The Great Western Lacrosse League, also known as the GWLL, was an NCAA Division I men's college lacrosse athletic conference that existed from 1994 to 2009. The conference was created when the NCAA instituted automatic qualifiers to the NCAA championship tournament; in so doing, it eliminated the "western region" bid.

The GWLL ceased operations in 2010, as a result of Notre Dame's 2008 decision to leave the conference for the newly established Big East lacrosse conference in 2010; the remaining GWLL schools, including the Air Force Academy, University of Denver, The Ohio State University, Quinnipiac University, and Bellarmine University, joined the ECAC, as a five-team GWLL would no longer have been eligible to receive an automatic bid to the NCAA championship tournament under the rule requiring conferences to have at least six members to qualify for the bid.

History The GWLL was established in 1994. The original members were Air Force, Butler, Denver, Michigan State, Notre Dame, and Ohio State. Just prior to the 1997 season, Michigan State left the conference after the school dropped varsity lacrosse, leaving the league with five clubs. The NCAA requires a conference to have six members in order to be eligible for an automatic qualifier to the NCAA tournament. As a result, Fairfield was added as a sixth member. Fairfield later left the conference to join the ECAC and was replaced by Quinnipiac. Later, Butler left the GWLL when its athletic department dropped several sports programs including men's lacrosse in January 2007. Bellarmine was added to the conference in 2007 after the school began competing in Division I men's lacrosse in 2005.

In 2008, the GWLL held its first championship tournament. Previously, the GWLL champion was determined by regular-season results. Notre Dame won the championship with a 9-2 victory over Ohio State, earning an automatic bid to the 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship. In addition to Notre Dame's automatic bid, Ohio State and Denver also received "at-large" bids to the NCAA tournament, giving the GWLL three teams in the tournament. The following year, in 2009, Notre Dame again won the GWLL championship, defeating Ohio State 16-7 in the conference's last tournament.

Former members Institution Nickname Location Head coach Field Current Lacrosse League United States Air Force Academy Falcons Colorado Springs, CO Eric Seremet Cadet Lacrosse Stadium ASUN Conference Bellarmine University Knights Louisville, KY Kevin Burns Owsley B. Frazier Stadium ASUN Conference Butler University Bulldogs Indianapolis, IN Central Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) University of Denver Pioneers Denver, CO Bill Tierney Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium Big East Conference Fairfield University Stags Fairfield, CT Andrew Baxter Lessing Field Colonial Athletic Association Michigan State University Spartans East Lansing, MI Central Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish South Bend, IN Kevin Corrigan Arlotta Stadium Atlantic Coast Conference Ohio State University Buckeyes Columbus, OH Nick Myers Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium Big Ten Conference Quinnipiac University Bobcats Hamden, CT Eric Fekete QU Lacrosse Field Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference

Champions Regular season champions Year Champion(s) Conference Overall 2009 Notre Dame 5–0 12–0 2008 Denver Notre Dame Ohio State 4–1 4–1 4–1 10–7 14–3 11–6 2007 Notre Dame 5–0 11–3 2006 Denver 5–0 12–5 2005 Denver Fairfield 4–1 4–1 9–5 11–5 2004 Ohio State 5–0 12–4 2003 Denver Notre Dame Ohio State 4–1 4–1 4–1 9–5 9–5 9–5 2002 Fairfield Notre Dame 4–1 4–1 7–6 5–8 2001 Notre Dame 5–0 14–2 2000 Notre Dame 5–0 10–4 1999 Butler Notre Dame 1998 Ohio State 1997 Notre Dame 1996 Notre Dame 1995 Notre Dame 1994 Notre Dame

Playoff champions Year Champion Title game opponent Score 2009 Notre Dame Ohio State 16-7 2008 Notre Dame Ohio State 9-2

Annual awards

Player of the Year Year Player Team2008Kevin Buchanan Ohio State University2009Scott Rodgers University of Notre Dame

Newcomer of the Year Year Player Team2006Joel Dalgarno Ohio State University2008Jamie Lincoln University of Denver2009Dayton Gilbreath Air Force Academy

Coach of the Year Year Player Team2004Joe Breschi Ohio State University2005Ted Spencer Fairfield University2008Eric Fekete Quinnipiac University2009Kevin Corrigan University of Notre Dame

All Great Western Lacrosse League Honors: 2005 Class Position Name Team Honors Senior Attack Matt Brown University of Denver First Team Freshman Attack Will Meister United States Air Force Academy First Team Freshman Attack Pat Walsh University of Notre Dame First Team Sophomore Midfielder Scott Davidson University of Denver First Team Sophomore Midfield Justin Kuchta United States Air Force Academy First Team Sophomore Midfield Justin Kuchta United States Air Force Academy First Team Senior Midfielder Tom Randisi Ohio State University First Team Senior Defender Christian Anderson University of Denver First Team Junior Defender Steve Forsythe Butler University First Team Junior Defender DJ Driscoll University of Notre Dame First Team Junior Goalie Justin Pavoni United States Air Force Academy First Team

All Great Western Lacrosse League Honors: 2006 Class Position Name Team Honors Sophomore Attack Kevin Buchanan Ohio State University First Team Sophomore Defender Brian Yontz Ohio State University First Team Sophomore Long Stick Midfielder Ricky Pages Ohio State University First Team Senior Goalie Justin Pavoni United States Air Force Academy First Team Sophomore Goalie Joey Kemp University of Notre Dame First Team

References

External links Great Western Lacrosse League Website