that they will sponsor the sport at the varsity level beginning next year.

The team will both practice and compete on campus at the newly renovated Reynolds Field complex, which offers some of the finest amenities in all of the upper Midwest.

"Adding men's lacrosse has been in the growth plans at Northwestern and with our new outdoor complex the timing is right to add the sport at the varsity level - now the twentieth NCAA sport at UNW," said Matt Hill, Vice President of Student Life and Athletics.

Lacrosse is far and away the fastest-growing NCAA sport. According to statistics from the US Lacrosse Participation Report and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), boy's lacrosse at the high school level has seen a 27.8 percent increase in the number of schools that sponsor the sport from 2009 to 2014, while that number is 37.3 percent at the collegiate level. Locally, Minnesota has also seen rapid growth with the sport, as the Minnesota State High School League reports that the state currently has 76 registered schools with varsity boy's lacrosse.

The institution is in its first year with women's lacrosse, whose official season will get underway this spring after completing a non-tradition practice segment this fall under the direction of head coach Taylor Deetjen.

Like women's lacrosse, men's lacrosse competes primarily in the spring months with an 18-week season consisting of up to 17 official contests.

Hill concluded by saying, "Men's lacrosse as a collegiate varsity sport makes sense as interest in the sport in our region has soared in recent years. We're excited to be one of the first schools to add men's lacrosse at the collegiate level in the state of Minnesota. Now we can provide a collegiate lacrosse experience for those who want to stay close to home after high school and continue to play their sport while furthering their education."

Northwestern will immediately begin a national search for a men's lacrosse coach. More updates throughout the process can be found at www.unweagles.com.