EDISON, NJ (May 9, 2022) – The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) today announced the addition of Long Island University (LIU), Sacred Heart University, and Wagner College to the Men's Lacrosse League, voted on and passed unanimously by the Men's Lacrosse Sports Committee on April 26.
 
Due to conference realignment, all three schools will join the MAAC as an associate member for a two-year term during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 academic years. With the addition of the three associate schools, Mount St. Mary's joining the MAAC as a full member in July of 2022, and the previous announcement on April 4 of VMI men's lacrosse rejoining the MAAC as an associate member beginning next season, the MAAC will have 10 teams in 2023 and 2024, making the MAAC Men's Lacrosse League the largest conference in the country.
 
"The MAAC welcomes LIU, Sacred Heart, & Wagner as Associate Members for the 2023 & 2024 seasons," noted MAAC Commissioner Rich Ensor. "In this period of significant conference realignment, the MAAC aims to provide a transition process for regional lacrosse programs that need temporary league affiliation."

"We are excited to find a new home for our men's lacrosse program," said Wagner College Athletic Director Walt Hameline. "Building on the success that our women's water polo team has had in the MAAC conference while allowing us to continue competing in a sport that is on the rise at Wagner makes this a great fit and we look forward to watching the team start this new journey next season." 

"The MAAC has always placed championship access as a primary focus for all student-athletes and the addition of these men's lacrosse affiliate members is another example of that commitment," said Canisius Director of Athletics Bill Maher, Chair of Men's Lacrosse. "Ensuring the men's lacrosse programs in our region have access to the NCAA Tournament is important and the MAAC is proud to do our part in providing the student-athletes from LIU, Sacred Heart and Wagner with a league affiliation to make that possible." 

LIU finished the 2022 season with a 7-8 overall record and 4-3 conference mark, finishing above .500 in conference play for the second straight season and also qualifying the postseason in back-to-back years. The Sharks landed a total of six players on NEC All-Conference Teams this year, including the conference's Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year in Richie LaCalandra and Will Mark, respectively. As a unit, LIU led the NEC in ground balls average (35.60) and was top-5 in points, goals, and assists.
 
"We owe a debt of gratitude to our LIU administration as well as to the MAAC for working so diligently to accomplish this," LIU men's lacrosse head coach Eric Wolf said. "We're excited to maintain some established rivalries in addition to building some new ones. As a program, the standard is to win the conference championship and earn the right to compete for the national championship. That will not change in any capacity."
 
Sacred Heart closed out the 2022 campaign with a 1-6 conference record and 3-10 overall mark. The Pioneers were led by NEC Rookie of the Year Jake Ward, and also added a pair of All-Conference players to the second team. Ward set both the program and conference record with seven NEC Rookie of the Week nods during the year. The Pioneers ranked second in the league in saves per game (14.00) and third in shot percentage (.288) this season.
 
"We are very excited about joining the MAAC," Sacred Heart head coach Jon Basti said. "This partnership represents a tremendous opportunity for our program and for Sacred Heart University. We want to thank the university and athletics administration for the support they have given to our program to make this move. We would also like to thank the MAAC for considering our program. We look forward to creating some new rivalries."
 
Wagner posted a 3-9 overall record and 1-6 league mark during the 2022 year. The Seahawks had a trio of players named to All-NEC Teams, with two earning second team honors and one making the rookie team. Wagner led the NEC in saves average (14.33), save percentage (.587), and was the least penalized team in the conference, boasting the bet penalties per game average, penalty minutes, and penalty-killing percentage.
 
"We are very excited to be making the move to the MAAC," said Wagner men's lacrosse head coach Bill McCutcheon. "I have a lot of familiarity with the league and I look forward to competing and coaching there again.  I'm thrilled to be making some new rivalries while also keeping the regional competition on our schedule intact.  The MAAC is a great fit for us and I am grateful for the folks at Wagner and at the league who made this possible for us. I can't wait to start this next chapter with our guys and recruits in a new league."
 
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 41st year of competition during the 2021-22 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter's University, and Siena College.
 
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