Spring is in the air and Whitman students are eager to break out their sporting gear, gather friends and head to the playing fields. The Pioneer surveyed Whitties about their favorite springtime activities. Here are a few of the most popular activities and how students can get involved on campus:
Rugby
Nationally, there are 854 college clubs, 343 female and 511 male, registered with USA Rugby. Whitman has both female and male club teams.
Whitman men’s rugby team, the Reapers, is one of the best among the small liberal arts colleges in the Pacific Northwest. Practices are held Monday and Wednesday 4:00- 5:30 p.m. on Harper Joy Field. The team encourages everyone, regardless of experience, to come play.
The women’s team, the Motherruckers, plays against Pacific Northwest college teams and women’s clubs. The team practices year -round and is always looking for new players to join the rough and tumble. Interested players should join the team on Harper Joy Field for a fun practice Tuesday and Friday from 4:00-5:30 p.m. on Harper Joy Field.
Ultimate
Whitman’s Ultimate Frisbee team plays in USA Ultimate sanctioned tournaments, and both the men and women competed in the 2011 Division I Pacific Northwest Conference Championship. Both teams are very competitive; the Sweets men are the highest ranked team from an NCAA Division III. Practices are held Monday and Wednesday at 4:20 p.m. and Sat. at 10:00 a.m. on the softball field.
Lacrosse
Men’s lacrosse is part of the Pacific Northwest section of Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association, which is a national organization of non-varsity college lacrosse programs. Currently, there are 213 collegiate men’s teams nationally who play through this organization. Practices are held five days a week on Ankeny Field from 4:00-6:00 p.m.
As part of the Northwest Women’s Lacrosse League, women’s lacrosse competes against 15 other private colleges and public universities all over the Pacific Northwest. Last season, they placed third in league. Since they are already mid-season, interested new players can look forward to informal scrimmages in the fall. Practices are held five days a week on Ankeny Field from 4:00-6:00 p.m.
