The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/480355
BY TIM SULLIVAN L acrosse is not a sport with a long history in the Michigan athletic department. In fact, men's (2012) and women's (2014) lacrosse are the two newest varsity sports in the Maize and Blue repertoire. The fastest-growing sport in Amer- ica — according to U.S. Lacrosse, the sport's national governing body — is taking just as many steps forward on campus in Ann Arbor through wins and program building as it is across the country in overall participation. The U-M men's lacrosse team won just a single game in each of its first two seasons, but the 2014 edition man- aged to take home five victories, and entering Big Ten conference play this season the current squad stood 4-3. The women won four games in their inaugural season, and started the cur- rent campaign 4-3 as of March 15. National titles may be years away for both teams, but the progress to- ward that end is unmistakable on both sides. TEAM FOUR MAKING STRIDES The Michigan men started the pro- gram in an unconventional way. Most athletic departments have announced new Division I lacrosse squads years in advance. They hire coaches, and allow that staff to build a roster before the team ever plays a game. Michigan's path was different. The Maize and Blue were announced as a program on May 25, 2011, and were hitting the field just nine months later with the first-ever game a 13-9 loss to Detroit on Feb.12, 2012. The Wolverines essentially pro- moted what had been one of the na- tion's strongest club teams directly to the Division I level, and there were growing pains with that immediate move. With just a couple players on Team One recruited expecting to play at the varsity level, talent was sparse. Three years later, there's been a sig- MOVING FORWARD Wolverine Lacrosse Squads Are Taking The Next Step