The Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) and the Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Associates (WCLA) serve as the governing bodies for collegiate club lacrosse in the United States, offering a structured platform for schools that don’t participate in NCAA lacrosse programs. Both organizations were created to foster the sport in regions where NCAA teams are scarce, giving students the opportunity to play lacrosse competitively while balancing academic commitments. Let’s dive deeper into each organization’s history, structure, and significance.
Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA)
Origins and Formation
The MCLA was established in 1997, but its roots date back to the late 1970s and early 1980s when various regional collegiate lacrosse leagues began forming in areas without significant NCAA presence. These leagues included the Western Collegiate Lacrosse League (WCLL) and the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Lacrosse League (RMILL). Prior to the MCLA’s creation, there was no unified governing body for collegiate club lacrosse, which led to disorganized competitions and limited exposure for student-athletes in regions where lacrosse had not yet flourished.