BROOKVILLE, N.Y. — LIU men's lacrosse will have a new conference next spring, with some familiar rivalries remaining intact.

The Sharks, along with Sacred Heart and Wagner, will join the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference as associate members for men's lacrosse for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 academic years.

The Northeast Conference, which has served as the LIU men's lacrosse team's home since the Division I era began with the 2020 season, will no longer sponsor the sport.

"We owe a debt of gratitude to our LIU administration as well as to the MAAC for working so diligently to accomplish this," LIU men's lacrosse coach Eric Wolf said. "We're excited to maintain some established rivalries in addition to building some new ones. As a program, the standard is to win the conference championship and earn the right to compete for the national championship. That will not change in any capacity."

LIU also competes in the MAAC for women's water polo.

With the addition of LIU, Sacred Heart and Wagner for men's lacrosse as well as familiar foe Mount St. Mary's as a full member this summer, 10 teams will compete in men's lacrosse in the MAAC in 2023. The others: Canisius, Manhattan, Marist, Quinnipiac, Siena and VMI.

"The MAAC has always placed championship access as a primary focus for all student-athletes, and the addition of these men's lacrosse affiliate members is another example of that commitment," said Canisius director of athletics Bill Maher, chair of men's lacrosse. "Ensuring the men's lacrosse programs in our region have access to the NCAA Tournament is important, and the MAAC is proud to do our part in providing the student-athletes from LIU, Sacred Heart and Wagner with a league affiliation to make that possible."