As University of Utah students we are so lucky to boast amazing sports teams that are in leagues that are competitive and prestigious like Pac 12 and NCAA Division I. I mean, I couldn’t be the only one who just watched the ASU game last weekend?!? In addition to our competitive Varsity athletic teams though, we also have 15 (that’s right 15) club sports teams that deserve some more love and support!
In case you are unaware of what a University Club Sport team is, think of it as a level in between intramural and a varsity sport. Many of the teams travel, hold national titles, some even have tryouts to practice and compete with the team (don’t let that scare you off though, many do not hold tryouts and are welcoming to everyone). Club Sports are great way for High School athletes who didn’t want it to be 100% of their life to still compete and get the opportunity to be on a team in college. Here is a little bit more about just a couple of our super star Club Teams.
Lacrosse
We have both a men’s and a women’s club team and they are both extremely talented. Both the teams play at home and out of the state so make sure to catch a game! Lacrosse is super fun to watch. The University of Utah men’s team is often held as one of the top 25 programs in the nation and the women’s team holds 2nd place nationally in WCLA Division II. These teams are super fun and welcoming and great support systems for many of our Utes.
Rugby
Our men’s club rugby team has been around at the University of Utah since 1970’s; you could say it’s a tradition! Since 2002, they have repetitively been in the final four in the National Championship and every year but one been in the elite eight. This last season they won fourth nationally and this year they are aiming for even better! With ‘watching experience’, I can say that our Utes always do better with a loud student section behind them so make sure to go give them some love.
Swimming
The U of U Swim team is co-ed and is full of extremely hard workers. This team is student run and super tight knit! They compete all over the country about once every month. They are open to any college student regardless of experience! All you have to be able to do is give it your all and try to attend the practices 6 days a week that are non-mandatory, but highly encouraged. In addition to the co-ed swimming team there is also a men and women’s water polo team if you like the water but want to make it more of a contact sport.
Boxing
A newer team to the Club Sport world, the University of Utah’s boxing team was started in 2014 and holds as the 7th Pac 12 team to join the National Collegiate Boxing Association. They practice a couple times a week (including early morning practices for you busy collegiettes) and are open to men and women! They encourage students to come, learn and try it out- we can assure you that it is a great workout!
Hockey
The University of Utah Men’s Hockey team finished #6 nationally which is honestly so incredible considering they only require their men two practices a week. As an experienced athlete I can assure you that these men must be very committed and self-motivated to do so well with so little practice time together! The hockey team has about 35 games a season, many at home (go watch them kick butt!). They have a super involved coaching staff and a great support system. This program includes all year training.
We hope you enjoyed learning a little bit more about our club sports! These are just a few, however, and we encourage you to go check out their websites for more information on getting involved, the other teams, and for their home game schedules: http://campusrec.utah.edu/programs/sports-clubs/