INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. -- After five seasons operating at the Division II level, where it won the last four Western Collegiate Lacrosse League (WCLL) titles, Sierra Nevada will be playing in MCLA Division I this spring, and they'll be facing a rugged inaugural schedule.

The Eagles will play an 11-game schedule featuring a pair of qualifiers to the 2018 MCLA National Championships powered by Under Armour.

With the addition of Sierra Nevada and UC Santa Barbara to the WCLL-I roll this spring, the league will go with a North-South subdivisional format. The Eagles will be in the North with Sonoma State, Chico State, California and Nevada.

The top three teams in each five-team subdivision will qualify for the WCLL tournament, which will start on April 20 with the first round and conclude with the semifinals and final at Rancho Cotate High School on April 26-28.

The winner of the WCLL tournament earns an automatic qualifying bid to the 2019 MCLA National Championships powered by Under Armour, which will take place from May 6-11 in Salt Lake City.

“Making the jump to Division I is the largest step forward that Sierra Nevada men’s lacrosse has taken to date," said SNC coach Matt Day. "In order for a program to progress, it’s important to extend outside of its comfort zone.

"While our players and coaching staff are confident that we have what it takes to compete at the next level, we also know that nothing is going to come easy. We are going to be considered the underdog in every game this year and we look forward to stepping up to that challenge as a program.”

2019 Sierra Nevada Men's Lacrosse Schedule

* - indicates WCLL North division contest
# - indicates contest at Eugene, Ore.
^ - indicates contests at Rancho Cotate H.S.