The Daily OrangeSplit decisions
Football and basketball coaches can offer full rides to nearly their whole roster. But their lacrosse counterparts have their hands tied with 12.6 total scholarships for more than 40 players
By Rob Anthes
Posted: 2/21/06, 4:17 PM EST Section: Lacrosse 2006
Much has been said about lacrosse developing as a major sport in the United States, especially at the collegiate level. But Division I men's lacrosse coaches know their sport isn't even close to garnering the kind of respect big-time sports receive.
It's quite simple, really, because Division I athletics comes down to one thing, and the nation's men's lacrosse programs don't have it thanks to NCAA regulations - money.
NCAA rules only permit Division I men's lacrosse teams to give out 12.6 scholarships, an amount that has decreased in the past 15 years despite increased interest in the sport. While men's basketball or football coaches can offer about 80 percent of players on their rosters full scholarships, lacrosse coaches are forced to divide their scholarships among rosters often with more than 40 athletes.
As recently as 1992, Division I men's lacrosse programs had 14 scholarships. The NCAA cut the limit on scholarships for most men's sports besides basketball and football 10 percent to fund and promote more women's athletics. This cut placed lacrosse at the 12.6 scholarships it has now.
The limited number of scholarships forces lacrosse coaches to be creative, splitting the money many ways in order to fill the needs of the athletes while still attracting top recruits to their programs.
"You're trying to get as much bang for your buck," Johns Hopkins head coach Dave Pietramala said. "In the sport of lacrosse, there are a number of kids who pay their own way. There's such limited money."
Lacrosse is at a disadvantage compared to other sports. It's often tough to convince a recruit to play lacrosse when he's also receiving scholarship offers for another major sport.
Virginia head coach Dom Starsia said when a recruit is also considering offers for sports like football, the odds the recruit will accept the lacrosse scholarship are slim. Football only offers full scholarships while lacrosse rarely, if never, can afford awarding a full athletic scholarship.
It's quite simple, really, because Division I athletics comes down to one thing, and the nation's men's lacrosse programs don't have it thanks to NCAA regulations - money.
NCAA rules only permit Division I men's lacrosse teams to give out 12.6 scholarships, an amount that has decreased in the past 15 years despite increased interest in the sport. While men's basketball or football coaches can offer about 80 percent of players on their rosters full scholarships, lacrosse coaches are forced to divide their scholarships among rosters often with more than 40 athletes.
As recently as 1992, Division I men's lacrosse programs had 14 scholarships. The NCAA cut the limit on scholarships for most men's sports besides basketball and football 10 percent to fund and promote more women's athletics. This cut placed lacrosse at the 12.6 scholarships it has now.
The limited number of scholarships forces lacrosse coaches to be creative, splitting the money many ways in order to fill the needs of the athletes while still attracting top recruits to their programs.
"You're trying to get as much bang for your buck," Johns Hopkins head coach Dave Pietramala said. "In the sport of lacrosse, there are a number of kids who pay their own way. There's such limited money."
Lacrosse is at a disadvantage compared to other sports. It's often tough to convince a recruit to play lacrosse when he's also receiving scholarship offers for another major sport.
Virginia head coach Dom Starsia said when a recruit is also considering offers for sports like football, the odds the recruit will accept the lacrosse scholarship are slim. Football only offers full scholarships while lacrosse rarely, if never, can afford awarding a full athletic scholarship.
