MACON, Ga. – Kennesaw State University first-year women’s lacrosse head coach Kristina Llanes will shortly be recruiting against two more conference programs following the recent announcement that the Atlantic Sun Conference will add Elon University and Furman University as affiliate members as early as 2014.
Beginning its inaugural year sponsoring women’s lacrosse in 2013, the A-Sun will be comprised of Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State and Stetson University, and affiliate members University of Detroit Mercy and Howard University. The A-Sun joins the Atlantic Coast Conference and Big South Conference as sponsors of the sport in the southeast.
“We are very excited that Elon and Furman, two institutions with great academic and athletic integrity, are joining the Atlantic Sun Conference,” Llanes said. “Collegiate women’s lacrosse is gaining momentum in the southeast and throughout the country, and the addition of these two programs represents a promising future for the sport.”
“We get fired up every time we can announce expanded competitive opportunities for student-athletes,” A-Sun Commissioner Ted Gumbart said. “Women’s lacrosse continues to grow in the south, and we are pleased and proud to welcome two outstanding university programs to A-Sun lacrosse. Elon University and Furman University will both be outstanding affiliate members and we look forward to the contributions their women’s lacrosse teams will bring to the conference.”
KSU and Stetson will field their first teams in 2013, while Jacksonville, Detroit Mercy and Howard already share a familiarity, as they competed together in the National Lacrosse Conference (NLC).
Along with being the fastest growing sport in the NCAA, women’s lacrosse boasts the top graduation success rates (GSR) among all NCAA Division I sports. According to the latest NCAA figures released last May, women’s lacrosse posted a four-year class average GSR of 94 percent, which topped all 18 NCAA-sanctioned sports.
Llanes will debut her initial Kennesaw State team on February 10 when the Owls travel to Nashville to take on Vanderbilt. Kennesaw State plays its first home contest on March 2 when it hosts Coastal Carolina in a non-conference game at KSU Stadium. The Owls open A-Sun play on April 7 against Jacksonville.
