USF women’s lacrosse to play first public exhibition games Saturday, Oct. 28 at Corbett Stadium on campus
TAMPA, OCT. 16, 2023 – The International Olympic Committee voted on Monday to include lacrosse, a sport newly added to the USF line-up of varsity teams, in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. It will be the sixth time lacrosse has been included in the Olympics, but the first time as a medal sport since the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.
“Today is a remarkable moment in the history of both lacrosse and the Olympic Games,” said World Lacrosse CEO Jim Scherr. “The inclusion of lacrosse in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles is a testament to our sport’s enduring legacy, worldwide popularity and unique ability to bring people together. It also signifies the culmination of an extraordinary journey to return North America’s first game to the Olympics, a journey made possible by the unwavering passion of our lacrosse community.”
USF announced the addition of women’s lacrosse as its 20th varsity sport in 2021 and landed eight-time conference coach of the year Mindy McCord to lead the program after she started the Jacksonville University program and led it to national prominence. She brought 21 conference regular season and tournament titles, eight NCAA Tournament appearances and two Sweet 16 appearances to Tampa.
The Bulls are playing an exhibition season this fall before beginning NCAA Division I play in The American Athletic Conference in the spring of 2025. Fans will get their first chance to see USF lacrosse in action on Saturday, Oct. 28 when the Bulls host exhibition games at Corbett Stadium vs. Saint Leo (10 a.m.) and Florida Southern (2 p.m.). The USF team features Sofia Chepenik (Palm Coast, Fla.) who transferred to USF after scoring 33 goals and 53 points in helping lead Clemson to 12-6 record and earning ACC All-Freshman Team honors. FREE tickets can be reserved HERE.
There are 117 schools that currently sponsor NCAA Division I women’s lacrosse, and it is one of the fastest-growing sports in the nation, particularly in the Southeastern United States.
Lacrosse was included in five “new” sports – baseball/softball, cricket, flag football and squash – recommended by the LA28 Organizing Committee and approved by the IOC. Lacrosse was a medal sport in 1904 and 1908 and a demonstration sport in 1928, 1932 and 1948.
Overall, the United States has been the most dominant country in international lacrosse with 34 world championships dating back to 1967. The U.S. is the reigning world champion in all four field lacrosse championships, having won the 2023 men’s world championship in San Diego, the 2022 women’s world championship in Towson, Md., the 2022 men’s U21 world championship in Limerick, Ireland and the 2019 women’s u19 world championship in Peterborough, Ontario.
ABOUT USF LACROSSE
The University of South Florida announced the addition of women’s lacrosse to its now 21-sport varsity athletics program in November of 2021. The Bulls named eight-time conference coach of the year Mindy McCord to lead the program in May of 2022. McCord, who came to USF with 240 career wins, earned 21 regular season and conference tournament titles at Jacksonville University and led the program to eight NCAA appearances after starting and leading the Dolphins’ program in its first 13 years. She developed 13 All-Americans, 81 all-conference selections and 13 conference player of the year honorees during that span. USF runs a fast-paced, high scoring offense influenced by the early 1990’s Loyola Marymount men’s basketball record-setting fast break, which ranked among the national leaders in shots, points per game and scoring margin numerous seasons during McCord’s tenure at JU.
Follow @USFWLax on Twitter for all the latest information concerning the USF women’s lacrosse program.
– #GoBulls –
