Most students may not be aware that N.C. State used to have a varsity lacrosse team. Formed in 1972, the Wolfpack received an NCAA Tournament bid in 1979.
Although the team was disbanded following its 1982 season, the legacy of Wolfpack lacrosse lives on to this day. State’s club lacrosse team, coached by Chip Thurston, carries on the varsity team’s tradition of excellence.
The club is most noted for its consistently high level of play. Nathan Poulos, a junior in mechanical engineering, says that the team’s level of play is more reflective of a collegiate squad than a club team.
“A pretty good portion of the guys had a chance to go play D1, D2, or D3 college lacrosse,” Poulos said. “But they all decided to go with a bigger school closer to home and [they] just wanted to keep up with the sport.”
Poulos has played lacrosse since 7th grade, including four years on the varsity team at John T. Hoggard High School in Wilmington and summers on Team Carolina, a travel team comprised of North Carolina’s best high school lacrosse players. He says that most club members have about the same level of experience in the sport that he does.
“Most of the guys on the team have been playing for a while, whether it be from middle school or high school,” Poulos said. “But there are some [players] where this is their first time playing.”
Club Vice President and team captain Kevin Dunaway, a junior in human biology, says the club does most of its recruiting through on campus activities.
“We don’t do a lot off campus [recruiting] prior to students getting here,” Dunaway said. “But we always set up a table at Recfest and have the captains and team officers there to promote the team.”
With three practices a week and games on weekends in addition to their schoolwork, club members must have their priorities in order. Being able to balance their time between school and lacrosse is an essential skill for all members of the team.
“Freshman year was a little tough, but [club lacrosse] has for sure helped me learn time management,” Dunaway said. “Once you get your schedule figured out, it’s not that bad.”
“We are truly students first and since it’s a club, we are a little more flexible and understanding because we realize school comes first, lacrosse second,” Dunaway said. “But like I said, once you get that crucial time management skill down, it’s not bad at all. It’s similar to having a part time job.”
Club members find time to work in the community as well. Players use their free time to help coach high school teams, and even take time during their summer break to help out at lacrosse camps.
The club has traveled all over the southeast U.S. to weekend games at places like Nashville, Atlanta, and Clemson. The team has even gone to Blackburg, Virginia and Athens, Georgia in recent years.
The amount of traveling the club does give its members plenty of opportunities to develop friendships that extend off the field.
“I love the group of guys that come out, the family atmosphere and team bonding experiences that we all share,” Poulos said. “I have definitely met some great people through playing club lax.”
After splitting its last two games, a 12-5 win against South Carolina and a 10-8 loss against Florida State, the team is looking to close out the season on a high note. The club’s next game is against Georgia Tech on April 6 at 1 p.m. at the Method Road fields in Raleigh.
