Warriors Rising: A Blueprint for Athletics Growth and Competitive Excellence

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The future of Merrimack College Athletics is as bright as the lights at Duane Stadium and Lawler Arena.

The Merrimack College athletic department on Wednesday announced plans for a significant expansion of its Division I programs through a comprehensive plan, 'Warriors Rising: A Blueprint for Athletics Growth and Competitive Excellence.'

Merrimack will add four Division I varsity sports – women's flag football, acrobatics & tumbling, men's swimming and men's rowing – to its athletic offerings beginning in the 2027-28 academic year. Notably, Merrimack will become the first NCAA Division I institution in New England to sponsor varsity women's flag football. Over the next five years, the department plans to grow its student-athlete population by more than 40 percent.

The expansion represents the latest step forward for a department that has experienced transformational growth over the past decade, highlighted by the transition to NCAA Division I. It also comes at an important moment in Merrimack College's trajectory as the College continues to grow in size, reputation and reach, while making significant investments in academic programs, campus and student experience. 

"Athletics is an important part of who we are at Merrimack," said Christopher E. Hopey, Ph.D., president of Merrimack College. "It brings our community together, creates a powerful sense of pride and belonging, and provides our student-athletes with an experience that challenges them to pursue excellence in competition, in the classroom and in their lives. As Merrimack continues to grow, we want our athletics program to grow with it, creating opportunities for more students to be part of the Warrior community and building on the momentum we have established as a Division I institution."

"We know the student-athlete experience at Merrimack College transforms lives in powerful and meaningful ways. It helps students become the best versions of themselves and develops leaders who make a difference in their communities," Merrimack College athletic director Joe Foley said. "Warriors Rising is about extending that transformative experience to even more students while strengthening our commitment to providing every Merrimack student-athlete with an exceptional experience at the highest level."

Merrimack currently sponsors 28 varsity sports with student-athletes competing against some of the country's most recognizable institutions. 

The addition of the four varsity programs will build upon Merrimack's existing athletic infrastructure while creating new opportunities for student-athletes to pursue a Division I education and competitive experience. The men's swimming and men's rowing teams will complement the existing women's programs while the women's flag football team and acrobatics and tumbling program will introduce new competitive opportunities.

In addition to the four new programs, Merrimack recently announced the elevation of Cheer from a club program to a varsity sport.

The expansion comes with Merrimack Athletics on the rise. 

The Merrimack men's ice hockey team won its first-ever Hockey East Championship during the 2025-26 season while the men's basketball team captured the 2025-26 regular-season title in the newly renamed Metro Conference. The women's basketball team advanced to the conference semifinals for the second consecutive season and capped its 2025-26 season with a first-ever invitation to the Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT). Additionally, the men's lacrosse and baseball programs also earned conference tournament victories in the 2025-26 academic year, just Merrimack's second year as a member of the conference.

Additional details regarding the four new varsity programs, including coaching appointments, support staff additions and recruiting plans, will be announced in the coming weeks. 

The athletic department made two hires relating to the expansion already. Merrimack recently named Ellen Minzner the Director of Rowing and Erik Ripley the Director of Swimming and Diving. Minzner will oversee the men's and women's rowing teams while Ripley will oversee the men's and women's swim and dive teams. The athletic department will soon begin national searches for a women's flag football coach and an acrobatics and tumbling coach.  

Warriors Rising extends beyond the addition of varsity programs. The comprehensive initiative also includes plans to expand club sport opportunities, enhance student-athlete support services and make strategic investments in Merrimack's athletic facilities and infrastructure. Those investments will prioritize the daily development, training and overall experience of current student-athletes while providing the resources necessary to support the department's growth and recruit future Warriors.

"As we welcome new programs and more student-athletes to Merrimack, we also want to ensure we're continuing to provide our current Warriors with the facilities, resources and support they need to be successful," Foley said. "This plan positions us to do both."

Specific facility projects and timelines will be unveiled at a later date. 

The planned investments continue a period of significant facility enhancement at Merrimack. In recent years, the College has made substantial investments in its athletic footprint, highlighted by the construction of Duane Stadium a decade ago and major renovations to Lawler Arena, where Merrimack's hockey and basketball programs now host their home games. 

"We're continuing to build an athletic department that reflects where Merrimack College is headed as an institution," Foley said. "We're proud of how far we've come, and we're even more excited about what's ahead for our student-athletes, coaches, alumni and the entire Merrimack community."

ABOUT MERRIMACK ATHLETICS
Merrimack completed its transition to NCAA Division I in 2023, marking a historic milestone for the College and athletic department. Merrimack Athletics is home to 28 varsity programs competing at the NCAA Division I level as members of the Metro Conference, Hockey East and Northeast Conference.

ABOUT MERRIMACK COLLEGE
One of only two Catholic Augustinian colleges in the United States, Merrimack College is a rising institution with a decade-long trajectory of growth and innovation. A comprehensive, research-oriented institution on a path toward R2 research university designation, Merrimack enrolls approximately 7,000 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students and offers academic programs across six schools. Merrimack is a competitive NCAA Division I institution, sponsoring 28 varsity athletic programs competing at the national level. Located on a 220-acre campus just north of Boston in North Andover, Massachusetts, Merrimack prepares students for success through hands-on learning, faculty mentorship, strong industry connections and an Augustinian Catholic tradition that emphasizes leadership, service and the common good. Ninety-six percent of Merrimack graduates achieve positive career outcomes within nine months of graduation, reflecting the College's mission to enlighten minds, engage hearts and empower lives.