Maryland or not ACC lax is going to be sick<br /> <br />Still no auto-bid with just 5 teams (Duke, UNC, VA, Syracuse, ND). But yeah, it's clearly a net improvement in depth and strength. I wonder if any of BC/VT/FSU/GT/PIT will elevate their programs from MCLA to NCAA level. Or how about this unlikely scenario: Adding Johns Hopkins, which just announced they've formed a conference affiliation committee to explore their options.<br /> <br />I'm also curious where Maryland and Rutgers will play in 2014, and whether the Big Ten will look to start up its own lax conference like they're doing with hockey this fall/winter. Like the ACC, they've got five schools with Div I programs now (Mich, Ohio St, Penn St + the Terps & Scarlet Knights). Michigan St & Minnesota adding teams has been rumored/discussed on various lax boards since late last year, but that's not exactly a short-term proposition for either school. Can't help but think this is a possible landing spot for Johns Hopkins, either.<br /> <br />While we're talking LAX and realignment, the Atlantic Sun will form a new D-I league next spring with Jacksonville, Mercer, Furman*, High Point*, Richmond* and VMI*. Furman and Richmond are starting up new programs. Schools with an asterisk will be lax-only affiliate members. JU and VMI are currently in the MAAC while Mercer and High Point (now in its debut NCAA season) are D-I independents.<br /> <br />The A-Sun's formation could actually help the surviving Big East lax members. Georgetown, Providence, St. John's & Villanova will obviously keep the conference name, and Marquette will join next spring after playing its first NCAA season as an independent this year. But they'd still be one school shy of auto-bid status. Meanwhile the MAAC will lose two members to the A-Sun, but they're adding Quinnipiac (from the NEC) and Monmouth (starting its lax program in 2014). So the quickest fix for the Big East might be to add Siena as a lax-only member, as the Saints have been rumored as a candidate to join as full members. In a pinch, the Big East could also invite any of the other surviving MAAC schools as affiliates without disrupting its religious tenor, as Manhattan, Marist, Detroit & Canisius are all Catholic institutions. And taking just one team would still leave the MAAC with the minimum 6 teams required for autobid status. But Siena would have to be the clear favorite based on the strength of their program.<br />