Lacrosse Returns to Moravian University

Young teams are excited for the beginning of a new season.

By Marie Mikols ’16

A young team walks back together from practice on a Tuesday evening. They are carrying their equipment, and some still wear their helmets, the straps hanging down below their chins. As they laugh and talk with one another, excitement radiates from them. Lacrosse is back at Moravian University, and the men’s and women’s varsity teams are getting ready.

This spring, lacrosse at the University will return to varsity play for the first time since 2010; competing as an independent this year, and as part of the Landmark Conference beginning next spring. “Because of our generous alumni and donors, we were able to return lacrosse back to a varsity sport and to build a field that can support the program,” says President Bryon Grigsby '90. “I was very happy to see it turn into a varsity sport as it provides another venue to attract students to our campus.”

And attract students it has. Twenty-eight freshmen are on the men’s lacrosse team, while 19 women from all classes make up the women’s team. “The guys are really pumped,” says men’s coach, David Carty. Carty comes to us with18 years of coaching on all three levels of the NCAA under his belt. He heads to Moravian University after a year as a defensive assistant at NCAA Division I Lafayette College and nine years at Pace University. The women are lead by Kristen Schuster, a former lacrosse player at FDU-Florham who spent three years serving her alma mater, first as assistant coach and then as interim head coach. “They are fantastic,” Schuster says of her team, “and excited for the upcoming season.”

When asking the players’ opinions on how they feel about lacrosse coming to Moravian University, David Fiumara '19 and Maria Maka ’17 expressed how important lacrosse is to their liberal arts education and personal growth.

“Lacrosse has taught me discipline and how to deal with failure and use it as a learning experience,” says Fiumara.

Says Maka, “Lacrosse challenges your body both mentally and physically. We are highly disciplined with 6 am practices, mandatory study halls, and volunteering at local schools to help teach the game of lacrosse.

“And we aren’t just teammates who see each other at practice and lifts,” adds Maka. “We are each other’s support system. “When the school work gets stressful, any one of these girls has 18 others to rely on.”

As the upcoming season for lacrosse draws closer, the coaches and students are preparing with awaited anticipation. “There’s a lot of support all around Moravian,” says Carty. “It’s an all-around effort.”

“Come out and see the games!” says Schuster. Lacrosse brings a different vibe to campus through its high intensity and the many personalities on the team, all of whom will benefit athletically and personally. “As with any other sport at Moravian, lacrosse players demonstrate the finest qualities of leadership, teamwork, hard work and dedication,” says Grigsby, “I am glad to see them back and competing.”

The season’s first game will be held on Saturday, February 27^, at 2 pm versus Rosemont College at Rocco Calvo Field.