Lacrosse to become school-sanctioned sport in Nevada after legislative push

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Lacrosse will become an officially sanctioned sport in Nevada schools.

The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA) announced this week that it will sanction boys and girls lacrosse, beginning with the 2026-27 academic year.

"We are excited to take this step toward bringing lacrosse into the fold of sanctioned NIAA sports," NIAAA executive director Timothy Jackson said in a statement. "This would not be possible without the hard work and support of so many – from school administrators and community advocates to coaches and families."

This comes after state lawmakers pushed to sanction lacrosse during the recent legislative session with SB 305.

Several Nevada high schools have club lacrosse teams, but the schools themselves do not sponsor the sport. Proponents told lawmakers that sanctioning lacrosse would give high school players more resources and oversight.

The NIAA opposed the bill, however. Jackson wrote to the Senate Education Committee in March that implementing a new sport could place new financial burdens on schools, which are already limited for space and time with other sports. It's unclear what led to a change in stance.

SB 305 passed through the legislature unanimously but was vetoed by Gov. Joe Lombardo. In his veto message, the governor wrote that he blocked SB 305 because a late amendment would have created a new subcommittee to review high school athletics' compliance with Title IX, something he called a "politically charged deviation from the bill's intent."

"Lacrosse is a sport with a rich cultural heritage, and I look forward to more Nevada students participating in it," Lombardo said in a news release provided by the NIAA.

The association plans to hold an emergency board of control meeting in August for a formal adoption. More details on the rollout of lacrosse will be provided in the coming weeks.