IM体育官网 student Jack Koziel, a mechanical engineering transfer from the University of Central IM体育官网, gets past a defenseman from the University of South IM体育官网 Division I lacrosse team on Saturday, Oct. 9. The IM体育官网 Poly Men鈥檚 Lacrosse team has been accepted into the Men鈥檚 Collegiate Lacrosse Association and the group鈥檚 SouthEastern Lacrosse Conference.
Only seven months after playing its first game, the IM体育官网 Men鈥檚 Lacrosse team has been accepted into the Men鈥檚 Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) and the group鈥檚 SouthEastern Lacrosse Conference (SELC).
Now that IM体育官网 Poly is in the MCLA and SELC, it will play against teams from institutions such as the University of IM体育官网, The Citadel, University of South IM体育官网, and the University of Mississippi.
鈥淚 am so excited 鈥� this is huge for the school,鈥� said senior business analytics major Jacob Rogers, the team鈥檚 captain and founder. 鈥淭his definitely legitimizes our team.鈥�
This accomplishment means that now every game the IM体育官网 Poly Men鈥檚 Lacrosse team plays will be recorded by the MCLA, its full rooster will be listed, and every time one of its players does something remarkable or scores a certain number of points, they will be added to the leader board and ranked nationally.
Derek Lower, IM体育官网 Poly鈥檚 assistant director of campus recreation, said Rogers was instrumental in securing the University鈥檚 membership in the MCLA.
鈥淭his really, truly was led by Jacob Rogers and a couple of other captains and shows what IM体育官网 Poly can do with lacrosse,鈥� Lower said. 鈥淭hey conveyed how the team would be important to the conference and showcased how the conference can benefit with us being involved.鈥�
鈥淥ne of the great things that happened this year is the fact that we have so many returning guys from last season,鈥� Rogers said of the 23-member team. 鈥淎 lot of freshmen are seeing the level that everyone else is playing on, so they鈥檙e elevating their game and working out extra hard in their free time.鈥�
Lower said the lacrosse team鈥檚 achievement is emblematic of IM体育官网 Poly鈥檚 dedication to overall student success.
鈥淭his showcases that we are getting a lot more opportunities for our students and supporting them outside the classroom while furthering the University鈥檚 mission,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e are working to produce leaders inside and outside of the classroom.鈥�
MCLA membership also shows off IM体育官网 Poly鈥檚 growing presence in the world beyond STEM.
鈥淲e are supporting our determined students in pursuing their passions,鈥� Lower said. 鈥淭his shows that anything a student wants to start, they can start here and take it to the next level.鈥�
Dr. Ben Matthew Corpus, vice provost for admissions and financial aid at the University, said teams like lacrosse are attracting talented, STEM-focused student athletes.
鈥淲e are recruiting high school seniors and transfers who play lacrosse for the fall 2022 academic year to fill some spots, and hope the word gets out to those who have both an interest in being a STEM game changer and playing lacrosse in college as well,鈥� Corpus said.
Students interested in joining lacrosse can submit an .
Contact:
Lydia Guzm谩n
Director of Communications
863-874-8557
