MADISON, Wis. (blugolds.com) — The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) will increase its sponsorship of championships to 23 with the addition of men's tennis and women's lacrosse for the 2023-24 academic year.
UW-Eau Claire sponsors both sports and will have teams compete for titles in a conference format.
Men's tennis returns to the WIAC Championship slate after being discontinued in 1995. The conference held its first league championship in 1955.
Programs scheduled to compete for the 2024 WIAC men's tennis title are league full-time members University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater, along with affiliate members Ramapo College (N.J.), Rutgers University-Camden (N.J.), State University of New York-Oneonta and The College of New Jersey. All eight schools have been competing under the direction of the New Jersey Athletic Conference.
Conference action will occur in the spring with teams being split into divisions for the regular season and playing a divisional schedule. The two division winners will then meet for the WIAC tennis title.
The WIAC will award its first women's lacrosse champion in spring 2024.
Teams expected to play for the inaugural women's lacrosse championship are WIAC full-time members UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Stout, along with affiliate members Colorado College and Southwestern University (Texas).
Teams will play a round robin schedule during the regular season with the top-four teams advancing to the conference tournament.
"Women's lacrosse has been a topic of discussion among our conference administrators for a number of years and we are excited to add a sport that continues to grow rapidly in the Midwest," commented WIAC Commissioner Danielle Harris. "Men's tennis was a championship sport for over 40 years and we are pleased to welcome it back to our sport offerings."
The addition of men's tennis and women's lacrosse increases the WIAC's championship sport offerings to 13 for women and 10 for men.
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