Whittier College announced late last week that it will suspend its women's lacrosse program and cancel the 2026 season, and the long-term future of the program is under evaluation.
"First and foremost, the safety and welfare of our student-athletes must be prioritized," athletic director Rock Carter said in a statement. "Given the current low participation numbers and limited experience on the roster, we are unable to provide a safe and competitive intercollegiate experience at this time. We are actively re-evaluating the needs and goals of the program and remain committed to delivering a positive student-athlete experience as we do for all of our teams."
The impacted student-athletes will be supported through the transition, the university said.
It has been a struggle for the Division III program the past two seasons after an 8-8 showing in 2023. The Poets have gone 0-28 since 2024.
Whittier, which competes in the Southern California Intercollegiate AWthletic Conference (SCIAC), rostered 16 players last spring. It had 14 players in 2024. During its 8-8 season, there were 17 players on the team.
In 2022, Whittier announced it was sunsetting several athletics programs, including men's lacrosse, after a three-year review process. It was met with public outcry, and a group of alumni rallied to raise funds to try and save the program.
The Poets were eventually reinstated, but at the club level in the MCLA.
