NAIA lacrosse

Map of varsity NAIA men's lacrosse teams.

Men's lacrosse

First season	2016 (invitational sport), 2024 (championship sport)
No. of teams	32
Most recent champion(s)	Keiser Seahawks (2)
Most titles	Reinhardt Eagles (5)
Official website	NAIA.org

Women's lacrosse

First season	2016 (invitational sport), 2021 (championship sport)
No. of teams	38
Most recent champion(s)	Lawrence Tech Blue Devils (1)
Most titles	Savannah College of Art and Design Bees (3 NIT)
Official website	NAIA.org

See also: NAIA women's lacrosse championship

There are numerous men's and women's college lacrosse teams at schools that are members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), which is an alternate varsity athletic organization to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

The Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) was the first NAIA lacrosse conference to offer a championship for both men and women. ^[1]

During the summer of 2015, the NAIA approved men's and women's lacrosse to move from emerging sport status to national invitational. This move allows NAIA varsity teams to compete within the NAIA rather than an outside organization. The first NAIA National Invitational Tournament (NIT) was held in May 2016 in Greenville, South Carolina. Lacrosse is required to remain an invitational sport for a minimum of two years before applying for full championship status. Women's lacrosse moved to championship status beginning in the 2020–21 season. The inaugural NAIA women's lacrosse championship was held in Savannah, Georgia, in May 2021. Men's lacrosse was also elevated to championship status in 2024–25.

Men's programs

Appalachian Athletic Conference

Institution	Nickname	Location	Enrollment
University of the Cumberlands	Patriots	Williamsburg, Kentucky	1,743
Keiser University	Seahwaks	West Palm Beach, Florida	19,510
Life University	Running Eagles	Marietta, Georgia	718
Montreat College	Cavaliers	Montreat, North Carolina	1,145
Point University	SkyHawks	West Point, Georgia	1,035
Reinhardt University	Eagles	Waleska, Georgia	1,057
Savannah College of Art and Design	Bees	Savannah, Georgia	2,500+
Tennessee Wesleyan University	Bulldogs	Athens, Tennessee	1,100
Webber International University	Warriors	Babson Park, Florida	800

Heart of America Athletic Conference

Institution	Nickname	Location	Enrollment
Benedictine College	Ravens	Atchison, Kansas	2,200
Clarke University	Pride	Dubuque, Iowa	1,100
Columbia College	Cougars	Columbia, Missouri	6,765
Midland University	Warriors	Fremont, Nebraska	1,395
Missouri Baptist University	Spartans	Creve Coeur, Missouri	2,800
Missouri Valley College	Vikings	Marshall, Missouri	1,800
Mount Vernon Nazarene University	Cougars	Mount Vernon, Ohio	2,222
Ottawa University	Braves	Ottawa, Kansas	725
St. Ambrose University	Bees	Davenport, Iowa	3,402
William Penn University	Statesmen	Oskaloosa, Iowa	1,050
William Woods University	Owls	Fulton, Missouri	2,300

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

Institution	Nickname	Location	Enrollment
Aquinas College	Saints	Grand Rapids, Michigan	2,300
Concordia University Ann Arbor	Cardinals	Ann Arbor, Michigan	1,200
Indiana Institute of Technology	Warriors	Fort Wayne, Indiana	7,000
Lawrence Technological University	Blue Devils	Southfield, Michigan	3,000
Madonna University	Crusaders	Livonia, Michigan	3,139
Siena Heights University	Saints	Adrian, Michigan	2,307
Taylor University	Trojans	Upland, Indiana	1,887
University of Michigan-Dearborn	Wolverines	Dearborn, Michigan	9,500

Club teams

Institution	Nickname	Location	Enrollment
Arizona Christian University	Firestorm	Glendale, Arizona	1,001
Biola University	Eagles	La Mirada, California	3,924
College of Idaho	Coyotes	Caldwell, Idaho	1,000

Independent

Institution	Nickname	Location	Enrollment
St. Andrews University	Knights	Laurinburg, North Carolina	736

Women's programs

Appalachian Athletic Conference

Institution	Nickname	Location	Enrollment
University of the Cumberlands	Patriots	Williamsburg, Kentucky	1,743
Georgetown College	Tigers	Georgetown, Kentucky	1,400
Montreat College	Cavaliers	Montreat, North Carolina	1,145
Reinhardt University	Eagles	Waleska, Georgia	1,057
Tennessee Wesleyan University	Bulldogs	Athens, Tennessee	1,100
Truett McConnell University	Bears	Cleveland, Georgia	1,000

Heart of America Athletic Conference

Institution	Nickname	Location	Enrollment
Benedictine College	Ravens	Atchison, Kansas	2,200
Culver-Stockton College	Wildcats	Canton, Missouri	1,066
Midland University	Warriors	Fremont, Nebraska	1,395
Missouri Baptist University	Spartans	St. Louis, Missouri	2,800
Missouri Valley College	Vikings	Marshall, Missouri	1,800
Mount Mercy University	Mustangs	Cedar Rapids, Iowa	1,280
Ottawa University	Braves	Ottawa, Kansas	725
St. Ambrose University	Fighting Bees	Davenport, Iowa	3,402
UHSP	Eutectics	St. Louis, Missouri	698

Sun Conference

Institution	Nickname	Location	Enrollment
Ave Maria University	Gyrenes	Ave Maria, Florida	1,080
Keiser University	Seahawks	West Palm Beach, Florida	19,510
Life University	Running Eagles	Marietta, Georgia	2,000
New College of Florida	Mighty Banyans	Sarasota, Florida	669
Savannah College of Art and Design	Bees	Savannah, Georgia	2,500+
St. Thomas University	Bobcats	Miami Gardens, Florida	3,650
Warner University	Royals	Lake Wales, Florida	1,200
Webber International University	Warriors	Babson Park, Florida	800

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

Institution	Nickname	Location	Enrollment
Aquinas College	Saints	Grand Rapids, Michigan	2,100
Bethel University	Pilots	Mishawaka, Indiana	1,964
Indiana Institute of Technology	Warriors	Fort Wayne, Indiana	3,500
Lawrence Technological University	Blue Devils	Southfield, Michigan	4,000
Madonna University	Crusaders	Livonia, Michigan	3,139
Marian University	Knights	Indianapolis, Indiana	3,595
Rochester Christian University	Warriors	Rochester Hills, Michigan	1,153
Siena Heights University	Saints	Adrian, Michigan	2,307

Independent

Institution	Nickname	Location	Enrollment
Eastern Oregon University	Mountaineers	La Grande, Oregon	3,488

NAIA National Invitational Tournament (NIT) & National Championship Results

Men's NIT

Year	Championship Team	Score	Runner-up Team	Arena	Location
2016	Davenport	13–10 [2]	Missouri Valley	Sirrine Stadium	Greenville, South Carolina
2017	Reinhardt	10–5 [3]	Keiser
2018	Reinhardt	8–7 (OT) [4]	Madonna	Aquinas Athletic Field	Grand Rapids, Michigan
2019	Reinhardt	11–4 [5]	Aquinas (MI)
2020	Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic			Memorial Stadium	Savannah, Georgia
2021	Reinhardt	17–8 [6]	Indiana Tech
2022	Reinhardt	11-5 [7]	Indiana Tech	Ashton Brosnaham Stadium	Pensacola, Florida
2023	Keiser	15-8 [8]	Indiana Tech
2024	Keiser	12-11 [9]	Reinhardt	Memorial Stadium	Savannah, Georgia

List of NIT Champions

School	Championships	Winning Years	Runner-Up	Runner-Up Years
Reinhardt	5	2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022	1	2024
Keiser	2	2023, 2024	1	2017
Davenport	1	2016
Indiana Tech			3	2021, 2022, 2023
Missouri Valley			1	2016
Madonna			1	2018
Aquinas (MI)			1	2019

Women's NIT (2016-2019)

Main article: NAIA women's lacrosse championship

Year	Championship Team	Score	Runner-up Team	Arena	Location
2016	Davenport	13–9 [10]	Georgetown (KY)	Sirrine Stadium	Greenville, South Carolina
2017	Savannah College of Art and Design	16–10 [11]	Lawrence Tech
2018	Savannah College of Art and Design	18–11 [12]	Indiana Tech	Aquinas Athletic Field	Grand Rapids, Michigan
2019	Savannah College of Art and Design	18–12 [13]	Benedictine (KS)

List of NIT champions

See also: NAIA women's lacrosse championship

School	Championships	Winning Years	Runner-Up	Runner-Up Years
Savannah College of Art and Design	3*	2017, 2018, 2019
Davenport	1*	2016
Benedictine (KS)			1	2019
Lawrence Tech			1	2017
Georgetown (KY)			1	2016
Indiana Tech			1	2018

See also

• NCAA men's lacrosse tournaments (Division I, Division II, Division III)
• NCAA women's lacrosse tournaments (Division I, Division II, Division III)
• List of NAIA institutions
• United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association
• Wingate Memorial Trophy
• North–South Senior All-Star Game
• Pre-NCAA Lacrosse Champion

References

1. "WHAC Adds Two Conference Sports for 2012-13". WHAC. January 27, 2012. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
2. Staff (May 7, 2016). "Davenport Wins Inaugural Men's Lacrosse Invitational Title". NAIA. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
3. Chasanoff, Tommy (May 6, 2017). "Reinhardt Wins National Invitational Title". NAIA. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
4. Green, Katie (May 12, 2018). "Reinhardt (Ga.) Wins Second-Straight Lacrosse Invitational Title". NAIA. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
5. Staff (May 12, 2019). "2019 Invitational Championship Game Recap". NAIA. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
6. Staff (May 8, 2021). "Reinhardt Captures Fourth Straight NAIA Men's Lacrosse Invitational". NAIA. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
7. Staff (May 14, 2022). "Recap of the 2022 Men's Lacrosse Invitational Final". NAIA. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
8. Staff (May 13, 2023). "Recap of the 2023 NAIA Men's Lacrosse Invitational Final and All-Tournament Team". NAIA. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
9. "Keiser (Fla.) Repeats as NAIA Invitational Champions with 12-11 Victory". NAIA. May 11, 2024.
10. Staff (May 7, 2016). "Davenport Wins Inaugural Women's Lacrosse Invitational Title". NAIA. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
11. Chasanoff, Tommy (May 6, 2017). "SCAD Savannah Wins Invitational Title". NAIA. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
12. "Lacrosse Box Score (Final) 2018 SCAD Savannah (Ga.) Women's Lacrosse Statistics Indiana Tech vs SCAD Savannah (Ga.) (May 12, 2018 at Grand Rapids, MI.)". NAIA. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
13. "SCAD Savannah (Ga.) vs. Benedictine (Kan.) 5/11/2019". NAIA. Retrieved February 25, 2020.