The College of Saint Benedict athletic department announced on October 13, 2021, that varsity lacrosse would become the college's 12th NCAA sport starting in the 2022-23 school year. A link to that press release can be found here. Below is a list of questions and answers regarding some of the basics of the Saint Benedict lacrosse team.

Where will the team play?
The turf field at the Outdoor Athletic Complex was lined for lacrosse when it was installed in 2017, so the CSB lacrosse team already has a home field. The visiting locker room in the Sister Lois Wedl Athletic Center will be converted into the Bennie lacrosse team's locker room.

When will the Saint Benedict lacrosse team play its first official game?
The official NCAA lacrosse season is in the spring, so the team's first official game will be Spring 2023. Lacrosse does get a nontraditional fall season, so the team will practice and scrimmage in Fall 2022.

Who will be the coach?
Patrick Crandall, one of the top girls' prep and club lacrosse coaches in Minnesota, has been hired as the first varsity lacrosse coach in CSB history. Read more about Coach Crandall here.

What conference will the lacrosse team play in? Is the MIAC going to add lacrosse?
Saint Benedict has been accepted for membership in the Midwest Women's Lacrosse Conference starting in the 2022-23 school year. The conference includes Augsburg, Hamline and Northwestern from Minnesota; Wartburg and Cornell from Iowa and Monmouth and Lake Forest from Illinois. At this time the only MIAC schools to offer women's lacrosse as a varsity sport are Augsburg, Hamline and Saint Benedict. A minimum of six teams are needed for the conference to sponsor a sport, so the MIAC cannot sponsor lacrosse at this time.

How many athletes will be on the first team?
The head coach will have final say on roster size, but between 22-26 student-athletes will likely be recruited to make up the team.

Where will the athletes be recruited from?
Athletes for the CSB lacrosse roster will be recruited nationally with a Midwest focus.

Will there be tryouts?
When a head coach is hired, they will assess their needs for the 2022-23 Saint Benedict lacrosse roster and make a decision on holding tryouts after that.

What will happen to CSB's club lacrosse team and its athletes and coaches? Will the club lacrosse players make the varsity team?
As long as there is an interest in continuing the club lacrosse team and enough athletes to keep it competitive, the club lacrosse program will continue to be a part of the CSB athletic department. Students currently competing with the club lacrosse team will have the opportunity to talk to the new head coach and discuss the possibility of being a part of the varsity program.

There's only three varsity programs in Minnesota. Who will the team play?
Lacrosse is a growing sport in the Midwest, and there are plenty of opponents for CSB to play. Along with the MWLC teams, the CCIW and the NACC - which both include schools from Illinois and Wisconsin - also sponsor varsity lacrosse. A trio of Wisconsin schools - Eau Claire, La Crosse and River Falls - also sponsor varsity women's lacrosse.

Where will the team play in early spring when it's too cold or snowy to practice outside?
Indoor facility options will be explored when a head coach is hired.