ATLANTA – The Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA), the preeminent non-varsity league in the country, has announced that it will be using an A.I. ChatBot at the 2022 National Championships presented by New Balance.

The Bot, which works on any contemporary phone or tablet, will be used in lieu of a paper program this spring at the event that will take place in Round Rock (Texas) Multipurpose Complex from May 9-14.

“Our entire organization is run off of player dues, so we’re also looking for innovative ways to save money,” said MCLA president Ken Lovic. “This year, being budget savvy is even more important. Using this technology, we will also save a tree or two and limit waste at our championships.”

The Bot, which goes by “Shaft,” was created by 42Chat, a Utah-based company that is on the forefront of producing A.I. conversation bots. The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) used 42Chat to create the Bot used at its contests for the past three season as well as numerous other lacrosse events.

Using SMS text messaging, fans will be able to ask the ChatBot questions and get instant answers regarding scheduling, rosters, results, statistics, directions and updates, among other options.

“Having a hard-copy championship program is a tradition that dates to beginning of the MCLA, so using a Bot may take some time to get used to,” said MCLA national tournament director Matt Holman. “Still, we felt that employing this new technology now is going to greatly enhance the championship experience for fans and players.”

In order for the Bot to work at maximum efficiency, rosters, stats and schedules will have to be diligently kept up to date. Changes can be submitted to [email protected].

“Fans love having an easy way to dive into team rosters, answer game-day questions, get directions and more,” said Alyssa Mallory, 42Chat’s director of customer success. “Ask a question, get an answer at your fingertips 24/7 beginning April 25th.”

Keep an eye out for more details about the Bot and instructions on how to sign up – whether you’re in Round Rock or not – in the coming months.