Formerly | California Collegiate Lacrosse Association (1980-1983) |
---|---|
Association | Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association |
Founded | 1980, 44 years ago |
President | Mike Gillespie |
Sports fielded | |
No. of teams | 14 |
Most recent champion(s) | Division 1: UC Santa Barbara (9th Title) Division 2: UC Davis (3rd Title) (2023) |
Most titles | Division 1: Whittier College (10 Titles) Division 2: University of San Diego & Saint Mary's College of California (Tied at 5 Titles) |
Official website | http://mcla.us/WCLL/ |
The Western Collegiate Lacrosse League (WCLL) is a conference that participates in the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA). The WCLL operates in California, Nevada, and Oregon and is split into two divisions, Division I and Division II.[1] The conference is governed by an executive board and the teams that win the conference's divisional playoffs receive automatic bids to the MCLA National Tournament.
History
California Lacrosse Association Era (1959-1979)
The roots of the WCLL go back to 1959 when the California Lacrosse Association (CLA) was created. This was a hybrid organization that included both college and men's club teams in Southern California. Similarly, the teams in Northern California participated in the Northern California Lacrosse Association (NCLA). The founding members of the CLA included Claremont, Los Angeles Lacrosse Club, Orange County Lacrosse Club, San Fernando Valley Lacrosse Club, OMBAC, San Marino Lacrosse Club and others. In 1969, UCLA joined the league, followed by UCSB in 1970.
In 1976, the CLA expanded with the addition of Southern California. On occasion the CLA Champion would face the NCLA Champion at the end of the season to determine a conference or "California State Champion". UCSB captured the final state championship played under this arrangement defeating their northern counterparts in 1978. In 1979, at the urging of CLA VP and San Diego State alum Mitch Fenton, a separate organization for the collegiate teams in both the CLA and NCLA was brainstormed.
California Collegiate Lacrosse Association Era (1980-1982)
The union that would eventually become the WCLL was founded on Super Bowl Sunday, January 20, 1980, as the California Collegiate Lacrosse Association (CCLA). A select few gathered at the house of then UCLA Head Coach Mayer Davidson's house in West Los Angeles. Co-founders also included Stanford Head Coach Sam Sadtler, the Claremont Head Coach and Mitch Fenton. The original 9 members were: California, Claremont, San Diego State, Santa Clara, Southern California, Stanford, UC Davis, UCLA and UCSB. Fenton served as the first president of the association. In the inaugural championship, the UCSB Gauchos defeated the Stanford Cardinal. One year later, Whittier College joined the league. In 1982, the University of Arizona, Arizona State and Northern Arizona joined the CCLA. That same year the Stanford Cardinal took home the championship defeating UCLA at Stanford.
WCLL Expansion Era (1982-2008)
In 1983, the CCLA renamed itself the Western Collegiate Lacrosse League. That same year Cal Poly SLO joined the conference. Arizona Head Coach and WCLL co-founder Mickey-Miles Felton, who was instrumental in the addition of the Arizona schools the year before, served as the league's first president. The WCLL Championship Trophy is named in his honor.[2]
In 1985, Loyola Marymount University was admitted to the conference. In 1987, Chico State was admitted as a full member of the conference.
In 1988, the WCLL split into A and B divisions (later I and II). That same year Chapman University and San Jose State University joined the WCLL as Division II members.[3] In 1989, Sonoma State joined the WCLL.
In 1997, the WCLL, was one of the charter conferences in the US Lacrosse Intercollegiate Associates (USLIA). Prior to the 2000 season, Whittier College departed joining the NCAA Division III as an independent. Following the 2002 season, Division II member Cal State San Marcos left the conference. Following the 2004 season, Division II member Cal State Hayward (now Cal State East Bay) left the conference.
The addition of the University of Nevada, Reno and St. Mary's College to the WCLL Division I at the annual conference meeting in 2004 lead to a massive realignment of the conference. The 20 Division I teams were split into 4 geographic divisions (North, Central, Los Angeles and South) for the 2005 season. In 2005, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and UC Santa Cruz joined the league, followed by Cal State Fullerton and the readmittance of San Jose State in 2006. That same year, the USLIA reorganized into the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA).[4]
Departure of Southern Teams (2009)
The league grew into the largest MCLA conferences but saw big changes in 2009.[5] The University of California, Merced joined the league for the 2009 season but the league lost its entire Central Division, made up of Chapman, UC Santa Barbara, Claremont, Loyola Marymount, USC, and UCLA; and lost the majority of its Southern Division, including: Arizona State, San Diego State, Arizona, San Diego, UC San Diego. The WCLL also lost six of ten Division II members, including: Biola, Cal Lutheran, Cal State Fullerton, Occidental, Pepperdine, UC Irvine, and UNLV. The departing teams formed the Southwestern Lacrosse Conference (SLC).[5][6]
Modern Era (2009-Present)
After the departure of its southern teams, the WCLL entered a period which would see several teams join, only to cease operations shortly thereafter. This included UC Merced (2009-2012), Cal-State Monterey Bay (2013-2014), the University of San Francisco (2015-2016), and culminated in one of the league's oldest members, University of the Pacific, folding in 2017.
In 2014, Sierra Nevada College joined the conference, they would go on to win four back-to-back division II championships from 2015 to 2018. The team ultimately folded in 2022 after their school was sold to the University of Nevada at Reno, which closed all of its sports teams.
In 2020, UC Santa Barbara returned to the WCLL after 11 years (2009-2019) in the SLC.[5]
In 2023, the WCLL expanded to include its first team from Oregon, Southern Oregon University, moving over from the Pacific Northwest Collegiate Lacrosse League (PNCLL). At the conclusion of the 2023 season, Dominican University announced that it would be departing the WCLL, joining the NCAA Division II as an independent in 2024.[7]
Teams
Former members
Conference championship
Division I
When the conference was formed in 1980, it was determined that the top team of the Northern Division would play the top team of the Southern Division at the end of the season to determine the conference champion. This changed in 1985 when the conference championship was turned into a four team tournament among the top two teams in each division. The 2005 season introduced two new divisions to the WCLL, the Central Division and the Los Angeles Division, each of whom would send their top two teams to tournament. After many teams left in 2009, the conference dissolved all of its divisions and changed the tournament to be among the conference's top four teams. In 2019, the conference reintroduced its North Division and South Division, the champions of which would receive a bye round in a six-team tournament.
Season | Conference Champion | Score | Runner-up | Citation |
---|---|---|---|---|
1980 | UC Santa Barbara | 16-12 | Stanford | [8] |
1981 | California | 14-8 | UC Santa Barbara | [9] |
1982 | Stanford | 11-8 | UC Los Angeles | [10] |
1983 | UC Santa Barbara | 12-11 | Arizona | [11] |
1984 | UC Santa Barbara | 10-9OT | San Diego State | [12] |
1985 | Whittier | 18-7 | Arizona | [13] |
1986 | Whittier | 12-11 | UC Santa Barbara | [14] |
1987 | UC Santa Barbara | 13-8 | Whittier | [15] |
1988 | Whittier | 18-15 | Sonoma State | [16] |
1989 | Whittier | 16-12 | Sonoma State | [17] |
1990 | Arizona | 6-5 | UC Santa Barbara | [18] |
1991 | Whittier | 16-8 | UC Santa Barbara | [19] |
1992 | Whittier | 13-9 | Arizona | [20] |
1993 | Whittier | 14-10 | California | [21] |
1994 | California | 14-10 | UC San Diego | [22] |
1995 | California | 13-5 | UC Santa Barbara | [23] |
1996 | Whittier | 17-9 | Chapman | [24] |
1997 | Whittier | 29-10 | Arizona | [25] |
1998 | California | 16-15OT | Whittier | [26] |
1999 | Whittier | 11-8 | Sonoma State | [27] |
2000 | California | 12-10 | Sonoma State | [28] |
2001 | Sonoma State | 22-9 | Arizona | [29] |
2002 | Sonoma State | 8-4 | Stanford | [30] |
2003 | UC Santa Barbara | 14-9 | Sonoma State | [31] |
2004 | UC Santa Barbara | 11-1 | Arizona | [32] |
2005 | UC Santa Barbara | 8-7 | Sonoma State | [33] |
2006 | Sonoma State | 7-3 | Arizona | [34] |
2007 | UC Santa Barbara | 7-5 | Arizona | [35] |
2008 | Chapman | 17-9 | Arizona State | [36] |
2009 | Cal Poly | 17-9 | Sonoma State | [37] |
2010 | Cal Poly | 13-7 | California | [38] |
2011 | Cal Poly | 11-6 | Stanford | [39] |
2012 | Cal Poly | 11-8 | California | [40] |
2013 | Stanford | 8-7 | Sonoma State | [41] |
2014 | Cal Poly | 16-5 | California | [42] |
2015 | Stanford | 11-102OT | Cal Poly | [43] |
2016 | Cal Poly | 9-8 | California | [44] |
2017 | Cal Poly | 10-8 | California | [45] |
2018 | California | 6-4 | Cal Poly | [46] |
2019 | California | 17-9 | Santa Clara | [47] |
2020 | No Championship due to Covid-19 Pandemic | [48] | ||
2021 | No Championship due to Covid-19 Pandemic | [48] | ||
2022 | Cal Poly | 12-11 | California | [49] |
2023 | UC Santa Barbara | 11-5 | Cal Poly | [50] |
Team | Championships | Winning years | Runner-up | Runner-up Years |
---|---|---|---|---|
Whittier | 10 | 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1999 | 2 | 1987, 1998 |
UC Santa Barbara | 9 | 1980, 1983, 1984, 1987, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2023 | 5 | 1981, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1995 |
Cal Poly | 8 | 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2022 | 3 | 2015, 2018, 2023 |
California | 7 | 1981, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2018, 2019 | 7 | 1993, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2022 |
Sonoma State | 3 | 2001, 2002, 2006 | 8 | 1988, 1989, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2013 |
Stanford | 3 | 1982, 2013, 2015 | 3 | 1980, 2002, 2011 |
Arizona | 1 | 1990 | 8 | 1983, 1985, 1992, 1997, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007 |
Chapman | 1 | 2008 | 1 | 1996 |
UC Los Angeles | 1 | 1982 | ||
San Diego State | 1 | 1984 | ||
UC San Diego | 1 | 1994 | ||
Arizona State | 1 | 2008 | ||
Santa Clara | 1 | 2019 |
- Note: Bold text denotes MCLA National Champion
- Note: Italic text denotes MCLA National Champion runner-up
Division II
Season | Conference Champion | Score | Runner-up | Citation |
---|---|---|---|---|
1988 | Chico State | [citation needed] | ||
1989 | Chico State | 24-4 | Humboldt State | [51] |
1990 | Cal Poly | [citation needed] | ||
1991 | Saint Mary's | [citation needed] | ||
1992 | Chapman | 12-4 | Cal Poly | [52] |
1993 | UC Santa Cruz | Arizona State | [53] | |
1994 | UC Irvine | 6-4 | Loyola Marymount | [54] |
1995 | Arizona State | 10-5 | UC Irvine | [55] |
1996 | Sacramento State | 10-6 | Cal Poly | [56] |
1997 | Arizona State | 9-4 | Cal Poly | [53] |
1998 | San Diego | 11-3 | UC San Diego | [57] |
1999 | San Diego | 8-7 | Chico State | [58] |
2000 | Saint Mary's | 11-6 | Claremont | [59] |
2001 | Chapman | 11-10 | Saint Mary's | [60] |
2002 | Southern California | 10-6 | Saint Mary's | [61] |
2003 | Claremont | 12-5 | Saint Mary's | [62] |
2004 | San Diego | 11-8 | Saint Mary's | [63] |
2005 | San Diego | 12-4 | Claremont | [64] |
2006 | San Diego | 14-6 | Claremont | [65] |
2007 | UC Irvine | 11-10 | Pepperdine | [66] |
2008 | Biola (Vacated)* | 15-3 | UC Santa Cruz | [67] |
2009 | UC Santa Cruz | 12-11 | Saint Mary's | [68] |
2010 | Saint Mary's | 9-5 | UC Santa Cruz | [69] |
2011 | Saint Mary's | 8-7 | UC Santa Cruz | [70] |
2012 | Saint Mary's | 16-5 | UC Santa Cruz | [71] |
2013 | UC Santa Cruz | 9-6 | Nevada | [72] |
2014 | Nevada | 5-4 | San José State | [73] |
2015 | Sierra Nevada | 14-6 | Nevada | [74] |
2016 | Sierra Nevada | 18-3 | UC Davis | [75] |
2017 | Sierra Nevada | 13-4 | UC Davis | [76] |
2018 | Sierra Nevada | 7-4 | UC Davis | [77] |
2019 | UC Davis | 11-2 | Saint Mary's | [78] |
2020 | No Championship due to Covid-19 Pandemic | [48] | ||
2021 | No Championship due to Covid-19 Pandemic | [48] | ||
2022 | UC Davis | 10-6 | UC Santa Cruz | [79] |
2023 | UC Davis | 8-6 | Chico State | [80] |
*Despite winning the championship game, Biola were made to forfeit the title because they fielded ineligible players
Team | Championships | Winning years | Runner-up | Runner-up Years |
---|---|---|---|---|
San Diego | 5 | 1998, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2006 | ||
Saint Mary's | 5 | 1991, 2000, 2010, 2011, 2012 | 6 | 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2019 |
Sierra Nevada | 4 | 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 | ||
UC Santa Cruz | 3 | 1993, 2009, 2013 | 5 | 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2022 |
UC Davis | 3 | 2019, 2022, 2023 | 3 | 2016, 2017, 2018 |
Chico State | 2 | 1988, 1989 | 2 | 1999, 2023 |
Arizona State | 2 | 1995, 1997 | 1 | 1993 |
Chapman | 2 | 1992, 2001 | ||
UC Irvine | 2 | 1994, 2007 | 1 | 1995 |
Cal Poly | 1 | 1990 | 3 | 1992, 1996, 1997 |
Sacramento State | 1 | 1996 | ||
Southern California | 1 | 2002 | ||
Claremont | 1 | 2003 | 3 | 2000, 2005, 2006 |
Nevada | 1 | 2014 | 2 | 2013, 2015 |
Cal Poly Humboldt | 1 | 1989 | ||
Loyola Marymount | 1 | 1994 | ||
UC San Diego | 1 | 1998 | ||
Pepperdine | 1 | 2007 | ||
San José State | 1 | 2014 | ||
Biola | 2008* |
- Note: Bold text denotes MCLA National Champion
References
- ↑ "About the WCLL". MCLA. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
- ↑ "HOF2018 - University of Arizona Men's Lacrosse". www.uofalacrosse.com. Retrieved 2023-03-17.
- ↑ "History". San Jose State University Club Sports. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
- ↑ "History of Cal Poly Lacrosse". California Polytechnic State University. Archived from the original on June 17, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
- 1 2 3 "SLC History". SLC. Archived from the original on March 12, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
- ↑ Coyne, Jac (2008-12-03). "Club Notebook: The Breakup :: The cumbersome WCLL has spawned an offspring, the Southwestern Lacrosse Conference". Archived from the original on December 8, 2008. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
- ↑ "Lacrosse to join NCAA Division II". Dominican University of California Athletics. 2023-05-25. Retrieved 2023-07-23.
- ↑ "Lacrosse Sticks it to Stanford". Daily Nexus. June 3, 1990. p. 10.
- ↑ "Lacrosse best in the state". The Daily Californian. June 4, 1981. p. 4.
- ↑ "Laxmen win WCLC". The Stanford Daily. May 26, 1982. p. 7.
- ↑ "Allen's Last-Minute Goal Gives UCSB Title". Daily Nexus. May 4, 1983. p. 11.
- ↑ "Lacrosse Team Wins Second Consecutive Title". Daily Nexus. April 30, 1994. p. 10.
- ↑ "UA Lacrosse Team Loses". Tuscan Citizen. May 6, 1985. p. 2.
- ↑ "Whittier Claims Lacrosse State Title on Last-Second Goal". Daily Nexus. May 5, 1986. p. 10.
- ↑ "Lacrosse Team Has the Final Word; Poets at a Loss". Daily Nexus. May 5, 1987. p. 10.
- ↑ "Lacrosse Takes League Titile". Quaker Campus. May 5, 1988. p. 7.
- ↑ "Lacrosse Team Ends Regular Season And Awaits Call For NCAA Playoffs". Quaker Campus. May 4, 1989. p. 8.
- ↑ "Men's Lacrosse Upsets Whittier, Loses Final". Daily Nexus. May 1, 1990. p. 12.
- ↑ "Poets Take Fifth Title in Seven Years". Quaker Campus. May 2, 1991. p. 14.
- ↑ "Poets Repeat as WCLL Champion". Quaker Campus. May 7, 1992. p. 20.
- ↑ "Poets Three-Peat as WCLL Champions". Quaker Campus. May 6, 1993. p. 20.
- ↑ "Lacrosse Plays Ugly but Wins". The Daily Californian. May 3, 1994. p. 16.
- ↑ "Lax Waxes a Pair in Defense of Title". The Daily Californian. May 2, 1995. p. 19.
- ↑ "Poets Survive Chapman Rally to Win WCLL Championship, Finish Season Undefeated". Quaker Campus. May 2, 1996. p. 13.
- ↑ "Arizona, UC Santa Barbara Cannot Change Fate: Poet Lacrosse Claims WCLL Championship Again". Quaker Campus. May 1, 1997. p. 16.
- ↑ "Cal Golden in Overtime as Poet Lacrosse is Defeated in W.C.L.L. Championship Game". Quaker Daily. April 30, 1998. pp. 16, 15.
- ↑ "Lacrosse W.C.L.L. Champions Again". Quaker Campus. April 22, 1999. p. 16.
- ↑ "Games for 2000". USLIA / MDIA Archive Project.
- ↑ "Lacrosse wins first WCLL title". Sonoma State Star. May 8, 2001. p. 20.
- ↑ "Back to back champs". Sonoma State Star. May 7, 2002. p. 20.
- ↑ "Games for 2003". USLIA / MDIA Archive Project. Archived from the original on January 25, 2023.
- ↑ "Games for 2004". USLIA / MDIA Archive Project. Archived from the original on January 25, 2023.
- ↑ "Games for 2005". USLIA / MDIA Archive Project. Archived from the original on January 25, 2023.
- ↑ "Sonoma State Seawolves 2006 Schedule". LaxPower. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015.
- ↑ "UC Santa Barbara Gauchos 2007 Schedule". LaxPower. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015.
- ↑ "Chapman Panthers 2008 Schedule". LaxPower. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015.
- ↑ "Cal Poly - SLO Mustangs 2009 Schedule". LaxPower. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015.
- ↑ "Cal Poly - SLO Mustangs 2010 Schedule". LaxPower. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015.
- ↑ "Cal Poly - SLO Mustangs 2011 Schedule". LaxPower. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015.
- ↑ "Cal Poly - SLO Mustangs 2012 Schedule". LaxPower. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015.
- ↑ "Stanford Cardinal 2013 Schedule". LaxPower. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015.
- ↑ "Cal Poly - SLO Mustangs 2014 Schedule". LaxPower. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015.
- ↑ "Stanford Cardinal 2015 Schedule". LaxPower. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015.
- ↑ "Cal Poly Snares WCLL Hardware". Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
- ↑ "MCLA - Tournament - 2017 WCLL Division I Tournament". mcla.us. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
- ↑ "MCLA - Tournament - 2018 WCLL Division I Tournament". mcla.us. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
- ↑ "MCLA - Tournament - 2019 WCLL Division I Tournament". mcla.us. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
- 1 2 3 4 "MCLA Suspends Season". Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association. Retrieved 2022-11-07.
- ↑ "MCLA - Tournament - 2022 WCLL Division I Tournament". mcla.us. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
- ↑ "MCLA - Tournament - 2023 WCLL Division I Tournament". mcla.us. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
- ↑ "Lacrosse team loses coach, match in tough contest against Davis". Orion. p. 18.
- ↑ "Wheelmen beat DC Berkeley, head to nationals". Mustang Daily. May 15, 1992. p. 6.
- 1 2 "2010 Arizona State University Men's Lacrosse". 2010. p. 12.
- ↑ "Men's lacrosse takes home trophy". New University. May 2, 1994. pp. 14, 16.
- ↑ "Lacrosse team falls twice in final four playoffs". The Orion. May 3, 1995. p. 10.
- ↑ "Lacrosse takes WCLL crown". State Hornet. April 30, 1996. p. 7.
- ↑ "USD men's lacrosse takes WCLL Division II State Championships". USD Vista. April 30, 1998. p. 30.
- ↑ "Men's lacrosse team repeats West Coast Championship". USD Vista. April 22, 1999. p. 27.
- ↑ "Western Collegiate Lacrosse League". wcll.com. April 30, 2000. Archived from the original on January 7, 2001.
- ↑ "Western Collegiate Lacrosse League". wcll.com. April 28, 2001. Archived from the original on July 22, 2001.
- ↑ "University of Southern California 2002 Team Report". wcll.com. Archived from the original on August 31, 2002.
- ↑ "WCLL GAME REPORTS - 2003". wcll.com. April 27, 2003. Archived from the original on June 20, 2003.
- ↑ "Western Collegiate Lacrosse League". wcll.com. May 2, 2004. Archived from the original on June 5, 2004.
- ↑ "Western Collegiate Lacrosse League". wcll.com. May 1, 2005. Archived from the original on May 7, 2005.
- ↑ "San Diego Toreros 2006 Schedule". LaxPower. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015.
- ↑ "UC Irvine Anteaters 2007 Schedule". LaxPower. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015.
- ↑ "Lacrosse season humbly ends". The Chimes. May 9, 2008.
- ↑ "UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs 2009 Schedule". LaxPower. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015.
- ↑ "St. Mary's (CA) Gaels 2010 Schedule". LaxPower. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015.
- ↑ "St. Mary's (CA) Gaels 2011 Schedule". LaxPower. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015.
- ↑ "St. Mary's (CA) Gaels 2012 Schedule". LaxPower. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015.
- ↑ "UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs 2013 Schedule". LaxPower. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015.
- ↑ "Nevada Wolf Pack 2014 Schedule". LaxPower. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015.
- ↑ "Sierra Nevada Eagles 2015 Schedule". Lax Power. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015.
- ↑ "Sierra Nevada Goes B2B in WCLL". Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
- ↑ "MCLA - Tournament - 2017 WCLL Division II Tournament". mcla.us. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
- ↑ "MCLA - Tournament - 2018 WCLL Division II Tournament". mcla.us. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
- ↑ "MCLA - Tournament - 2019 WCLL Division II Tournament". mcla.us. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
- ↑ "MCLA - Tournament - 2022 WCLL Division II Tournament". mcla.us. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
- ↑ "MCLA - Tournament - 2023 WCLL Division II Tournament". mcla.us. Retrieved 2023-04-19.