The men’s lacrosse team is ready to get down to business, and this time they’re serious. After a misfortunate incident involving Public Safety and after the suspension of their season last year, the guys are back and stronger than ever, making a conscious effort to promote the team in a positive light, and help others through service work in the process.Last year, the lacrosse team developed a bad reputation as a party-affiliated club after a hazing scandal in the program swept the campus. The remainder of their season was terminated after a few meetings that were held last fall. Word got out about the less than flattering situation, and other news sources, such as The Journal Sentinel and WTMJ4, decided to pick up the story, too. With all the poor publicity for the club, one would think the men would be discouraged, but instead they turned the negative into a positive and are now stronger than ever.

“We became organized,” said Andy Hunt, vice president of the club, who has been an important figure in getting the club back on its feet and changing the way it operated. After the scandal in fall 2005, the club got together and decided to elect new officers and start working toward a better goal for the 2006-2007 season.

“It was hard initially to step into those roles,” explained senior captain and president Ben White, “but the work ethic and character [of the team] is phenomenal.” Both White and Hunt believe it was the hard work of the team that helped put the shattered pieces back together and brought the team up to where it is now. “Everyone was willing to do anything for the team,” White said.

It shows. Just this fall, the club has already played in tournaments and even hosted home games. Although the current record is 2-5, the team’s new attitude proves that a team is about more than statistics.

An example of the hard work and genuine desire to improve is the community service the team does together. There was no community service requirement included in the club’s probation, but the men get together and do it anyway, giving to the less fortunate because they are passionate about helping others and bonding as a team simultaneously. This weekend, the team will be playing in a tournament in which all tournament fees will be donated to the American Cancer Society. This is just one way the club has given back however.

The newly elected officers also held an anti-hazing workshop at the beginning of this season. They organized the event and were able to get nationally recognized speakers to attend. It lasted five hours, and it was open to any club that wanted to attend. When asked why they wllowed other clubs to join the workshop, Hunt said, “We wanted to make sure this kind of thing wouldn’t happen to anyone else.”

Another new aspect of the team is that whenever they have group outings, no member is allowed to consume alcohol. “We are a completely dry team,” explained Hunt. “Even the guys of legal age don’t drink while we’re out as a team.”

They thought it might be difficult to promote the team this season and to recruit new freshmen initially. However, the worry soon subsided. Most new players were somewhat aware of what happened the previous year due to the anti-hazing workshop, and team officers, who were happy to meet with new freshmen and their parents during campus preview. The situation from last season did not stifle their desire to join the club.

“It didn’t factor into my decision,” said freshman midfielder Michael Condon. The overall attitude of the team is positive and they are looking ahead with high aspirations. “The team is building good chemistry,” he further explained, and there are no signs of slowing down.

Currently, the men are looking forward to the rest of the fall season and the upcoming spring season. The team will begin again in late February or early March, and they have high expectations.

“We are excited to be Marquette Lacrosse again,” commented White, who explained that last spring they played on a team called the Trombones, which was not affiliated with the school. “It’s nice to put on a jersey that means something.”

They also expressed gratitude toward the loyal fans of the team. Earlier this fall, the club hosted a parents’ weekend, which included two home games. They gave away 100 free t-shirts that sported a Marquette Lacrosse logo. “We are appreciative of the fans,” said Hunt. “It’s been a long, hard road, and we’re proud of the team.”

The Marquette men’s lacrosse team has been inspiring so far this season, and can be expected to continue improving. Coming back from a devastating controversy, they managed to turn around the entire club with the support of fans and the hard work of each player in a single year. It’s only fair to say that they have earned back the trust of the parents, faculty and the fans. We can all look forward to an amazing spring season.

Popularity: 15% [?]

Less than a year after being stripped of club sport status, the Marquette lacrosse team has impressively turned the wheel of fortune back in their favor. Thanks to back-to-back exciting home wins in September, the club managed to waste no time regaining the respect of the university community.After beating St. Norbert College and Loyola University-Chicago at Valley Fields, the excitement among players and fans alike finally began to return. According to the lacrosse club’s president, Ben White, “the fan turnout [that] weekend shows that Marquette isn’t focusing on any past negative actions this club has experienced.”

Promising freshmen, including Mike Condon, responsible for the game-winning score in overtime against Loyola, have also helped the image of the once-beleaguered club. White agreed, saying that “the returning guys are incredibly excited for our large freshman class; they have a lot of potential.”

The club’s determination off the field has been equally admirable to their success upon it. Practices, usually three days of on-field, fully-padded scrimmages and drill sets, keep the team in competitive form while their once-weekly classroom sessions hone various technical skills. Perhaps even more impressive was the team’s decision to organize a hazing-prevention meeting. On Sept. 20th, the team hosted such a conference to inform and steer Marquette’s other club sports teams – from baseball to ultimate frisbee – clear of the consequences of hazing.

Popularity: 10% [?]

The Warrior sat down for a one-on-one interview with Jessica Kieser, a sophomore majoring in Exercise Science and Physical Therapy and defensive specialist on the women’s volleyball team.

What does the job of a defensive specialist entail? Basically, I spend a lot of time on the back row passing and digging. Digging means I pass the ball from the spike.

What is the best thing about volleyball? The best thing about volleyball is the teammates and the friendships you make with them throughout the season.

What are kills? Kills are when the hitter spikes the ball and it can’t be returned.

What’s your favorite team to play? Louisville. They’re a real big rival. Sunday we played them on ESPNU.

What’s the toughest thing about practice? Running boards. It’s like suicides but we push a board across the floor to the ten foot line and back.

What is the one thing you do before a game? The team sings before a game. It’s a special team song.

Who’s the funniest person on the team? Terri Angst because of her vocabulary and the quotes she has.

What’s the best way to psych out your opponent? You really can’t do a lot of trash talk during the game, but you can stare down a person from across the net and give that person a nasty glare or look.

What are your thoughts on spandex? It’s actually comfortable except wearing them for a long time. But it brings fans. Some guys come to the game just to watch the girls, but once they are there they really get into the game and start cheering.

What’s your worst team moment? Personally, I had to do a lot of “freshmen jobs” last year. I had to carry a case two times the size of my body when traveling. Otherwise my worst embarrassing moment has to be whenever I get hit in the face with a ball.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Sophomore Michael Van Sickle’s resume already includes the second-best scoring average for a freshman in school history. Junior Ted Gray holds sole-possession of the school’s single season stroke average record. In order to achieve a successful follow-up of one of the most successful seasons in team history in which they finished third in the Big East Conference tournament, the Marquette men’s golf team needs these two players at top form, as they are the only returnees from that squad.

Just as important as the two leaders of the team, however, is the play of the less experienced golfers such as red-shirt junior Michael Bielawski and sophomore returnees Dustin Schwab and Chris Streff. If these players are ready to contribute, it will bolster a squad looking for the depth that is so vital in a team-style format.

The team got a chance to see this depth in action Sept. 9 and 10, when they participated in the 2006 Central Regional Preview at The Plantation at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill. The tournament was hosted by Northern Illinois University and included 12 teams from all over the Midwest including Indiana University, Kansas University, the University of Michigan and the University of Missouri, of which the 2006 U.S. Amateur Champion, John Kelly, is a member.

Although Marquette was in fourth place after two rounds at the tournament, they fell two spots after the final day to finish right in the middle of the pack in sixth place. A definite bright spot for the Golden Eagles was Mike Van Sickle, who placed 10th with a 10-over 226, only five strokes behind tournament winners Derek Fathauer of Louisville and Colt Knost of Southern Methodist University. Marquette’s Gray also performed well, shooting a 14-over 230, good for a 19th place finish.

Another great effort was put in by freshman Mike McDonald and junior Mike Bielawski, who tied for 34th place each at 21-over. McDonald made a huge charge in the last half of the tournament, chewing up 18 places over his final two rounds. Overall, Bielawski thought the team could have performed a little better in the opening tournament of the year.

“The team performance fell a bit short of what we wanted. A top 2 or 3 there would have been a good finish. Instead, we finished 6th,” Bielawski said.

However, Bielawski offered some praise for the Van Sickle’s 10th place effort in a loaded field.

“Van Sickle played very well, taking 10th. Anytime one of us finishes in the top 10, it’s a good showing.” Bielawski said. The Marquette squad improved when they participated in the McLaughlin Tournament on Sept. 22 and 23 in Farmingdale, N.Y.

During the tournament, Bielawski shot a final round 68 to take second place in the tournament. Bielawski finished two back of the winner who shot a 6 under (204). Sophomore Dustin Schwab also shot a 68 in the final round. He and Van Sickle tied for 12th place overall and helped the Marquette team finish third behind Akron and St. Johns.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Cincinnati
Jessica Elley, sophomore, earned BIG EAST player of the week honors on September 4. Elley leads the team in both kills and digs. The Bearcats travel to Marquette on Sept. 22 after losing 3-0 to the Golden Eagles last season.

Connecticut
The Huskies beat up on Gonzaga, Portland State and Gardner-Webb to win the Gonzaga Volleyball Classic on Sept. 2. Connecticut is the last remaining undefeated team in the BIG EAST. Sarah Singer, Waukesha, Wis., native, leads all returning players with 246 kills last season.

DePaul
The Blue Demons lost to five teams in-state (Loyala-Chicago, Illinois-Chicago, Illinois State, Western Illinois and Eastern Illinois) and are picked to finish last in conference by BIG EAST coaches. On the bright side, DePaul can boast a team grade-point average of better than 3.30 last season.

Georgetown
The Hoyas already accomplished something they failed to do all of last season: win at home. Georgetown was 0-11 at home in 2005-06. On a Midwest note: Caitlin Boland, Naperville, Ill., native, recorded a career-high 56 assists against UW-Milwaukee last year.

Louisville
The Cardinals went 31-3 last season but lost to Jacksonville State to start this season. Ana Stewart, outside hitter, was this year’s preseason conference player of the year. Jana Matiasovska, the tallest player in the BIG EAST at 6’6”, hopes to complete a 16,300-piece puzzle some day, according to the team Web site.

Marquette
The Golden Eagles enter the year with two preseason all-conference selections in Jamie Mueller and Kimberley Todd. Mueller broke the Marquette record for digs with 41 on Sept. 8. The team is predicted to finish sixth in the BIG EAST, according to preseason polls.

Notre Dame
The Irish own an 8-0 lifetime record against Marquette. If you do not like Notre Dame, take solace in their four early season losses. Either way, Old Notre Dame was the preseason favorite to “win over all” and repeat as conference champions.

Pittsburgh
The Panthers started the season 8-0 before losing to No. 12 Tennessee on Sept. 8. Head coach Chris Beerman leads the nation with the most appropriate college surname. Outside hitter Diana Andreyko leads the team as a unanimous preseason all-conference selection.

Providence
The Friars are independent from the BIG EAST in women’s volleyball.

Rutgers
The Scarlet Knights have but one NCAA Tournament appearance in 1982. Rutgers can claim one thing that no other team can…sophomore Roxy Calder. Where else would a woman with that name really live but in Oceanside, Calif.?

St. John’s
Hui Ping Huang, from The People’s Republic of China, leads the Red Storm after a tremendous freshman season. Not so fun fact: The plane carrying the Marquette women’s volleyball team nearly crashed while landing in New York last season.

Seton Hall
What can we say about Seton Hall that has not already been said? The Pirates are picked to finish 14th in conference, and are also the home of Dick Vitale’s undergraduate degree.

South Florida
The Bulls had one conference win last year, and it was against Georgetown. Juliana Bittar Ripper Nogueira is the full name of USF’s senior setter. Freshman Alli Arbogast is from Marquette High School in Missouri.

Syracuse
Head coach Jing Pu has successfully led the Orange for eleven seasons. Syracuse won a school record of eleven conference games in 2005-06, but lost their program’s first All-American, Kelly Duan, to graduation. Duan joined the Orange coaching staff as graduate assistant this season.

Villanova
The Wildcats feature senior middle blocker Adrian Semrau. She is 6’4” and an economics major. Last year, Villanova had a 6-1 record in Sunday games and 15-10 on any other day. The Vatican should wonder how a Catholic university excels on the day of rest.

West Virginia
Head coach Veronica Hammersmith enters her 32nd season leading the Mountaineers. Kailee Goold, junior setter, controls the offense after starting every match last season. Nicole Jones, freshman setter, is native to Racine, Wis.

Popularity: 6% [?]

In the school year of 2003-2004, the Marquette University club rugby team had 35 members and not a single coach.

In the fall of this academic school year, Marquette University’s club rugby team celebrated its 30 year anniversary. The now 35 player team is anxious to continue its growth and progress. The highlight of this season was the team’s third place finish at the Mardi Gras Tournament in St. Louis. Next year they will have four coaches as well as eight returning seniors to lead the team.

“Hopefully for next season (next fall) we will have solid numbers at practice every day and we can make a run in the Wisconsin playoffs,” commented Tom Collins, a co-captain and junior in the College of Business Administration.

The team will have its work cut out for them due to the fact that they compete in one of the more competitive conferences in the Midwest.

“There are no easy games in the state of Wisconsin. We are a young team and need our younger guys to step up in the fall”, commented Ryan Hunter, co-captain and junior in the College of Communications.
With these goals in mind, the Marquette Rugby team has just purchased a new scrum set, similar to the equipment that football teams use to practice hitting. They owe the ability to invest in such equipment to the fundraising they did earlier this year. They’re working on similar opportunities that will insure future development.

“The improvement of our rookies this semester along with the new equipment we’ve purchased has raised the bar for the fall season,” said Drew McMillin, president of the Marquette rugby team and junior in the College of Arts and Sciences.
The team plays six to eight games each fall and spring season with roughly three home games hosted at King Field, located half a block north of 17th and Highland. In order to maintain high intensity during these games the team practices for a total of seven hours a week. This rigorous practice schedule is essential for such a complex game that many associate it with discipline, a strong work ethic and a tendency to be violent.

McMillin added, “with the talent of our players and the expertise of our coaches, we have the ability to win state next semester.”

New players are always welcome and are encouraged to show up at any of their practices. Mandatory practices are on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The next home game for the Marquette Rugby squad will be August 26th, 2006 at 1:00pm at King Field. They always appreciative of their fan base, and welcome any new spectators.

After all the hard work the current members have invested, they hope to see it pay off in the fall. As stated by Collins, “this will be the last year for a lot of guys and I know I want to go out on top and bring a good name to the club and school.”

Popularity: 15% [?]

The Warrior recently sat down with Pat Winters, first year starting right guard of the Marquette club football team. The team will take on the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers, its Milwaukee rivals, in the Brew City Classic October 14. Did any players on Marquette’s team not play in high school?
Most of the kids that play on the team played in high school and haven’t lost their love of the game. There are some first timers that are coming along very well.

How is playing at the club level?
We play more or less for fun, but we are still very serious. We want to win. The coach’s name is Mike “Red” Maloney, but players also do a lot of running the team.

What are practices like?
Practices are Wednesday through Friday and some on Saturday. A lot of it is individual work by position.

As a right guard, do you worry about holding or ever catch yourself holding?
There is holding on every play. You have to do anything to outsmart or out-maneuver your opponent. It’s a great sport where you can assault someone. There is combat on every play. It’s one-on-one so the best man wins.

What do you say to people who say “it’s just club football?”
It’s not “just club football.” We play against programs that have players on scholarships. This is serious football and we want to win.

What is your favorite thing to do before a game?
In high school I had a whole routine. Now I listen to a lot of Metallica and Eminem. Right before the game begins, I listen to Al Paccino’s Any Given Sunday speech.

If someone is interested in playing, but needs some encouragement, what do you say?
Come out for the team! We are always looking for new people. Every game we are out numbered. If you have played before that’s great, but players that are new to the game are also great.

Popularity: 11% [?]

When John F. McCormick S.J., spoke at a celebratory event at Marquette in 1929, he said “the football team is a rallying point for the sentiment that centers around any college.”This statement might evoke a pang of jealousy that we can’t rally around a Division 1 football team on Saturday afternoons. But that wasn’t the case for Marquette students in the late 1800s.

Marquette University’s football program was created in 1892, 11 years after the university’s founding in 1881. In the inaugural season, the team played only three games, losing to Milwaukee High School twice and defeating St. Ignatius College of Chicago in a 10-0 shutout.

But the early stages of the team were not as lackluster as most brand-new programs, as the team went 10-4 in the first four seasons. The team defeated other small programs at Concordia College and Carroll College.

In the first decade of the 20th century, however, the program really began to take flight. Between 1901 and 1903, Marquette’s record was 16-2-2, and in 1904 the rivalry in basketball that students cherish today between Marquette and the University of Wisconsin began on the gridiron, resulting in a 33-0 Badger victory.

In 1905, Marquette hired its first paid coach, John Ford, who went 2-3-1 that year, defeating Beloit College and Lake Forest while taking a 30-5 loss from Northwestern University.

As the program progressed, so did the quality of competition for Marquette. The team continued its match-up with the University of Wisconsin, but lost each of the first seven competitions, including an 85-0 massacre in 1915.

However, in 1909, Marquette performed well against the two all-time leaders in winning percentage in college football history: University of Michigan and University of Notre Dame. Michigan barely pulled out a 6-5 victory, while Marquette held Notre Dame to a scoreless draw under head coach William Juneau. In all, Marquette faced Notre Dame six times in the early 1900s, going 0-3-3 against the legendary program.

In perhaps the most successful season in its football history, Marquette went 7-1 in the 1936 regular season, earning them a bid to the first ever Cotton Bowl. That year the Golden Avalanche took down powerhouses of college football including a 33-7 victory over Mississippi, and 13-7 and 12-6 wins over Michigan State and Wisconsin. Despite the 16-6 loss to Texas Christian University in the Cotton Bowl, quarterback and captain Ray Buivid finished third in the Heisman trophy voting to Larry Kelley, a defensive end out of Yale. Buivid later played two seasons for the Chicago Bears.

Coach Frank Murray was also an integral member of that team, as well as a staple in Marquette’s sporting history.

With an all-time record of 90-32-6, Murray is the coach who brought in the most wins. He led the team to three undefeated seasons in 1922, 1923 and 1930, and was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1993. Murray also displayed his wide array of coaching ability by leading the Marquette basketball team to a 94-73 record in his years as head coach in 1920 through 1929.

Marquette football has also had its fair share of great players as well, the most famous being George Andrie.

After playing three years at Marquette and not being able to participate in his senior year because of the cancellation of the program, Andrie was selected in the 6th round of the NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys. The 6’ 6,” 250-pound DE instantly became a star with the team, joining with DT Bob Lilly to create the original Dallas Doomsday defense.

In his career, Andrie was a member of the Super Bowl VI champion Cowboys, and also played in the 1967 NFL Championship loss to the Green Bay Packers nicknamed the “Ice Bowl,” in which he recovered a fumble for a touchdown. In all, Andrie played in five Pro Bowls, earning four starts, and was Pro Bowl co-MVP in 1970 along with Chicago Bears Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers.

Aside from Andrie, more than 70 Marquette football players played professionally, including numerous members of AFL and NFL Championship games.

Out of this number, four Marquette players have been inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame. Lavern Dilweg was a stifling defensive end for Marquette in the early 1920s, and at 6’ 3” was one of the most intimidating members of the team. In his playing days at Marquette, Dilweg was a two-time Walter Eckersall All-American, and later went on to win three NFL Championships with the Green Bay Packers along with fellow Marquette players Joseph “Red” Dunn and Howie “Whitey” Woodin. Dilweg also showed off his talents away from the playing field, as he earned a law degree from Marquette and was elected as a Democrat to the 78th Congress.

Marquette University’s football program racked up 36 winning seasons in its history, nine of which the team went undefeated. But Dec. 8, 1960, after only 10 wins in the previous six seasons and creating debt for the school, the program was cancelled by the school despite incredible student opposition. Although students may never see Division 1 football again at Marquette, the stories and legends that have passed through this campus can at least offer us a glimpse of what it was like.

Popularity: 12% [?]