WAVERLY, Iowa—Wartburg College will add women’s lacrosse as a varsity sport with plans to begin competition in the spring of 2015.

This marks the first new program since men and women’s soccer was added in 1989, bringing Wartburg’s total to 20 varsity teams- 10 each for women and men.

NCAA Division III has 215 women’s lacrosse varsity programs.

“Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the Midwest,” said Rick Willis, Wartburg College athletic director. “Offering lacrosse allows us to provide additional participation opportunities while also giving additional high school students another reason to consider attending Wartburg.”

Several other schools in the Central region have recently added lacrosse programs, including the University of Dubuque and Loras College in the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

The program will compete as an independent program as lacrosse is not an IIAC- sponsored sport.

Wartburg will begin the hiring process of a full-time coach this spring.

Wartburg has a strong commitment to a well-rounded athletic department, having won 10 consecutive IIAC All-Sports trophies since the award's inception.

Wartburg is a selective liberal arts college of the Lutheran church (ELCA), enrolling 1,747 students with more than 600 participating in intercollegiate athletics.

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