The Cal State Long Beach men’s lacrosse team has the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association National Championships at Denver in its crosshairs, after a successful 2009 season took the 49ers all the way to the Southwestern Lacrosse Conference finals.
Men’s lacrosse operates as a club team at CSULB.
Last season, the 49ers exceeded expectations by reaching the SLC tournament and beating the Pepperdine Waves in the first round. However, CSULB fell in the SLC championship round to Cal State Fullerton, 10-7, in a hard-fought contest. A victory would have earned The Beach a spot in the MCLA national tournament in Denver.
“No [first year] team has ever gone to the playoffs,” said Albie Sears, an attacker and team president.
The team is optimistic about its second season as a full-fledged squad and third year as an organization.
The club is looking to add players to the roster. CSULB students in good standing are eligible to try out, according to Steve Smith, midfielder and team secretary.
Smith also said the club’s ultimate goal is to play at the NCAA level.
But, operating an NCAA lacrosse team would cost the school a significant amount of money.
John Paul, head coach of the club team at the University of Michigan, said a study revealed it would cost the Wolverines between $1.5-2 million per year to operate an NCAA men’s lacrosse team.
Paul said that other schools sponsoring NCAA men’s lacrosse spend about $500,000-$600,000 per year on their programs. In the meantime, upgrading to the MCLA’s division I level is a more immediate goal for the 49ers.
The MCLA, the largest lacrosse organization in the country, consists of 213 teams in the United States and Canada, separated into 10 conferences. Each of the 10 conferences, including the SLC, divides its members into division I and II subcategories.
CSULB, which plays at division II, calls George Allen Field home. The club practices Tuesday through Thursday at the intramural field.
Beach lacrosse fields 27 players on its roster, ranging between 18-25 years of age. Sears, who founded the club in 2008, said the team was created following a series of lacrosse workouts he organized for players on the club hockey team.
“I didn’t know what I was getting into when I started it,” Sears said. “I just wanted to play.”
Funding for the team — including head coach Frank Podsiadlik’s salary — comes from student fees and fundraisers, as well as Associated Students Inc.
Sears said some of the team’s fundraising events have included selling Los Angeles Kings tickets, with a portion of the sales going to the club. Beach lacrosse has also sold sweatshirts with the team logo and discount food cards to fund itself.
Podsiadlik, a former assistant at CSUF, earned SLC Coach of Year last season. He was selected as the team’s head coach after he met Sears at a CSULB-CSUF scrimmage.
The team has contacted Beach alumni “for support and to let them know that lacrosse is back at CSULB,” Smith said.
The 49ers continue their season on Saturday at George Allen Field when they host fellow SLC member Concordia at 1 p.m.