Multiple sources have told Inside Lacrosse that Johns Hopkins will announce Monday at a press conference its intentions to join the Big Ten as an affiliate member in men's lacrosse. By extension, the announcement keys the formation of Big Ten men's lacrosse as a league-sponsored sport for the first time. (An earlier version of this report Monday had reported that women's lacrosse would be part of this move, but JHU President Ronald J. Daniels' letter, published below, said the Blue Jay women's team would remain in the ALC in 2014 and go independent in 2015.)
The announcement will bring to fruition a several-month process to find a conference home for JHU's men's lacrosse program, which has played as an independent for 130 years. The Big Ten emerged as a target for the Blue Jays after Maryland and Rutgers announced their departure from the ACC and Big East, respectively, and intentions to join the Big Ten. That would make five men's lacrosse programs along with Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan, one short of the required six for an automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament.
http://insidelacrosse.com/news/2013/05/ ... ten-monday
