CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Big South Conference announced on Monday afternoon that it has added three associate members in the sport of Women's Lacrosse, as Wofford College, Furman University and Mercer University will participate in Big South competition effective with the 2022 season. The three schools previously competed in the Southern Conference, which will no longer sponsor women's lacrosse due to an insufficient number of available teams.
 
"Thank you to both the SoCon and the Big South," said head women's lacrosse coach Kim Orie Eldridge. "Our new alignment with the Big South is certainly an exciting milestone for the future growth of our program. While we are still a relatively new program, this alignment will have an immediate impact on our ability to recruit top players and strengthen the overall landscape of lacrosse in our region.  I think it is both geographically and competitively a perfect fit for Wofford."

Wofford began its women's lacrosse program in the 2018 season, as the Terriers finished the 2021 season 2-9 overall and 1-3 in the SoCon, including making its first postseason appearance in the semifinals of the Southern Conference Women's Lacrosse Championships. After taking the helm of the program in 2019 and completing her second season with the Terriers, head coach Kim Orie Eldridge has helped land a program-best four honorees on All-Southern Conference teams in 2021, including midfielder Elisabeth Ralph on the All-SoCon First Team.

The three additions join Campbell, Gardner-Webb, High Point, Longwood, Presbyterian College, Radford and Winthrop and increases the Big South women's lacrosse sponsorship to a league-high 10 programs.