The Liga Atlética Interuniversitaria, often abbreviated LAI, is a college athletic conference in the Caribbean archipelago of Puerto Rico with the former participation of the United States Virgin Islands.
The LAI is a non-profit organization whose main purpose is to regulate sports amongst its member institutions. The league was founded in 1929 by Cosme Beitía of the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras, Charles Leker for the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, and Luis Izquierdo Galo y José D. Morales from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. The league is best known for its flagship inter-collegiate sports event popularly called Las Justas which takes place yearly during the month of April, generally in the municipalities of Ponce or Mayagüez.Donativos a manos llenas en Ponce. Jason Rodríguez Grafal. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 19 December 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
History The League began celebrating three sports events amongst its member institutions in 1929; Baseball, Basketball, and Athletics. For 40 years, the League's events were open to male athletes only. Women began competing in the league starting in the 1969–1970 academic year. Today, male athletes compete in some 16 events and female athletes in 13. Every year the league hosts the Justas de Atletismo y Festival Deportivo, their flagship sports competition event. For many years the event was held in San Juan, but in 1993 the event was moved to the city of Ponce.Las Justas se quedan en Ponce. Amigos de Ponce. 21 January 2010. Univision. (Originally published in El Nuevo Dia Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) Retrieved 4 August 2012. In 2010 the event was held in Mayagüez in preparation for the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games. Games resumed in Ponce in 2011, and continued in Ponce in 2012.Ponce se duplicará durante las Justas. Jason Rodríguez Grafal. Ponce, Puerto Rico: La Perla del Sur. Year 30. Issue 1480. Page 4. 11 April 2012. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
The league is administered by a "Administrative Council" made up of the Deans of Students, Athletic Directors, and a student representative. There is also a "Cuerpo Rectoral" called the "Junta de Gobierno" made up of the Rectors and presidents of the member institutions. The "Junta de Gobierno" chooses an employee called "The Commissioner" who is appointed to act as executive officer of the LAI for a period of two years. The League is a founding member of International University Sports Federation.
Sports men's baseball men's & women's basketball men's & women's cross country men's & women's judo men's & women's taekwondo men's & women's soccer men's & women's softball men's & women's swimming men's & women's table tennis men's & women's tennis men's & women's track and field men's & women's volleyball men's water polo men's & women's weightlifting men's wrestling
Member schools Current members Institution (English) Institution (Spanish) Acronym Colors Nickname Location Joined Affiliation Enrollment Section Universidad de Puerto Rico en Río Piedras UPRRP Gallitos &Jerezanas San Juan 1929 Public 18,653 Beitia Universidad de Puerto Rico en Mayagüez RUM Tarzanes &Juanas Mayagüez 1929Public 13,148 Mangual Interamerican University of Puerto Rico Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico UIPR Tigres San Germán 1929 Private 50,000 Mangual Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico Pontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico PUCPR Pioneros Ponce 1954 Catholic 12,000 Mangual Universidad de Puerto Rico en Cayey UPRC Toritos &Toritas Cayey 1971Public 4,128 Mangual Universidad de Puerto Rico en Humacao UPRH Buhos &Buhas Humacao 1975Public 4,732 Beitia Universidad del Sagrado Corazón USC Delfines San Juan 1979Catholic 5,261 Beitia Universidad de Puerto Rico en Bayamón UPRB Vaqueros &Vaqueras Bayamón 1980Public 5,014 Beitia Universidad de Puerto Rico en Arecibo UPRA Lobos &Lobas Arecibo 1983Public 3,693 Mangual Bayamón Central University Universidad Central de Bayamón UCB Halcones Bayamón 1991Catholic 2,133 Beitia Universidad de Puerto Rico en Ponce UPRP Leones &Leonas Ponce 1992Public 4,000 Mangual Universidad de Puerto Rico en Aguadilla UPRAG Tiburones Aguadilla 1992Public 3,393 Mangual Universidad de Puerto Rico en Carolina UPRCA Jaguares Carolina 1994Public 4,240 Beitia Universidad de Puerto Rico en Utuado UPRU Guaraguaos Utuado 1998Public 1,682 Mangual Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico Universidad Politécnica de Puerto Rico PUPR Castores San Juan 1999 Private 5,195 Beitia Caribbean University CU Grifones Bayamón 2005 Private 1,603 Beitia Ana G. Méndez University Universidad Ana G. Méndez UAGM Taínos &Taínas San Juan 2019 Private 24,700 Mangual
Notes
Former members Institution (English) Institution (Spanish) Acronym Colors Nickname Location Joined Left Affiliation Enrollment Section Currentconference Universidad de las Islas Vírgenes UVI Bucaneros &Bucaneras St. Thomas 2005 2017 Public 2,138 N/A HBCU (HBCUAC) Ana G. Méndez University at Gurabo Universidad Ana G. Méndez en Gurabo UT Taínos &Taínas Gurabo 1975 2019 Private 16,000 Mangual N/A Ana G. Méndez University at Carolina Universidad Ana G. Méndez en Carolina UNE Pitirres Carolina 2005 2019 Private 10,366 Mangual Ana G. Méndez University at Cupey Universidad Ana G. Méndez en Cupey UMET Cocodrilos San Juan 2005 2019 Private Beitia American University of Puerto Rico AUPR Piratas Bayamón 1991 2023 Private 2,934 Beitia N/A
Notes
Membership timeline
References