As predicted by Inside Lacrosse, the formation of the Big East has created aftershocks in the shift of teams to different conferences. The Colonial Athletic Association announced today that Penn State and Massachusetts will join Towson, Delaware, Drexel and Hofstra for the 2010 season, thereby assuring the league will earn an automatic qualifier to the NCAA tournament.

"We are proud to welcome the University of Massachusetts and Penn State to the CAA in men's lacrosse," CAA commissioner Tom Yeager said in a release published today. "Both schools have excellent programs along with outstanding coaches and players. Their addition will keep CAA men's lacrosse among the top Division I conferences in the nation."

Penn State and Massachusetts will fill the void created with the impending departures of Villanova (Big East) and Robert Morris and Sacred Heart (Northeast Conference). No word yet on what the Eastern College Athletic Conference -- which includes Loyola -- and the Great Western Lacrosse League intend to do after losing several teams to the Big East.