Atlantic Lacrosse Conference
SportCollege Lacrosse
Founded2020
PresidentBrett Hewitt
Divisions2
Teams22
ChampionsDivision 1: Virginia Tech (3rd Title)
Division 2: UNC Wilmington (1st title)
Champ season2026
Most successful clubDivision 1: Liberty & Virginia Tech (Tied at 3 Titles)
Division 2: UNC Charlotte (3 Titles)
Websitehttps://mcla.us/conference/alc
AssociationMen's Collegiate Lacrosse Association

The Atlantic Lacrosse Conference (ALC) is a lacrosse conference in the United States that participates in the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA). The ALC operates in the U.S. states of Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina and is split into two divisions, Division I and Division II. The conference is governed by an executive board and the team that wins the conference's divisional playoffs receive an automatic bid to the MCLA National Championship.[1]

History

At the end of the 2020 season, the MCLA Board of Directors announced that they voted to split the SouthEastern Lacrosse Conference (SELC), resulting in the founding of a new conference, which would become the Atlantic Lacrosse Conference. Its founding members were Clemson, East Carolina, George Washington, Liberty, North Carolina State, Tennessee, Virginia Tech and West Virginia.[2]

At the end of the 2021 season, the ALC announced its intentions to expand and create a division 2 component to the conference. The founding division 2 teams were Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, Elon, UNC-Charlotte, UNC-Wilmington and Wake Forest, all of which moved over from the SELC. It was also announced at that time that Pittsburgh and Temple had moved from the Continental Lacrosse Conference (CLC) to the ALC, joining its Division 1 teams.[3]

The 2023 season added three new division 2 teams, College of Charleston, The Citadel, and Davidson College, all whom moved over from the SELC. The 2024 season added the College of William & Mary, Longwood University, and a division-2 team for Virginia Tech.

In 2025, Longwood University left the conference. However, three new teams were added to division 1, University of Kentucky, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, and High Point University.

Prior to the 2026 season, Pittsburgh and Temple left the ALC to join the Continental Lacrosse Conference (CLC). High Point University moved down to division 2.

Teams

InstitutionLocationEnrollmentNicknameJoined
Division I
Clemson UniversityClemson, South Carolina27,341Tigers2021
James Madison UniversityHarrisonburg, Virginia22,166Dukes2022
University of KentuckyLexington, Kentucky38,719Wildcats2025
Liberty UniversityLynchburg, Virginia95,148Flames2022
University of North Carolina - Chapel HillChapel Hill, North Carolina32,400Tarheels2025
North Carolina State UniversityRaleigh, North Carolina36,831Wolfpack2021
University of TennesseeKnoxville, Tennessee31,701Volunteers2021
Virginia TechBlacksburg, Virginia37,279Hokies2021
West Virginia UniversityMorgantown, West Virginia25,474Mountaineers2021
Division II
Appalachian State UniversityBoone, North Carolina20,641Mountaineers2022
The CitadelCharleston, South Carolina3,693Bulldogs2023
Coastal Carolina UniversityConway, South Carolina10,473Chanticleers2022
College of CharlestonCharleston, South Carolina10,941Cougars2023
College of William & MaryWilliamsburg, Virginia9.517Tribe2024
Davidson CollegeDavidson, North Carolina1,973Wildcats2023
East Carolina UniversityGreenville, North Carolina28,021Pirates2021
Elon UniversityElon, North Carolina7,127Phoenix2022
High Point UniversityHigh Point, North Carolina6,550Panthers2025
University of North Carolina–CharlotteCharlotte, North Carolina30,44849ers2022
University of North Carolina–WilmingtonWilmington, North Carolina18,030Seahawks2022
Virginia Tech (DII)Blacksburg, Virginia37,279Hokies2024
Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, North Carolina8,947Demon Deacons2022

Conference Champions

Division 1
SeasonChampionScoreRunner-upLink
2021Liberty17-8Clemson[4]
2022Virginia Tech18-11Clemson[5]
2023Virginia Tech14-132OTLiberty[6]
2024Liberty17-13Tennessee[7]
2025Liberty16-8Tennessee[8]
2026Virginia Tech11-10Tennessee[9]

Note: Bold text denotes MCLA National Champion. Italic text denotes MCLA National Champion runner-up.

Division 2
SeasonChampionScoreRunner-upLink
2022UNC Charlotte16-8Coastal Carolina[10]
2023UNC Charlotte11-9Coastal Carolina[11]
2024UNC Charlotte14-9Wake Forest[12]
2025Wake Forest14-9Virginia Tech[13]
2026UNC Wilmington11-9Coastal Carolina[14]

References

  1. ^ "About the ALC - A Conference of the MCLA". mcla.us. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
  2. ^ "MCLA Announces New Conference". Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
  3. ^ "ALC Expands, Adds Division II". Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
  4. ^ "MCLA - Tournament - 2021 ALC Division I Tournament". mcla.us. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  5. ^ "MCLA - Tournament - 2022 ALC Division I Tournament". mcla.us. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  6. ^ "MCLA - Tournament - 2023 ALC Division I Tournament". mcla.us. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  7. ^ "MCLA - Tournament - 2024 ALC Division I Tournament". mcla.us. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  8. ^ "2025 ALC D1 Tourney | Conference Championships". MCLA. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  9. ^ "2026 ALC Division I Tournament | Conference Championships". MCLA. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  10. ^ "MCLA - Tournament - 2022 ALC Division II Tournament". mcla.us. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  11. ^ "MCLA - Tournament - 2023 ALC Division II Tournament". mcla.us. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  12. ^ "MCLA - Tournament - 2024 ALC Division II Tournament". mcla.us. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  13. ^ "2025 ALC D2 Tourney | Conference Championships". MCLA. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  14. ^ "2026 ALC Division II Tournament | Conference Championships". MCLA. Retrieved 2026-04-28.