The Colorado State University Men's Lacrosse program is an associate of the United States Lacrosse Intercollegiate Association. Colorado State is the 1999 and 2001 national USLIA champion. Within this national organization there are now 10 leagues and almost 140 teams. the Ram's compete in the 12 team Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Lacrosse League. League foes Brigham Young University and in state rival the University of Colorado make this league a tough one to compete in.
Traveling to other states gives the Rams opportunity to gain national exposure. In the fall of '99, CSU went to tournaments in Utah and Las Vegas. Over spring break in March 2000, state traveled to California for the third straight year, and each time played 4 opponents that were all ranked in the USLIA top 25 preseason poll.
In 2001 and 2002 trips to Michigan and California were part of the schedule, and the trip to Las Vegas in October has become an annual event that everyone looks forward to. In 2002, CSU is the RMILL Champion and lost the final in St. Louis, preventing back to back national championships, and what could have been 3 USLIA championships, in only 4 years.
In 2003, Michigan and defending champion Sonoma State will travel to Ft. Collins, as will the University of Oregon. Spring break 2003 will be spent in Florida with games vs. FSU and Virginia Tech already on the slate. The Rams hope to punctuate the season in May, 2003 with a sixth consecutive trip to St. Louis.
The road trips are becoming almost like tournaments. For example, in two trips to Michigan over the last two years, CSU has played Michigan, Sonoma, Texas, Texas A&M, and SUNY Buffalo, all in Ann Arbor.
In 2002 we played BYU in the CSU football stadium, and drew some 3000 fans. This is believed to be the largest crowd in USLIA history. It was a very exciting day. The sound and the spectacle of it all was more than impressive.
Under the direction of Bill Hill, Club Sports Coordinator, the Ram's team has fantastic support. As a "virtual varsity" program, the lacrosse team actually depends upon traveling to other parts of the country to defend their high ranking in this highly competitive sport. The people inside the Club Sports office have recognized this as a major concern and supply the team with whatever is possible. This past season, supplemental funding was increased for the team due to the high cost of competition, specifically the national tournament trip to St. Louis.
The Ram's roster in the 1999 season contained 30 out of 35 members from the state of Colorado. Most players were from the state of Colorado. Most players were from the greater Denver metropolitan area. Players from all geographic regions have brought their lacrosse skills to Colorado State University. New York, Massachusetts, Utah, Illinois and Michigan are just a few states that have produced players for the Ram's. In 2003 the players still come mostly from Colorado, but the team includes many more out of state players now. Players must pay dues or raise money to cover their costs, which include travel, officials, etc.
The players pay dues to the club to help it function as a successful organization. We had our first CSU High Altitude Lacrosse camp in the summer of 2002, and it was a huge success. This will help the program immensely.
Parking cars at athletic events, an annual sponsorship poster and team apparel are just some of the fundraising endeavors that the team is involved with to generate funds for the program. While the team has some support from the school, outside donations are crucial to keep the program running. High travel costs make fundraising a must for the team. Tax free donations are accepted and encouraged. For more information on how you can help call Bill Hill at (970) 491-2116.
Colorado State University is located in Fort Collins, Colorado, 65 miles north of Denver at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Skiing, fishing, mountain biking and camping are nearby in this camping are nearby in this beautiful state. Eight colleges broken down into 56 departments of more than 100 academic programs make up the campus located in the heart of "Fort Fun."
Coach Naumburg approaches his 7th year as head coach at C.S.U. During his 6 years at Colorado State, Naumburg's record is 96-22. Owner of Rock-it Pocket and well established in the lacrosse community, Naumburg is Director of the annual Vail Lacrosse Shootout, the biggest lacrosse tournament in the world . As a coach, he has harnessed all of the lacrosse experience he has gained throughout the years and put together the best C.S.U. Team in history. National Coach of the Year Honors were bestowed upon a much deserving Naumburg concluding the 1999 season.
Flip Naumburg Phone: (970) 377 1390 Email: flip@rock-itpocket.com
Bill Hill, Club Sports Coordinator Phone: (970) 491-2116 Email: wmhill@lamar.colostate.edu