Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lacrosse an NCAA sport at Arizona State?
We are not an NCAA sport, although we attempt to run the program as close to an NCAA program as we can. As lacrosse continues to grow on a national level, specifically in the West, we believe that the possibility for lacrosse to become a varsity sport is real. The longer we stay focused on building a premier program at Arizona State, the better chance we will have to make Men's Lacrosse part of Sun Devil Athletics.
So why would anyone want to play lacrosse at Arizona State?
The Men's Lacrosse Club provides a competitive lacrosse experience on a national scale while also helping players to learn about balancing school, athletics, and a social life. Our student-athletes are expected to dedicate themselves to the team, but they are given the time and latitude to focus on their academics as well as the university experience. The word student appears first in "student athlete" because the team understands the student part comes first. As such, players are expected to work as hard in the classroom as they do on the field.
The Men's Lacrosse Club at Arizona State is an elite MCLA program that competes for a national championship every year. The opportunity to be part of a winning tradition is unmatched by any other college team in the nation.
How does playing in the MCLA at ASU differ from playing NCAA lacrosse at other schools?
Our philosophy at Arizona State is that we want to compete at the highest level possible and represent the University in the best way. As such, we mimic an NCAA program's schedule and we require our student-athletes to work hard to achieve team and individual goals. In addition, every one of our players must follow MCLA rules and regulations regarding academic eligibility. However, as a club team, we do not receive much financial support from the University. We require players to pay yearly dues and have to do extensive fundraising to ensure that we can run the kind of program we do. Fundraising is a big part of what the program does. Players have to be prepared to fund raise when they come here.
Who does the team play?
The Men's Lacrosse Club at ASU is a member of the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA), the largest lacrosse league in the world. The MCLA is made up of over 150 teams in 9 conferences that represent virtually every region of the country. ASU is a member of the Southwestern Lacrosse Conference (SLC) with 8 teams throughout the west. Other conferences include the Western Collegiate Lacrosse League (WCLL), the South Eastern Lacrosse Conference (SELC), the Lone Star Alliance (LSA), the Upper Midwest Lacrosse Conference (UMLC), the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Conference (RMLC), the Continental Lacrosse Conference (CLC), the Atlantic Lacrosse Conference (ALC), and the Pacific NorthWest Collegiate Lacrosse League (PNCLL). Arizona State’s regular season schedule usually includes many of the top MCLA programs from around the country. We want to play the best teams in the country, so each year our coaches work to build a schedule that has the top ranked teams on it.
The schedule highlights one of the benefits of playing top-level MCLA lacrosse. Unlike varsity lacrosse teams that play mostly regional schedules, the top MCLA teams play national schedules that have them traveling to campuses across the country. In the past, the team has traveled to California, Utah, Colorado, Minnesota, South Carolina, Louisiana, Virginia, Texas, and Georgia.
Is there a post-season tournament?
Yes. There are 2 post season tournaments. The SLC tournament is in late April and the MCLA National Tournament is in the beginning of May. The winner of the SLC tournament, along with the champions of the 9 other conferences, gets an automatic bid to the MCLA National Tournament. Six other at-large bids are decided on by a MCLA tournament committee. Since 2008, ASU has been to 3 National Championship games and had 6 final Four appearances in the MCLA tournament. We also have 4 SLC Championships (2010,2012,2013,2014).
Does Sun Devil Lacrosse offer Scholarships or assistance with admissions?
As a MCLA program, the Men's Lacrosse Club at ASU does not provide scholarships or have influence over the admissions process. Student-athletes interested in attending Arizona State should contact the admissions office for application and financial aid information. http://www.asu.edu/admissions. ASU’s academic requirements are on the website. Please make sure you check them as they are known to change after each semester.
What is a typical schedule for a Sun Devil Lacrosse Student-Athlete?
Playing lacrosse at ASU is a year-round commitment. In the fall we will practice 3 times per week for 7 weeks starting in mid-September. All freshman will be in study hall their first semester in school and players that didn't get above a 2.0 grade point average will remain in study hall for subsequent semesters. We will workout in the weight room 3 days a week. In the spring, we practice 6 days a week for 2 1⁄2 hours. We will play anywhere from 13-15 games in the regular season. We’ll watch film once a week and there will be study hall for those that need it.
There are also other events such as team functions and fundraisers that everyone must attend.
How do I join the team?
There are a two ways to join this team. The first way is to be recruited. The second way is to walk-on. You can be recruited by sending film through our Become a Sun Devil Page, or the coaching staff may see you play at a recruiting event. If the coaching staff likes what they see, they will reach out and begin talks about coming to play lacrosse at ASU. We have walk-on tryouts in early September which will put walk on players with the recruits to see how they stack up. We are looking for athletes that arrive in shape with solid lacrosse skills, the potential to contribute to the team for 4 years, and a winning attitude. You can try to walk-on to the team at any point in your 4 years at ASU.
You will need to provide all of your own equipment for the tryouts. You will eventually receive a team issue helmet, gloves, elbow pads and practice uniform if you make the team and pay your dues.
How much will it cost to play?
We estimate the cost per player will be approximately $5,000 with gear, travel, and other expenses. We collect $3300 of this amount as dues charged to the players. The remaining balance will come from fund raising activities and the solicitation of donations. All players are expected to participate in fund raising and donations. Fund raising includes the sale of ads for our media guide and website as well as personal donations from friends and families. We try to organize a couple other fund raisers throughout the year to help players reach our financial goals. The Men’s Lacrosse Club at ASU is an IRS 501(c)3 tax exempt organization and contributions (excluding dues) are tax deductible. Dues are the lifeblood of this team, but we have a philosophy here that money issues should never keep anyone from playing. If a player has a real problem affording dues, please contact the Advisory Board and we will try to work something out.
What do I have to do to be eligible to play?
SLC follows the same rules as the MCLA. Every player must be enrolled in at least 12 credits for the spring semester, has not played 4 years of collegiate lacrosse (any level), and has never been paid to play lacrosse. Once you go under 12 credits you are ineligible and must notify the coach. Our players have four years of eligibility in either MCLA or NCAA lacrosse. Transfer students do not need to sit out a year before they are eligible to play. Please contact Coach Straker at jstraker@asulacrosse.com to discuss your eligibility, especially if you are a transfer student.
Does ASU support the program financially?
Club Sports at ASU does help slightly on the financial side but not anywhere close to what it takes to operate this size and level of program, hence why we must fundraise so much on our own.
However, the University supports the program in many other ways. For instance, ASU allows us to operate on campus, which is a privilege that not all club sports programs are lucky enough to have. Along with field privileges, the use of Arizona State branding is at the discretion of Club Sports. Therefore, it is increasingly important that our program exceeds the expectations of Club Sports so that we maintain our good standing with the school. Club Sports and the Sun Devil Fitness Center also provides us trainers that help keep our athletes healthy.
