Written By: Drew Wilson/Assistant Director of Athletics for Communications & Administration
DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University announced its decision to suspend its women’s lacrosse program at the conclusion of the 2025 spring season, citing low participation numbers following a comprehensive review of the university’s athletics offerings.
“This was a difficult decision,” Averett Director of Athletics Danny Miller said. “The health and safety of our student-athletes is a priority. With difficulties in recruiting and hiring a head coach, we couldn’t in good conscience go into next year with a roster around the minimum number of players and no substitutions or allowance for injuries.”
Low roster numbers aren’t exclusive to Averett as other Division III women’s lacrosse programs in the region have struggled to meet ideal roster sizes to field competitive teams. Averett’s roster of 17 players in 2025 was its fewest number of student-athletes since the program returned in 2018. Seven of the 17 current players are seniors this year or are graduating early. Despite the challenge in roster size, Averett is 4-5 this season with a 3-5 mark in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference.
Miller said the university has also had minimal interest in its head coach position, which has been vacant since July 2024. Assistant coach Hannah Mae Ayers ’22 has served as the interim head coach this season.
“We know our women’s lacrosse student-athletes, our program’s alumnae and campus community are negatively affected by this decision,” Miller said. “We are grateful for their contributions to our program, and we will provide individualized support to any women’s lacrosse student-athletes with eligibility remaining who want to continue their athletic careers elsewhere or wish to remain at Averett.”
Averett’s women’s lacrosse program faced similar obstacles nearly two decades ago. After the program was established in 2003, Averett halted its program following the 2007 season due to insufficient roster numbers and no head coach. Averett brought women’s lacrosse back for the 2017-18 academic year as part of sport expansion, which included the creation of men’s lacrosse and men’s wrestling programs.
Averett women’s lacrosse had its best season in 2019, going 14-5 overall and 9-2 as members of the USA South Athletic Conference, advancing to the USA South Tournament championship game. Other program highlights since 2018 include former standout Elizabeth Peasley ’21, ’23 finishing her six-year career as the all-time leading goal scorer in all three NCAA divisions with 389 (that mark has since been broken), one USA South Rookie of the Year, one state rookie of the year, 17 all-conference selections and nine all-state selections. However, roster numbers have dropped each year since 2022.
There is no timetable on when or if the women’s lacrosse program will return in the future.
This will bring Averett athletics’ total number of NCAA-sponsored teams to 21 in the fall, with two additional varsity club sports.