Decoding the Average Lacrosse Scholarship: A Comprehensive Guide

For student-athletes with aspirations of playing lacrosse at the college level, understanding the landscape of athletic scholarships is crucial. This guide aims to provide a detailed overview of lacrosse scholarships, addressing the realities, dispelling common myths, and offering strategies to maximize your chances of securing financial aid. The information presented applies to both men's and women's lacrosse unless otherwise specified.

The Reality of Lacrosse Scholarships

Limited Availability and Equivalency Sports

One of the first things to understand is that full-ride scholarships in lacrosse are rare. Lacrosse is classified as an "equivalency sport" by the NCAA. This means that each program receives a set amount of scholarship money, and coaches have the flexibility to divide it among players as they see fit. Due to limited funding compared to sports like football or basketball, coaches typically distribute partial scholarships to a larger number of athletes.

Scholarship Limits and Funding Variations

The NCAA sets limits on the maximum number of scholarships a program can award each year. However, it's important to recognize that not all programs are fully funded. This means that the actual number of scholarships available can vary significantly from college to college.

Starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, the NCAA eliminated most D1 scholarship limits, enabling all sports to distribute scholarships more flexibly among athletes. This change is expected to have a significant impact on college lacrosse recruiting.

Men's Lacrosse:* NCAA D1 men’s lacrosse teams could offer up to 48 scholarships, up from 12.6.

NCAA D2 men’s lacrosse is also an equivalency sport.
The NJCAA offers 16 men’s lacrosse programs a maximum of 24 full-ride scholarships per team.

Women's Lacrosse:* Currently, D1 women’s lacrosse programs can award 38 scholarships.

Division 2 programs award partial scholarships.
The NJCAA allows each women’s lacrosse program a maximum of 20 full-ride scholarships.

It’s important to note that coaches are free to divide up the scholarships however they like, which means partial scholarships can be given to athletes.

Read also: SAT Requirements for LSU

Competition and Odds

The competition for lacrosse scholarships is intense. According to ScholarshipStats.com, the ratio of high school athletes to college scholarships is 85-to-1 in men’s lacrosse and 48-to-1 in women’s lacrosse. With approximately 15,200 men’s college lacrosse players across 440 programs, standing out from the crowd is essential.

Understanding Scholarship Types and Divisions

NCAA Division I and II

These divisions offer athletic scholarships, but the availability and amount can vary. Division I programs generally have more funding, but competition is fiercer. Division II programs offer partial scholarships that can cover tuition, room and board, books, and other fees. Not all programs are fully funded, so the scholarship amount can vary.

NCAA Division III

Division III schools do not offer athletic scholarships. However, a significant percentage of DIII student-athletes (around 82 percent, according to ScholarshipStats.com) receive some form of financial aid through academic scholarships, grants, and other forms of aid. In some cases, D3 schools can offer better overall aid packages than D1 or D2 schools.

NAIA and Junior Colleges (NJCAA)

The NAIA does not set scholarship limits per team, and scholarship opportunities are considered similar to the NCAA level. The NJCAA offers athletic scholarships. Student-athletes have the opportunity to receive a full scholarship at a junior college. The NJCAA offers men’s and women’s lacrosse programs a maximum number of full-ride scholarships per team.

Strategies to Improve Your Chances of Securing a Scholarship

Excel Academically

Maintaining a good GPA and high academic standing in high school is crucial. The majority of NCAA lacrosse programs are at schools with high academic standards. Strong academics can also open doors to academic scholarships, which can be combined with athletic aid to cover a larger portion of college costs. O’Connor’s daughter, Kaeli, earned All-ACC first team and All-ACC academic honors as a senior defender at Syracuse. She started her career with the Orange on an academic scholarship. Continued achievement in the classroom represented one of three criteria Nadelen uses in offseason evaluations of players’ scholarship status.

Read also: Decoding Princeton Admissions

Target the Right Programs

Research which programs offer athletic scholarships and align with your academic and athletic abilities. Be realistic about your skill level and target schools where you have a legitimate chance of competing and contributing.

Be Open-Minded

Don't limit your search to Division I programs. Consider NAIA and Division III schools, as they may offer better financial aid packages or a better overall fit for your academic and athletic goals.

Explore Alternative Funding Options

Athletic scholarships aren't the only way to finance your college education. Explore federal and state grants, need-based aid, and student loans.

Highlight Your Strengths

Coaches prioritize positions that have the largest impact on the game and directly affect scoring. For women’s lacrosse, that position is the goalie. Following goalies, college coaches will award scholarships to their top recruits.

Create a Recruiting Profile

Resources like NCSA (Next College Student Athlete) can help you create a recruiting profile and connect with college coaches.

The Impact of the 2025-26 NCAA Rule Change

Starting in the 2025-26 season, a new rule increased the D1 scholarship limit for men’s lacrosse from 12.6 to 48 and for women's lacrosse from 12 to 38. This could lead to more opportunities for players, but the actual impact will depend on how schools decide to use the new rule, their program’s funding and their team’s needs. While this change has the potential to increase the number of lacrosse scholarships available, several factors will influence the actual impact:

School Funding: Not all programs are fully funded, so the extent to which schools utilize the increased limit will depend on their financial resources.
Program Needs: Coaches will allocate scholarships based on their team's specific needs and priorities.
Distribution Strategy: Coaches may choose to distribute the additional scholarships as full or partial awards, impacting the average scholarship amount.

Busting Common Myths

Myth: Club Lacrosse Guarantees a Scholarship

Paying for expensive club lacrosse programs does not guarantee a scholarship. While playing club lacrosse can provide valuable exposure and development opportunities, it's crucial to focus on skill development and academic performance. As Nadelen said, “I’ve had parents in on visits tell me they’ve invested X dollars, expecting that returned in a scholarship". The numbers bear witness to the unlikelihood of a full ride.

Myth: Full Rides are Common

As emphasized throughout this guide, full-ride scholarships in lacrosse are rare. Most athletes receive partial scholarships and need to supplement their funding with other forms of aid.

Myth: Only Division I is Worth Considering

Division II, Division III, and NAIA programs can offer excellent academic and athletic experiences, and may be a better fit for some student-athletes.

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