If there’s any way for us to help I’m willing to do this.”Ĭity Councilor Roger Gomez had similar sentiments. “It means a lot to me to see you here as a group, supporting. Alumni choose permanent residence at this school because of the impact they’ve made on this city.”Ĭity Councilor Joe Latino shared his sympathies for the players, “They’re the victims of adults’ actions and reactions I firmly believe that,” he said. “Students who desire to play at the club level would be more likely to endure playing at the CU Boulder or CSU Fort Collins-more major schools.”īuddington said that the men’s lacrosse team provides a service to Pueblo: “bringing in revenue and possible recognition for them (players) to visit and potentially spend four years in this beautiful city. “Tuition and sports dues now play a factor at the club level,” Buddington said. 3.Īccording to CSU Pueblo’s press release, the move to a club sport will offer greater competitive opportunities going forward through the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Conference, which currently includes nine club teams across Colorado colleges. The team has started a petition to “save Division 2 Men’s Lacrosse at CSU Pueblo.” The petition, started Jan. “Like many of my teammates in this room, he was able to provide this dream for all of us.” “My dreams were finally fulfilled when Coach Blair offered me an athletic scholarship to play at CSUP…completing my childhood dream,” Buddington said. 4 at home against Dominican University of California.īuddington said the news of the program’s demotion was “the worst news a college athlete could hear.”ĬSU Pueblo has just two seniors on their roster this year, meaning the remainder of the roster had committed to further seasons with CSU Pueblo.Īccording to NCAA research, 68% of Division 2 men’s lacrosse athletes who entered the transfer portal in the 2021-22 window did not find a new team. Sophomore Caleb Buddington said, “We were blindsided and shocked by this late decision, just weeks away from our first game which now would be our last NCAA season.” The Thunderwolves are scheduled to open their season Feb. 22 city council meeting to discuss ways forward. With the announced change, the conference will have only five teams in 2025, meaning the conference will not earn an automatic bid to the NCAA division 2 playoff tournament.įollowing the announcement from CSU Pueblo, members of the men’s lacrosse team attended Pueblo’s Jan. The CSU Pueblo team had been competing in the Rocky Mountain Athletic conference. The team consistently attracts players, from across the country and world to CSU Pueblo to play on the team, who would not otherwise have chosen the school as the place to obtain their college degrees.” The petitioners stated, “he has built the program into what it is today, despite a majority of the seasons where funding for the program dwindled. In that time, the team has had 366 players, 224 coming from outside of Colorado.Ī petition to save the team stated that Blair had “committed over a decade of hard work and determination.” Since the program launched, Sean Blair had served as the head coach. The men’s team has not had a winning season in their nine seasons. There are no plans in effect to change women’s lacrosse. The men’s and women’s lacrosse programs were added at CSU Pueblo in 2014. Additionally, NCAA rules will permit them to play immediately if they decide to transfer after the 2024 season. “We want all student-athletes to have the most competitive experience possible and feel that men’s lacrosse at the club level is the best place for us.”Īccording to a release from CSU Pueblo, all scholarship-eligible athletes will have their financial aid honored until they depart or graduate from CSU Pueblo. “After an extensive review and careful analysis of our strategic initiatives within the landscape of college athletics, we have made the difficult decision to transition men’s lacrosse to club status following the 2024 season,” he said. Paul Plinske commented in a press release. Vice President for Athletics and Strategic Partnerships Dr. Team petitions city council to intervene after shift to club levelĬolorado State University Pueblo announced 2024 would be the final season of the men’s lacrosse program playing at NCAA Division 2 level on Jan.
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