Men’s lacrosse looking like a boss

At a school like Minnesota State where the primary athletic focus is on hockey and football, what many don’t realize is that there are many successful club sports on campus. 

MSU’s Men’s Lacrosse team has been around for many years and this year, they are currently undefeated in their spring season. However, this is not a well-known fact due to the lack of publicity the team receives.

Maverick lacrosse is run differently than most sports here, being that they are an entirely student run Recognized Student Organization (RSO). Unfortunately, this means they aren’t awarded with the same luxuries as other teams at Minnesota State.

“We play against teams that have coaches, but we don’t have a coach, we’re player led,” said team captain Jack Mullivain. “We practice two nights a week from 9:45 to 11:45 p.m. in the dome. So, it’s kind of like we get the scrap hours of the dome, and we don’t get much backing from the school.”

Lacrosse has two seasons every year, one in the fall and one in the spring. At the end of each season, the team participates in a tournament hosted by the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

“In the fall, we do practices outside and then we have a tournament in Madison,” said Mullivain. “For our spring season, we do regular season games. We have about five weekends of games, two games per Saturday. After that, we go back to Madison and that’s like our national tournament.”

During the regular season, the Mavs play a variety of different club-size teams. Some of these teams include Michigan State, Iowa University and the University of Wisconsin, River Falls.

Being a part of the MSU lacrosse team is more than just playing lacrosse. There are a number of benefits that go along with joining an on-campus club.

“The best part has to be just hanging out with the boys; they’re fun guys,” said Mullivain. “It’s not just kids who are trying to win a national championship. It’s kids who are looking to come and have fun. We hang out outside of practice, so really, the fun stuff is before games and between games.”

The club is very inclusive, as they will put almost anyone on the team that is dedicated and will show up. They do host tryouts every year, but it’s more of a formality. 

Practicing with the team is free and anyone is welcome. However, participating in the games does come with some equipment and funding fees.

With only two regular season games left, the Mavs are looking to end it all with an undefeated record. Although, most of their minds are focused on the upcoming UW-Madison tournament next weekend.

“We are ready for Madison,” said Mullivain. “We’re looking forward to playing some real competition.”

Write to Ali Reed at Alicia.Reed@mnsu.edu

Header Photo: Minnesota State’s Men’s Lacrosse team is currently 6-0 on the season. Next weekend they head to Madison, Wisconsin for their Nationals tournament. (Lilly Anderson)