PROVIDENCE, R.I. — American Athletic Conference Commissioner Mike Aresco has announced that Old Dominion University will join the Conference as an affiliate member for women’s lacrosse beginning July 1, 2020.

With the addition of the Monarchs in 2020-21, The American will have six schools that compete in women’s lacrosse — Cincinnati, East Carolina and Temple as well as existing affiliate members Florida and Vanderbilt.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome the Old Dominion women’s lacrosse program to the American Athletic Conference as an affiliate member,” Aresco said. “Collegiate women’s lacrosse is an up-and-coming sport, and we are excited to add the Monarchs to our outstanding group of schools. I want to thank ODU’s distinguished Athletic Director, Wood Selig, and his able staff for their work in bringing a second Monarch squad to the American Athletic Conference. ODU currently competes in women’s rowing in The American. I look forward to the continued development and success of women’s lacrosse in our Conference.”

After UConn departed the conference for the Big East in June 2019, the AAC needed to find a sixth team by 2023 to retain its automatic qualifier for the NCAA tournament.

“Women’s lacrosse is a small, tight knit community and it’s important that we support and make decisions that are good for the continued growth and evolution of the sport. Our move to the American Athletic Conference helps the women’s lacrosse program logistically and competitively, and it also aligns us with a number of programs that are competing at the highest national level,” ODU Athletics Director Dr. Wood Selig said. “Additionally, this will enable us to have a natural rival in East Carolina, an emerging program entering its fourth season in 2021. We’ve enjoyed a strong relationship already with The American in the sport of women’s rowing and look forward to adding to this relationship with women’s lacrosse.”

Women’s lacrosse began varsity competition at ODU in 1980. The Monarchs were most recently members of the Big East (2019-20) and also competed in the Atlantic Sun Conference (2015-18) and the Colonial Athletic Association (1992-2013). ODU captured the ASUN Championship and qualified for its lone NCAA Championship appearance in 2016. The Monarchs are coached by Heather Holt, who finished her ninth season in 2020. Holt was a four-year letterwinner for the Monarchs and was a member of the 1995 CAA championship team.

ODU joined The American as an affiliate member in women’s rowing ahead of the 2018-19 season.