TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida State is adding women's lacrosse as a varsity sport beginning with the 2025-26 academic year.
The university made the announcement Tuesday.
"We are excited to add women's lacrosse as a varsity scholarship program at Florida State," Florida State athletic director Michael Alford said. "Lacrosse is the fastest growing college sport nationally and it is evident that our culture and community will enthusiastically embrace it. Lacrosse provides another opportunity to compete at a championship level."
The addition of the sport follows the threat of legal action by California-based attorney Arthur Bryant, citing Title IX.
Florida State University
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Florida State fields women's and men's club lacrosse teams. Sophia Villalonga, who is captain of the women's lacrosse team, petitioned the university to make it a varsity sport but was denied.
That's when Bryant and the team sent a letter threatening legal action.
Lacrosse will become Florida State's 19th varsity team and 10th women's varsity team, becoming the school's first new sport since beach volleyball was added in 2011.
It will be one of 118 NCAA Division I women's lacrosse programs in the country.
Florida State said it will begin its search for a head coach in the coming weeks.
