In only its second year of as a club, the DePauw women's lacrosse team is ready to make the jump to the varsity leagues next spring. The school has contacted a coach and is in the process of negotiations for a contract.
The team remains optimistic, especially considering prospective students have already been recruited to play lacrosse next season.
Director of Athletics and Recreational Sports Stevie Baker-Watson credits the Office of Admissions in helping out the recruiting process.
"Admissions has done a good job contacting girls in lieu of a coach," Baker-Watson said. "Prospective students responded positively to the phone calls, even without a coach in place."
Katie Sherrill, a sophomore from Noblesville, IN, who played four years of lacrosse in high school, started the Women's Lacrosse Club last year. Originally, Sherrill did not plan on playing sports in college, but after arriving on DePauw's campus her freshman year, Sherrill changed her mind.
"I started the team because I missed playing," Sherrill said.
Baker-Watson said that having a club team in place before implementing a varsity team will help the transition.
Knubbe Kunz, a junior from Zionsville IN, is also a member of the club team. She recognizes the positive impact lacrosse can have on campus.
"Lacrosse is a great thing for DePauw to have. It brings in students," said Kunz, who also played four years of lacrosse in high school.
As part of its shift to a varsity sport, the team will join the NCAC for the 2012-2013 season. Being a part of the new conference can aid DePauw in recruiting. The team is guaranteed to play each team in the conference at least once and participate in the conference tournament, a selling point to potential members of the team.
In preparation for the jump to the varsity level, the team now practices five days a week instead of three. The team conditions on Monday and Friday, and practices on Tuesday through Thursday.
"I want it to be an easy transition from a club schedule to a varsity schedule," Sherrill said.
Lacrosse requires 12 players on the field at all times. Last year, Sherrill said it was a struggle to get girls to go to practice consistently three days a week.
"We were lucky if we got eight girls to go to practice," Sherrill said.
This semester the roster contains 23 players and the team has had little trouble getting bodies to practice. Kunz attributes this to the looming varsity status.
"Some girls don't want to be with beginners. Varsity is more tempting," Kunz said.
