May 25, 2023
Westcliff MLAX Enters the MCLA
By Francisco Claudio
The Westcliff Men's Lacrosse program just finished its first year of competition and continues to forge forward breaking through any barrier that dares to stand in the way.
Most notably the program just took a huge step as they have officially joined the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) which will allow Westcliff to compete for a conference and national championship.
The MCLA is a national organization of non-NCAA men's college lacrosse programs that oversees game play and hosts national championships for over 200 teams in ten conferences throughout the country and Canada.
As a member of the MCLA Westcliff will be part of a governing structure similar to the NCAA with eligibility rules, All Americans, and a national tournament for both Divisions I and II.
The Warriors are specifically entering the Southwestern Lacrosse Conference (SLC).
The SLC is made up of the original members of the Western Collegiate Lacrosse League which was the largest MCLA conference at one point.
But because of the expedited growth and large distance between some institutions, the new conference was created in 2008.
The SLC is made up of the following institutions: Arizona Christian, Biola, CSU-Fullerton, CSU-Long Beach, Loyola Marymount, Northern Arizona, CSU-San Marcos, Point Loma Nazarene, University of San Diego, UC Irvine, and UC San Diego.
The Division I and Division II conference tournament winners get an automatic bid to the MCLA National Tournament.
Head Coach Mike Song has worked hard in order to get this team to where it's at, building a program that can compete for championships: "Entering the SLC allows Westcliff to compete for a conference and national championship. We can play local, big-name colleges and universities, increasing our competitiveness and visibility in California.
"Ultimately, entering the SLC supports the growth of collegiate lacrosse in California."
Being part of the SLC Division II will also allow the Warriors to go up against the powerhouses from Division I like Arizona, Grand Canyon, UCLA, and USC.
"We are continuing the path we set forth, to build a championship-level program," said Song. "Entering the MCLA eliminates the uncertainty of whether or not the NAIA will have a Western Lacrosse conference.
"More importantly, this path is the optimal one for growth as we prepare for either an NAIA conference or when Westcliff graduates to NCAA DII status."
There are many things to look forward to in the 2023-24 lacrosse season after being showcased a sneak peek of where this team stands just a few months ago.
And we know how that ended.
With an undefeated 2022-23 season, 5-0.
"We are excited to embark on this relationship, and we look forward to a great experience in the Southwestern Lacrosse Conference," said Song.