MARCH 14, 2025 | composed by STEVE ULRICH

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FEATURE
WIAC Looking to Build Off First Year Sponsoring DIII Women’s Lacrosse

by Steve Dittmore, D3Lacrosse.net

“Danielle Harris is in her fifth year as commissioner of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). She has previous intercollegiate athletic administrative experience at both the Division I and Division II levels. Under her leadership, the WIAC became one of the most recent conferences to sponsor women’s lacrosse. With only five of the conference’s eight full members sponsoring the sport, the WIAC has looked elsewhere to add affiliates for scheduling purposes. This season saw the WIAC welcome three schools from the neighboring Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

In this Q and A, Harris talks about learning from year one sponsoring women’s lacrosse, onboarding new affiliates, and whether the conference is also considering men’s lacrosse.

You are in year two of sponsoring women’s lacrosse. What did you learn from year one that you are applying to this season?

“In our first year of sponsoring women’s lacrosse, we gained valuable insights that have helped shape our approach for year two. We learned the importance of structured scheduling, competitive balance, the importance of growing the officiating pool, and providing strong administrative support to ensure a high-quality experience for our student-athletes and institutions.

This season, we are applying those lessons by refining our scheduling processes, enhancing communication between member schools, and continuing to support the growth of the sport within our conference. Our commitment remains strong in fostering a competitive and rewarding environment for our women’s lacrosse programs, and we look forward to building on the foundation established in year one.”

Colorado College won your title last year and received an at-large NCAA bid. When will the conference receive an AQ?

“We will receive an AQ in the 25-26 academic year.”

You added several MIAC schools as affiliates this season. How is that onboarding proceeding?

“The onboarding process has been going smoothly, as these MIAC schools were already competing against our institutions, making their transition into the WIAC a natural fit. Their addition strengthens our conference by enhancing competition and fostering existing rivalries. We’ve worked collaboratively to ensure a seamless integration, and we look forward to the continued success of these programs within the WIAC.”

Southwestern (TX) will join the SAA as a full member next year, but Wisconsin-Superior recently announced it would sponsor women’s lacrosse in 2027. Are you actively engaged in conversations about conference membership? What factors into welcoming affiliates?

“The WIAC is dedicated to fostering the growth of women’s lacrosse and values our conference’s strong relationship with UW-Superior as we continue engaging in ongoing discussions.”

The state of Wisconsin has a number of men’s D3 lacrosse programs, but none in the University of Wisconsin system. Is this something you discuss with your members? What would it take to sponsor a men’s championship?

“At this time, our conference has not held any discussions regarding men’s lacrosse. All conversations about sports sponsorship are guided by our membership.

WIAC members all enjoy success in the Learfield Directors Cup rankings. How do your members approach the student-athlete experience?

“The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) takes great pride in fostering an exceptional student-athlete experience, which is reflected in our consistent success in the Learfield Directors' Cup rankings. Under our conference tagline, Excellence in Action, we strive to uphold the highest standards in every aspect of the student-athlete experience. This means providing top-tier competition, outstanding coaching, and robust academic support to ensure our student-athletes excel both on and off the field. Our institutions create an environment where student-athletes can maximize their potential, preparing them for success in their careers and communities after graduation.”

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