HACKENSACK, N.J. — One week removed from announcing the addition of men’s volleyball, Fairleigh Dickinson University President Christopher A. Capuano and Director of Athletics Bradford D. Hurlbut are excited to announce that the department will also be adding women’s lacrosse to the Knights’ stable of programs. 

With this addition, FDU increases its sport total to 21 teams and becomes the first NCAA Division I institution in the 2020-21 academic calendar to introduce two new programs. The Burgundy and Blue will compete in the Northeast Conference as the league’s ninth women’s lacrosse member. 

“FDU is proud and excited to welcome women’s lacrosse, the 21st Division I athletic program on our Metropolitan Campus,” Capuano said. “The introduction of this great sport, on the heels of the addition of men’s volleyball, illustrates the strength and continued growth of our athletics program. An added benefit of these two new programs is their popularity within New Jersey and the possibility of keeping more New Jersey students close to home to study and compete.” 

“When looking at our list of programs, it was always apparent to me that women’s lacrosse should be added to our sports offerings,” Hurlbut said.  “I’m very excited to begin the process of building another program that the Burgundy and Blue faithful can be proud of and support. Women’s lacrosse is a tremendous sport, and I have such great memories of watching the young women compete during my time at the three previous institutions in which I worked.” 

Women’s lacrosse and men’s volleyball are the first sports the Knights have added since the inception of women’s golf in 2006. The two sports continue to enjoy tremendous growth around the nation, and New Jersey currently ranks second in the country in high school girls’ lacrosse participation. 

“I am so excited that Fairleigh Dickinson University has announced the addition of women’s lacrosse as its 21st Division I sport,” NEC Commissioner Noreen Morris said. “As one of the fastest-growing sports for women, the addition of FDU’s program will allow so many more student-athletes to showcase their talents at the collegiate level and in the hotbed of lacrosse. We cannot wait to welcome FDU women’s lacrosse to the NEC women’s lax family in 2022-23. Go Knights!”

A national search for the new lacrosse program’s first head coach will begin in the spring, and the team is set to begin play in the 2022-23 season.