The National Lacrosse Conference (NLC) was an NCAA Division I women's lacrosse-only college athletic conference whose members were located primarily in the Southeastern United States, with one team, Detroit (now athletically branded as Detroit Mercy), located in Michigan. The league formed in 2008 in advance of the 2009 NCAA lacrosse season, and played its first season with four member teams. Three more schools joined for the 2010 season with an additional school joining in 2011. The NLC had 8 member schools by the end of its existence. The NLC did not have an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament; conference members could qualify through an at-large bid.