ATLANTA – Atlantic Sun Conference Commissioner Jeff Bacon announced Wednesday that the University of Delaware is joining the Atlantic Sun Conference as a Women's Lacrosse affiliate member beginning in the 2026 season.
"We are thrilled to expand our partnership with the University of Delaware, and to provide a home to their Women's Lacrosse coaches and student-athletes,” Bacon said. “Thank you again to Director Rawak for her belief in the Atlantic Sun Conference and we look forward to the 2026 season."
Since its inception in 1978, Delaware Women’s Lacrosse boasts three national championships, six conference titles, and 34 All-Americans. The program has finished ranked in the top-15 nationally in the final polls on 12 different occasions. During Head Coach Amy Altig’s tenure, the Blue & Gold have made substantial strides. The 10 wins in 2024 are the most since 2016, a season after the Hens returned to the postseason in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2018. This past season, Madison Hranicka became the first postseason All-American since 2002 after setting the program records in modern-era ground balls and caused turnovers.
“I’m excited for women’s lacrosse to be joining the Atlantic Sun,” University of Delaware Director of Athletics, Community, and Campus Recreation Chrissi Rawak said. “The ASUN is a competitive conference and I’m excited for our student-athletes to have the opportunity to compete. I want to thank Commissioner Jeff Bacon and the athletic directors for affording us another opportunity to join the league.”
The Hens join Austin Peay, Coastal Carolina, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Liberty, Lindenwood, Queens and Stetson in the new nine-team league. The Atlantic Sun Conference began sponsoring Women's Lacrosse in 2013 with its champion representing the league each season with an AQ to the NCAA Division I Tournament. Most recently, Coastal earned a bid after capturing its first conference title last spring.
About the Atlantic Sun Conference
The Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN), founded in 1978, is an NCAA Division I conference sponsoring twenty-two (22) sports and championships. Composed of twelve (12) destination-based institutions spread throughout the southeastern United States, ASUN members include Austin Peay State University (Clarksville, Tenn.), Bellarmine University (Louisville, Ky.), the University of Central Arkansas (Conway, Ark.), Eastern Kentucky University (Richmond, Ky.), Florida Gulf Coast University (Fort Myers, Fla.), Jacksonville University (Fla.), Lipscomb University (Nashville, Tenn.), the University of North Alabama (Florence, Ala.), the University of North Florida (Jacksonville, Fla.), Queens University of Charlotte (Charlotte, N.C.), Stetson University (DeLand, Fla.), and the University of West Georgia (Carrollton, Ga.).