By Josh Yonis
Southern Methodist University sports fans go through the major ups and downs of the school’s top sports, but pay no attention to the team who continually wins.
The SMU club lacrosse team dominates teams in front of disappointing crowds and captain Cole Sisto calls for students to come out to a game to see what it’s like.
While the Southern Methodist University campus is all abuzz about the recent success of the men’s basketball team, success is nothing new to the SMU men’s club lacrosse team.
“The most serious lacrosse you’re going to find is club lacrosse” captain Cole Sisto said.
Although there are only two Division I lacrosse programs west of the Mississippi River (Denver and Air Force), it does not stop SMU and many other schools from playing competitive lacrosse. SMU is one of over 200 colleges across the United States and Canada that compete in the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association. The MCLA is comprised of 10 conferences. SMU, along with 13 other universities in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana make up the Lone Star Alliance.
The Mustangs have won six straight Lone Star Alliance division titles and appeared in six straight LSA title games.
Although the team is labeled as a club sport, it means much more to the members of the team.
Unlike the men’s basketball team, the lacrosse team does not sell out any of their games and, despite their continuing success, won’t have a sell out any time soon.
This past weekend, Ford Stadium played host to the sixth annual Patriot Cup, a showcase for high school, MCLA, and Division I lacrosse teams. When SMU faced Texas A&M; Saturday, fans could count on their hands and feet how many people were in attendance.
Ali Franklin, a first-year SMU student and a member of the SMU cross country and track teams, finds the games entertaining, and not just because she’s dating Miller.
Seeing the disappointing attendance numbers, one would think that the team isn’t doing well — quite the opposite. SMU is 10-1 this season and are ranked No. 23 in the MCLA Coaches Poll. The Mustangs only loss came at the hands of No. 18 Texas State March 29.
“One of the biggest negatives to our growth is the culture of SMU,” Sisto said.
SMU students generally come from the states of California and Texas where football is king when it comes to sports. Only a quarter of the team hail from these states, resulting in what Sisto calls a “funky culture.” Lacrosse is (no pun intended) a whole different ballgame and Sisto called for students to just come out and get a taste.
SMU squares off against two LSA North Division opponents this weekend when they travel to Fort Worth, Texas, to play Texas Christian University Friday and to Waco to play Baylor University Sunday.
