BTN.com staff, June 17, 2015

The Big Ten Conference announced Wednesday that Johns Hopkins University has been accepted as a sport affiliate member for women?s lacrosse beginning with the 2016-17 academic year.

The Johns Hopkins men?s lacrosse team just completed its first season with the conference, winning a share of the Big Ten Championship, the Big Ten Tournament and advancing to the NCAA national semifinals.

?We are thrilled to add the Johns Hopkins women?s lacrosse program as a sport affiliate member and look forward to seven women?s teams competing for the Big Ten Championship beginning in 2017,? said Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany. ?The Blue Jay men?s lacrosse program just completed a successful first season of conference competition, part of an outstanding inaugural year of Big Ten lacrosse. We are excited to add another strong program from a premier institution with a passionate fan base to continue growing the sport of lacrosse both in the conference and on the national scene.?

Big Ten women?s lacrosse competition currently features Maryland, Michigan, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State and Rutgers, with Johns Hopkins set to join for the 2017 season.

The Blue Jays recently completed their 40th season of women?s lacrosse. Under the guidance of head coach Janine Tucker, Johns Hopkins has qualified for the NCAA Division I Tournament five times, including each of the last two seasons.