Demorest, GA -- Piedmont College President Dr. Ray Cleere and the Piedmont College Board of Trustees has announced that the college will add men's lacrosse as a varsity sport beginning in the 2010-2011 school year. The initial year will be used to lay the program's foundation with its recruiting base and scheduling with the goal of intercollegiate competition beginning in the spring of 2012.

“In assessing the potential for growth in our athletic program, men's lacrosse is a good fit for our facilities and seasonal schedules. Also, with the rapid growth of the sport in Georgia's high schools, now is a perfect time to begin our program,” said John Dzik, PC's Athletic Director.

According to the latest participation survey by U.S. Lacrosse, the sport's governing body, lacrosse is the fastest-growing high school sport for girls over the last 10 years and the second-fastest growing sport among boys. At the collegiate level, men's lacrosse has been the fastest-growing sport over the past decade, while women's has been the second-fastest-growing sport. Currently in NCAA Division III there are 153 men's and 181 women's programs.

Piedmont becomes just the second NCAA Division III school in the state of Georgia to formally add men's lacrosse behind Oglethorpe University. Reinhardt College (NAIA) and Mercer University (NCAA Division I) have also recently added the fast-growing sport. Berry College (Division III), Shorter College (NAIA), and Savannah College of Art & Design (NAIA) have each expressed interest in adding men's lacrosse as well.

The college is currently conducting a national search for a head coach to lead the program and expects to make an appointment to the position by the end of the current spring semester. The new coach will be charged with adding assistant coaches and beginning a comprehensive recruiting program for the 2010-2011 school year. The anticipated inaugural season is slated for the 2012 spring semester.

Piedmont College has already started the necessary expansion and addition of facilities and support services to accommodate the new sport. Expansion of the athletic department office space is currently underway. The addition of a new practice facility is being planned. Renovation of existing locker room space and the addition of an additional athletic trainer to the current staff are part of the start up process.

“It is always exciting to add another team sport to our program, but we want to make sure we do it properly. There has been significant planning and a full commitment by the college to ensure the successful implementation of men's lacrosse,” stated Dzik.

With the addition of men's lacrosse, Piedmont will offer 14 intercollegiate sports with an equal balance of seven for each gender. There are future plans to add women's lacrosse at a later date upping the institution's sports offerings to 15.

Piedmont College is a member of the NCAA conducting its athletic program in Division III. The college is a charter member of the Great South Athletic Conference.