MCLA Adds New Conference
General News
| Boston College
| Bridgeport
| Bridgewater
| Buffalo
| Central Connecticut
| Central Michigan
| Connecticut
| Davenport
| Framingham
| Michigan State
| Minnesota
| New Hampshire
| New Haven
| Northeastern
| Rhode Island
| Southern Conn.
| Stonehill
| Western Michigan
| Westfield State
| Worcester St.
| WPI
| Pittsburgh
ATLANTA – The MCLA has added a new conference for the 2019 season with the creation of the Continental Lacrosse Conference (CLC).
The CLC is the product of a merger between the Pioneer Collegiate Lacrosse League (PCLL) and the Central Collegiate Lacrosse Association (CCLA) and will feature both a Division I and Division II component.
"The formation of the Continental Lacrosse Conference is an exciting realignment for the northeastern region of the MCLA," said Daniel Morris, who will serve as co-director of the CLC along with Sean Buzzard. "Our newly formed Division I entity features six Top 25 teams, including the reigning national champion, and they are joined by a highly competitive and rising Division II league. It should be a great fit for our membership and we should be formidable out the gate."
The Division I section of the CLC will feature an East and West subdivision. In the West will be all of the former CCLA programs – Central Michigan, Davenport, Michigan State, Minnesota, Pittsburgh and Western Michigan – while the East boasts nearly all of the former PCLL squads – Boston College, Buffalo, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Northeastern.
With the advent of the Continental Lacrosse Conference, we need to thank the PCLL and CCLA for their work over the years. A lot of great players, coaches and programs repped these conferences! #mcla19 pic.twitter.com/HKNp8JapK6
— MCLA (@MCLA) August 8, 2018
Rhode Island will be joining the CLC Division II, which are all of the teams from the former PCLL-II. URI will be slotted in the CLC North with Bridgewater State, Framingham State, Stonehill, WPI and Worcester State. The CLC South will feature Bridgeport, Central Conn. State, New Haven, Southern Conn. State and Westfield State.
“The merger of the CCLA and the PCLL will foster the future health of the programs in the league,” said Buzzard. “It was also be an attractive conference for potential new members in the coming years.”
The inaugural Division I Continental Lacrosse Conference championship will feature the top two teams from each subdivision with the winner earning an automatic qualifier to the 2019 MCLA National Championships powered by Under Armour in Salt Lake City from May 6-11.
The CLC’s Division II automatic qualifier will adopt the former PCLL’s protocol of sending the regular season champion to nationals. CLC-II will still conduct a postseason tournament in conjunction with the D-I tournament in 2019.
“The MCLA has never been a static organization and our conferences are always looking for ways to best serve their memberships,” said MCLA president Ken Lovic. “The formation of the Continental Lacrosse Conference does just that.”