Written by Tom Flynn (Special to Varsity Sports Network)

The University of St. Mary (Kan.) successfully launched its NAIA program in 2015 (photo / gospires.com). The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) is not as well known among lacrosse players in the Chesapeake region as the larger National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), partially because it lacks representation by a local college program. The NAIA dates back to 1937 and spans most of the country except for the Northeast where, along with Maryland, much of lacrosse's historical power base has been located.

With Denver's national championship victory on Monday, the Pioneers punctuated the permanence of lacrosse beyond its long-time geographic home in the East. Maryland, despite its Terps falling in the final to Denver, is effectively doing the same. A host of coaches and former players with Free State connections are contributing to the emergence of lacrosse as a fully-funded scholarship sport within the NAIA.

On July 27, the NAIA will continue its commitment to its fastest-growing sport by holding a showcase for high school lacrosse players interested in competing at the college level. The showcase will be held in Maryland Heights, Missouri and is one of nine that the NAIA will host for a cross-section of its sports, including its rapidly growing women's lacrosse program.

The NAIA competes in 17 sports, stages 23 national championships, includes 260 teams, and will award $500 million in athletic scholarships this year. According to scholarshipstats.com, the average men's lacrosse award exceeded the NCAA's Division II by roughly $1,100 annually per recipient.

It will hold its initial national invitational tournament in 2016 and is on pace for a full national championship tournament by 2018.

Click HERE for entire story.