BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- Moravian College will elevate its men's and women's lacrosse teams from club to varsity status beginning with the 2016 season. Since 2011, both the men's and women's teams have competed in the National College Lacrosse League for club teams. Previously, Moravian's women's team completed at the NCAA Division III intercollegiate varsity level from 2003 to 2010. The men's team squad competed on the varsity level from 2004 through 2010.

"Restoring men's and women's lacrosse to varsity level competition in 2015-16 is another step in Moravian College's growth and revitalization," said Dr. Bryon L. Grigsby '90, president. "There is a growing interest in playing lacrosse among college bound students in the mid-Atlantic region. We intend to attract those student-athletes with a transformative quality education and an outstanding intercollegiate sports experience."

"We will begin the search process for a head coach for each sport early this summer and expect to have those people in place for the start of the fall semester," said Scot Dapp, director of athletics. "The coaches will have the opportunity to spend this coming year organizing and recruiting student athletes, which will give them a good foundation for the start of varsity play in 2015-16."

"For the past few years we have run a men's and women's team in our Club Sport Program and these teams have had a strong showing each year," Dapp continued. "Our new coaches will oversee these programs for the 2015 season."

With addition of men's and women's lacrosse, Moravian's varsity sports will total 20. Men's teams include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field. Women's teams include basketball, cross country, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field and volleyball.

Moravian College is a private coeducational liberal arts college located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Tracing its founding to 1742, it is recognized as America's sixth-oldest college and the first to educate women. Moravian emphasizes the deliberate integration of a broad-based liberal arts curriculum with hands-on learning experiences to effectively prepare its 1,600 students, not just for jobs, but for successful careers.  Moravian College excels at transforming good students into highly competent graduates that are ready to enter the workplace with confidence or shine in graduate school. Visit the Web site at www.moravian.edu.