The University of Lynchburg men’s club lacrosse team won its conference championship on Sunday, earning a place in the elite eight round of the national club tournament.
The team was ranked third in the nation as it traveled to North Carolina for the weekend conference championship, part of the National Club Lacrosse League Tournament. The team beat High Point University 10-2 and Virginia Commonwealth University 7-6 in overtime.
Now ranked second in the nation, the team will play against the University of Louisville Saturday at 9 a.m. If successful in that venture, Lynchburg would play again at 5 p.m. in the final four round. The championship game will take place Sunday morning.
The lacrosse victories are just the latest developments in a very active season for club sports. Lynchburg hired Ben Smith as the full-time director of club sports in January to promote student engagement. Club sports provide a way for students to compete with teams from other colleges even if they don’t want the varsity schedule and commitment. Club programs also help students develop leadership skills as they run their own teams.
Several teams had successful seasons this spring, Smith said. The club baseball team fell just one game shy of advancing to the National Club Baseball Association national tournament, and the club men’s soccer team finished one game away from the regional tournament. The men’s club basketball team played a tough schedule, facing off against 10 schools whose varsity programs compete in the NCAA Division I, but the Lynchburg team did beat the University of North Carolina’s club team in February.
Other club teams, including wrestling, women’s soccer, and women’s lacrosse, will probably join regional or national leagues in the fall, Smith said. Students have started or revived club sport programs for softball, rock climbing, and ultimate frisbee with Smith’s help. Students continue to show interest in a possible club swim team, he added.
Lynn Walsh ’18 highlighted club sports during her Walsh Wednesdays segment for the Lynchburg Hornets Sports Network last week. The segment starts at the 42 second mark.
