NAMPA, Idaho – After a rapid ascension to one of the top MCLA Division II programs in the nation, Northwest Nazarene men's lacrosse has been approved to make the jump to the NCAA Division II level starting in the 2025-26 academic year.
 
With the move, Nighthawks men's lacrosse will become NNU's 17^th intercollegiate varsity sport, joining STUNT as recent additions to the department's offerings.
 
"It's an exciting day not only for our men's lacrosse program but also for the entire local lacrosse community," said NNU head coach Tom Blanchard. "Today, we solidify ourselves as Idaho's premier lacrosse destination, becoming the first and only NCAA lacrosse program in the state of Idaho."
 
NNU's primary conference, the GNAC, does not sponsor men's lacrosse, so as a result, NNU will become an associate member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) for the sport.
 
"The opportunity to be the first NCAA Lacrosse program in the state of Idaho is a special moment for Northwest Nazarene University," said NNU AD Paul Rush. "Joining the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference will give the young men in our program a tremendous experience and the opportunity to compete for NCAA Championships. We are thankful for the support of Commissioner Chris Graham and the members of the RMAC for welcoming our men's lacrosse program."
 
In just their third full season as a club program last year, NNU burst onto the national scene in the MCLA, claiming the PNCLL Championship, winning a game at the National Tournament, and achieving a ranking as high as No. 8 in the nation.
 
"We have had a tremendous club lacrosse program in the past few seasons that is ready to make the jump to the next level," added Rush. "Our coaches have been working hard to create a strong culture and the transition to the NCAA level will only enhance what they have so diligently been building."
 
When the club started in 2021, the Nighthawks had to navigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and managed to schedule three scrimmages that season. In the first full season in 2022, NNU earned the program's first win with a 10-9 victory over Washington State and made an impressive showing with a 6-4 overall record. After going 7-7 in 2023, the Nighthawks went 14-3 in 2024 with their conference championship and run in the national tournament.
 
"I would like to thank President Joel Pearsall, Athletic Director Paul Rush, and Associate Athletic Director Alison Larsen for all their efforts in making this move possible for men's lacrosse," added Blanchard. "I would also like to thank my coaching staff (Tom Otte, Carson Plant, Jackson Rice, and Cade Brown) for seeing the vision that I had for this program and taking this journey with me. Finally, I would also like to thank all the players who bought into the culture that we wanted to establish here."
 
NNU will be the sixth men's lacrosse program in the RMAC, as it currently has five schools that sponsor men's lacrosse, with three as regular members of the conference and two as associate members. Adams State, Colorado Mesa, and Westminster are the regular members, while Concordia University Irvine (joined in 2023-24) and Dominican (joined in 2024-25) are the other associate members.
 
In the spring of 2024, Colorado Mesa and Westminster tied atop the conference standings at 7-1, but it was CMU that emerged victorious to win the conference tournament. However, due to NCAA regulations, CMU did not earn a bid to the NCAA postseason. With NNU's addition, though, the RMAC will now gain an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Men's Lacrosse Championship beginning in 2026.
 
"We are glad to welcome Northwest Nazarene as they elevate their men's lacrosse program to full varsity status," said RMAC Commissioner Chris Graham. "The RMAC has diligently worked to grow men's lacrosse in the West, and our efforts have led to this momentous occasion. Adding the Nighthawks program will allow our student-athletes to compete for an automatic bid as RMAC representatives at the sport's highest level."
 
"It's an honor and privilege to be accepted into the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC)," said Blanchard. "We know we are coming into a very talented conference and that we have a lot of work ahead of us as we start this transition into the NCAA level, but we are going to embrace the process of building a competitive NCAA program."
 
The RMAC is the oldest NCAA DII conference and entered 2024-25 with 15 member institutions. The majority of the members (10 of 15) are located in Colorado. Westminster (Salt Lake City) is geographically the closest DII school to NNU, edging out Central Washington by 10 miles. The other four are in South Dakota (two), Nebraska, and New Mexico.
 
"We've built a culture here at NNU where our players flourish. Guys want to be here, and that's a testament to the culture we are bringing with us to the next level," added Blanchard. "We are committed to the process of building a highly competitive and respectable NCAA lacrosse program here at NNU. I think the culture that we've cultivated here is going to appeal to a lot of recruits throughout the country and we are excited for the future of Nighthawks lacrosse."