News Release

U.S. Coast Guard Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Brandyn Hill.

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Coast Guard Academy men’s lacrosse team has partnered with the Morgan State University men’s lacrosse team to put together a fall ball scrimmage event titled The Bears Lacrosse Showcase and Diversity Open House, Oct. 24 from noon until 4 p.m. at Mergenthaler Vocational Technical High School Stadium.

U.S. Coast Guard Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Brandyn Hill.

The goal of the program is to showcase two highly-competitive lacrosse programs and to celebrate diversity in the sport of lacrosse.

Highlights of this event will include a clinic for local U.S. Lacrosse Building Relationships to Initiate Diversity Growth and Enrichment affiliates, a Coast Guard recruiting and information booth and, weather permitting, a fly-in and static display by a Coast Guard helicopter.

The Coast Guard Academy Men’s Lacrosse program has been around since 1984 and competes at the Division 2 level of the Pioneer Collegiate Lacrosse League against Briarcliffe College, Bridgewater State University, Central Connecticut State University, the University of New Haven, Stonehill College, Southern Connecticut State University and Worcester Polytechnic University.

The PCLL is affiliated with the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association – the governing body for ten conferences and 213 teams across the country.

Morgan State University in Baltimore has a rich lacrosse history and tradition , which has been vital to the growth and diversity of the game. Morgan State University was the first and, for a long time, the only historically black college or university to field a lacrosse team.

The success of their dominant Division 2 teams of the 1970s was chronicled in the book Ten Bears.

During that era, Morgan State made the NCAA tournament twice and, in 1975, beat the number one ranked Washington and Lee University. Today, Morgan State University competes in the Chesapeake Division of the National Collegiate Lacrosse League against club teams from Navy, Towson, Washington College, Salisbury, Loyola, Johns Hopkins and Delaware.

The Coast Guard Academy Men’s Lacrosse program hopes to further the diversity goals of the Coast Guard through the sport of lacrosse by increasing awareness of career and educational opportunities of the service.