Club sports make real impact
Jonathan Stark
Issue date: 4/17/08 Section: Sports
Eastern is wrapping up its club sport season. The field of 12 club sports is one of the largest Eastern has ever had. This year, Eastern added such clubs as lacrosse, men and women's volleyball, and paintball.
Hockey
Hockey games proved all the rage again this season. The Colonels set two records for attendance, averaging 275 people per game and, on October 12, played in front of a record 650 people against the University of Cincinnati.
The team finished 11-13-1. The Colonels' key wins were Cincinnati, three wins against Louisville and Division-II school Southern Illinois.
Eastern finished 11th in the north division of the ACHA, one spot out of regionals.
Aaron Richnavsky was named to the North Regional Select Team, and Steven Strecher and Mark Hinton were academic All-Americans.
Lacrosse
The newly-formed lacrosse team didn't mess around this season, getting right into competitive play. The Colonels lost their first game to Louisville and games against Western Kentucky and UK were canceled due to acknowledgment of the Easter holiday. May 3, the Colonels (0-1) will take on Depauw University.
The club was started by a group of freshmen in the fall and was recognized as an official club in October. The club has slowly, but steadily, grown as a strong organization with a young squad.
With five incoming freshmen already committed to playing next year, the team is well on its way to doubling this year's number of players.
Thanks to a $6,757.50 funding grant from SGA the team will be sporting Eastern uniforms for its first full season next year. With an expected 10 to 12 games, as well as two tournaments scheduled for the coming year, the team will have no shortage of competition as they face schools like Radford, Ohio State, Louisville and West Virginia.
Paintball
The Eastern paintball team finished 5th out of 18 schools in the Southeastern Conference. Their biggest win was against Virginia Tech in the first tournament they played. The Colonels will play in the national championship April 18-20.
The team may even get the chance to play Class A next year. Class A is an upper division league that is forming and will take only four teams from Eastern's conference.
Men's soccer
The men's club soccer team is currently 3-0 with two games left in the season against Centre College and Berea College.
This weekend, the Colonels took down Centre despite the absence of nearly half their team.
The team plans to have a full schedule in the fall and will be selling T-shirts to help pay for tournament costs.
Skeet and trap
The skeet and trap team just returned home from San Antonio, Texas, where they competed in the ACUI National Clay Target Competition. Results were not available at press time.
The team will be hosting its own shoot next semester in Wilmore, Ky.
Softball
The women's club softball team went 7-2 in the National Club Softball Association Conference, including sweeps in three-game series against Dayton and Xavier.
The team lost the final game of the season to Miami by one run. The win would have sent the team to the national tournament.
Tryouts for the team will take place at the end of this semester and in the early fall.
Women's rugby
The women's rugby team is 5-2 overall. The Colonels went 2-1 in a tournament in Nashville.
This weekend, Eastern will play at Western Kentucky and wrap up the season next weekend at the Ohio Classic.
The team has two seniors graduating this spring: Renee Maher and Caitlin Osteen.
Women's soccer
The much-improved women's club soccer team finished the season 4-5, including a fifth-place finish at Ohio State University's annual indoor tournament.
The Colonels hosted their own round robin tournament this spring. The final game of the season will be Saturday, April 19 at Xavier.
With two outgoing seniors (Christine Moellinger and Melissa Mollohan), the roster of 16 is looking to expand and will be holding tryouts soon.
Women's volleyball
The women's club volleyball team just got its start this semester so it hasn't had the chance to play any games. The team of 11 will be holding tryouts early next semester to expand the team to 15.
Hockey
Hockey games proved all the rage again this season. The Colonels set two records for attendance, averaging 275 people per game and, on October 12, played in front of a record 650 people against the University of Cincinnati.
The team finished 11-13-1. The Colonels' key wins were Cincinnati, three wins against Louisville and Division-II school Southern Illinois.
Eastern finished 11th in the north division of the ACHA, one spot out of regionals.
Aaron Richnavsky was named to the North Regional Select Team, and Steven Strecher and Mark Hinton were academic All-Americans.
Lacrosse
The newly-formed lacrosse team didn't mess around this season, getting right into competitive play. The Colonels lost their first game to Louisville and games against Western Kentucky and UK were canceled due to acknowledgment of the Easter holiday. May 3, the Colonels (0-1) will take on Depauw University.
The club was started by a group of freshmen in the fall and was recognized as an official club in October. The club has slowly, but steadily, grown as a strong organization with a young squad.
With five incoming freshmen already committed to playing next year, the team is well on its way to doubling this year's number of players.
Thanks to a $6,757.50 funding grant from SGA the team will be sporting Eastern uniforms for its first full season next year. With an expected 10 to 12 games, as well as two tournaments scheduled for the coming year, the team will have no shortage of competition as they face schools like Radford, Ohio State, Louisville and West Virginia.
Paintball
The Eastern paintball team finished 5th out of 18 schools in the Southeastern Conference. Their biggest win was against Virginia Tech in the first tournament they played. The Colonels will play in the national championship April 18-20.
The team may even get the chance to play Class A next year. Class A is an upper division league that is forming and will take only four teams from Eastern's conference.
Men's soccer
The men's club soccer team is currently 3-0 with two games left in the season against Centre College and Berea College.
This weekend, the Colonels took down Centre despite the absence of nearly half their team.
The team plans to have a full schedule in the fall and will be selling T-shirts to help pay for tournament costs.
Skeet and trap
The skeet and trap team just returned home from San Antonio, Texas, where they competed in the ACUI National Clay Target Competition. Results were not available at press time.
The team will be hosting its own shoot next semester in Wilmore, Ky.
Softball
The women's club softball team went 7-2 in the National Club Softball Association Conference, including sweeps in three-game series against Dayton and Xavier.
The team lost the final game of the season to Miami by one run. The win would have sent the team to the national tournament.
Tryouts for the team will take place at the end of this semester and in the early fall.
Women's rugby
The women's rugby team is 5-2 overall. The Colonels went 2-1 in a tournament in Nashville.
This weekend, Eastern will play at Western Kentucky and wrap up the season next weekend at the Ohio Classic.
The team has two seniors graduating this spring: Renee Maher and Caitlin Osteen.
Women's soccer
The much-improved women's club soccer team finished the season 4-5, including a fifth-place finish at Ohio State University's annual indoor tournament.
The Colonels hosted their own round robin tournament this spring. The final game of the season will be Saturday, April 19 at Xavier.
With two outgoing seniors (Christine Moellinger and Melissa Mollohan), the roster of 16 is looking to expand and will be holding tryouts soon.
Women's volleyball
The women's club volleyball team just got its start this semester so it hasn't had the chance to play any games. The team of 11 will be holding tryouts early next semester to expand the team to 15.
