The Wausau Wolfpack high school girls lacrosse team defeated Bay Port 14-8 at the Peoples Sports Complex in Wausau in May 2022. Brooke Schaefer, right, had six goals for the Wolfpack in the win. (Submitted photo)

Wausau Pilot & Review

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association will sanction boys and girls lacrosse beginning in spring 2024, after a crucial vote this week.

After receiving a presentation from the committee assigned to evaluate the feasibility of adding boys and girls lacrosse to sports sponsored by the WIAA, the Board unanimously passed the proposal. A tournament series will kick off in the spring of the 2023-24 school year for the inaugural season.

It’s the first time an entirely new sport has been introduced for both genders since the addition of boys and girls soccer in 1982-83, according to a WIAA news bulletin. Since that time, hockey and wrestling expanded to girls sponsorship in 2002 and 2022, respectively, and boys volleyball was reinstated in 2000, but those sports were already sanctioned for the other gender. 

“We commend members of the planning committee for months of work and collaboration with member schools that already sponsor the sport,”?WIAA Executive Director Stephanie Hauser said. “Our staff and membership look forward to the new opportunity for student-athletes to participate in a sport quickly gaining popularity around the nation.”