DARTMOUTH, Mass. — The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth will expand its athletics offerings beginning in the 2026–27 academic year, highlighted by the return of men's lacrosse and men's swimming & diving as varsity programs and the addition of women's flag football.

"Athletics is an important part of the fabric of our campus community. I'm excited that these new sports will create additional opportunities for student-athletes to compete, grow, and represent the University, while also helping us attract even more talented students to an already strong and vibrant program," said UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Mark A. Fuller, PhD., who currently serves as Chair of the Little East Conference (LEC) Presidents Council.

UMass Dartmouth's men's lacrosse and men's swimming & diving programs will be fully incorporated into the LEC in the coming academic year, giving the conference eight men's lacrosse teams and seven men's swimming & diving teams. Both will be immediately eligible for LEC Championships and awards, a new 2027 men's lacrosse schedule will be developed to welcome back the Corsairs. 

Current women's swimming & diving head coach Mike Kroll has been named the men's swimming & diving head coach. A national search is currently underway to identify the next head coach for men's lacrosse.

"The success of our current student-athletes has paved the way for continued investment in UMass Dartmouth Athletics," said Dr. Lori Hendricks, Director of Athletics and Recreation at UMass Dartmouth. "We know that students are stronger scholars and more engaged community members when they participate in co-curricular activities; moreover, our athletics community contributes to the overall energy of the campus. My thanks to Chancellor Fuller and the University leadership for their support of this expansion. We are excited to continue the tradition of excellence into this new era of UMass Dartmouth Athletics."

UMass Dartmouth is the second LEC institution to announce the addition of women's flag football; Eastern Connecticut State University announced the addition of the quickly emerging sport in November 2025. LEC sponsorship of the sport may begin once there are at least six teams competing in the conference.