ANNVILLE, Pa. - Lebanon Valley College will add men's and women's lacrosse to its intercollegiate athletics program in 2009-10, President Stephen C. MacDonald announced Wednesday.

A coaching search for both programs will begin immediately. Lebanon Valley will be reintroducing the sports after more than 20 years; the College sponsored men's lacrosse from 1966 to 1985 and women's lacrosse from 1975 to 1985.

"The return of men's and women's lacrosse, sports that have had strong histories of success at LVC, enables us to provide the largest number of intercollegiate athletic programs in the conference," MacDonald said. "I am excited that we will now be providing additional co-curricular experiences for our student-athletes."

"Bringing back lacrosse has been discussed for several years at LVC and I am extremely excited that we are moving forward with men's and women's lacrosse," said Director of Athletics Rick Beard '90 M'92. "Lacrosse is one of the fastest-growing sports at the high school and college level. These programs will help our athletic department meet our goal of providing broad-based athletic opportunities for current and prospective student-athletes."

Over the past decade, lacrosse has been one of the fastest-growing sports in the country. Currently in NCAA Division III there are 153 men's and 181 women's programs.

Lebanon Valley will now offer 23 varsity sports: baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, field hockey, football, men's golf, men's ice hockey, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track & field, and women's volleyball. Lebanon Valley teams compete in NCAA Division III in the Commonwealth, MAC, and ECAC West conferences.

Founded in 1866, Lebanon Valley College is a liberal arts and pre-professional college located in Annville, Pa., with an enrollment of 1,600 undergraduate students. The College provides an affordable, private, liberal arts education in an environment that fosters success and achievement. An outstanding faculty oversees 35 majors, and students can choose from over 60 clubs and organizations and 12 study-abroad programs. The College automatically offers scholarships to students who graduate in the top 30 percent of their high school class, up to half the cost of tuition.

For more information about Lebanon Valley College, visit www.lvc.edu. For information on Flying Dutchmen athletics, visit www.GoDutchmen.com.