Southern Methodist University officially announces launch of Division 1 Men's Lacrosse Program

After months upon months of speculation and buzz in the lacrosse world, it’s become official. Southern Methodist University has announced the launch of a varsity men’s lacrosse program. It’s the first NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse program in the state of Texas. SMU will compete in the ACC, bringing the conference to six members for lacrosse. The team’s first official season will be the spring of 2028.

As the sixth member, SMU pushes the ACC past the threshold to have an automatic qualifier for the NCAA tournament. In the past, every team from the ACC that made the tournament received an at-large bid. Now, the ACC will have one team as an AQ, representing a potential major impact to NCAA tournament fields in the future.

SMU has raised $15 million for the launch of the program, and is more than halfway to the $25 million goal. The $15 million raise happened in just two months, and the expectation is that fundraising will be complete by April 1, 2027. Yesterday, Inside Lacrosse's Terry Foy reported that "SMU athletic department and university officials have shifted their efforts to add a varsity men’s lacrosse team into high gear," and the fundraising efforts are in line with that reporting.

"We have seen tremendous enthusiasm and support for the lacrosse program over the last two months, already having raised nearly $15 million, and we are confident that we will reach our fundraising goals," said SMU Director of Athletics Damon Evans.

The last seismic shifts west for the Division I men’s lacrosse world were when Denver went varsity in 1999. Ten years later, legendary coach Bill Tierney was named head coach at Denver, and in 2015 the school won its first and only national championship. Since 1999, Denver has made the NCAA tournament 13 times and the Final Four six times. Following Denver, Utah elevated their lacrosse program to DI varsity status in 2019. In the short time since, they've won the ASUN and made the NCAA tournament twice, demonstrating how rapidly programs can develop with the right resources and ability to attract high level talent.

Texas is a burgeoning lacrosse hotbed. The state put 23 players on rosters that finished in the Top 20 of the Inside Lacrosse media poll in Division I in 2026. That includes multiple players on the national champion Princeton Tigers, as well as representation at high end programs like Duke, North Carolina, Virginia, Penn State, Army, Richmond, Ohio State, Loyola, and Jacksonville. Beyond the top 20 and across all of DI, that number balloons further.

Facilities for the lacrosse program are already in place, though they are also expected to get an upgrade.

"We’re looking forward to competing on campus at Crum Lacrosse and Sports Field, and we’re currently developing plans to renovate and expand that facility in the near future. As we build a program with aspirations of competing for ACC and national championships, ensuring our student-athletes have access to the facilities, resources, and support they need to succeed will be a major priority," said Evans. Crum Lacrosse and Sports Field was first opened in 2016. It was opened specifically for club sports at SMU, including men's and women's lacrosse, along with the soccer, baseball, and rugby teams.

Questions still remain. Information on the potential SMU coaching staff, though rumors swirl suggesting the program is attempting to draw to Princeton head coach Matt Madalon with a massive financial package, is still unconfirmed at this point. SMU would not confirm any specifics on coaching staff.

"Hiring the right head coach is a key step in our plan to build a program that contends for ACC and national championships. We want to bring in a leader who shares that vision and commitment," said Evans.

Princeton did comment at the time of publication.

One reason that SMU has ramped up efforts around men's lacrosse and is targeting the 2028 spring is the massive amount of talent in the transfer portal that can take a grad year that season. The new 5 in 5 eligibility rules have made the transfer portal a serious roster building weapon. Inside Lacrosse launched their 2027 portal tracker, which is for graduate players expressing interest to transfer for the 2027-28 academic year, playing in the 2028 season. It’s stacked with talent from the Ivy and Patriot Leagues, as those conferences either don’t allow grad students to compete in sports or don’t offer grad programs. If SMU could lure a large swath of these players to be the foundation of the school’s first roster, not only would they be immediately competitive, they’d be an immediate contender in the ACC and for an NCAA title.

"Our immediate priority is bringing in the right people, both on and off the field, to establish a strong foundation for the program. From coaching staff, to student-athletes, to building out the infrastructure needed, and beginning work on a 2028 schedule, every step we take between now and 2028 will be focused on positioning SMU to compete at the highest level from day one," said Evans.

Read the press release from SMU here:

SMU Athletics to Launch Texas' First NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Program

Fundraising Campaign Nears $15 Million Milestone Toward $25 Million Goal

DALLAS (SMU) – SMU Athletics announced the launch of a men's lacrosse program, the first NCAA Division I men's lacrosse program in Texas, ushering in a new era for the sport across the Lone Star State. The program will officially begin play in the spring of 2028. 

Beginning with the 2028 season, SMU will become the sixth ACC men's lacrosse program, joining one of the nation's premier conferences in the sport. All five current ACC programs have won at least one national championship since 2009, and all five qualified for the 2026 NCAA Tournament. With the addition of SMU, the ACC will reach the six-team threshold required for automatic qualification to the NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship, subject to NCAA eligibility requirements and approval. 

Texas is already home to a growing lacrosse community, with more than 3,200 high school athletes competing across nearly 160 varsity and junior varsity teams statewide. SMU's launch of the state's first NCAA Division I men's program will create new opportunities for student-athletes from Texas and across the country to compete at the highest collegiate level. 

In just two months, SMU Athletics has raised nearly $15 million toward a $25 million fundraising goal to support the launch of the lacrosse program, with plans to complete the campaign by April 1, 2027.  

For more information on how to support lacrosse at SMU, please visit smumustangs.com/lacrosse