Hear Men's Lacrosse Coach J.B. Clarke's thoughts about the new Stadium project

Lacrosse was first introduced at Washington College in 1929 and was played until 1935. After a 13-year hiatus, lacrosse returned in 1948 under the leadership of Charley Clark ’34, a professor of history and political science. Under Clark’s guidance, the lacrosse team won nearly 70% of its games and captured the College’s first national championship in 1954, sharing the Laurie Cox Trophy with Syracuse in the USILA’s B Division. The team’s success under Clark established an enduring tradition of excellence for Washington College men’s lacrosse.

Since the NCAA began sponsoring national championships in men’s lacrosse in 1974, the Shoremen have appeared in 26 such tournaments. Washington has advanced to the national semifinals 17 times and to the final national championship game on nine occasions. In 1998, the Shoremen won their first NCAA Division III National Championship, winning four games on the road to do so. In 21 of the past 24 years, the Shoremen have won at least ten games each season.

This combination of history and prowess in men’s lacrosse is unmatched in Division III. In 63 seasons of varsity play, the Shoremen have posted a record of 532 wins, 292 losses and 2 ties, good for a winning percentage of 64.6%. When Washington College won its 500th game in 2002, we became the first school currently in Division III to do so. Since 1950, Shoremen players have earned All-American status an incredible 210 times, the most of any current Division III institution. Six Washington College alumni are enshrined in the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

Women’s Lacrosse: Quick On The Draw

While Washington College has been among the elite in the men’s lacrosse world for more than half a century, the College has been building a strong women’s lacrosse program for more than two decades. Women’s lacrosse began varsity play in 1982 and wasted no time finding success; the team won seven of its eight games in its inaugural season.

Over the past six seasons, women’s lacrosse has emerged as one of the College’s most consistently successful sports. The Shorewomen won a team-record 14 games, against only three losses, in 2000 and earned a berth in the ECAC playoffs for the first time. In 2003, they matched their record 14 wins in a season and advanced to the ECAC championship game. Washington also earned berths in three of the first four Centennial Conference tournaments. The women have earned All-American status 13 times, a number matched in women’s athletics only by the tennis team.