Pitt has more to offer than basketball and football, and anyone can join in

Who says you have to be a superstar to play a sport at Pitt? Pitt has several sports that… Who says you have to be a superstar to play a sport at Pitt? Pitt has several sports that anyone can join. Club sports are an easy way for students to bypass the fact that they are not Division I football stars and play a competitive sport. Here’s a list of club sports that are a part of Pitt.

Men’s Hockey

Pitt’s Men’s Hockey program sponsors two teams. Both play seasons starting in September and ending in February.

Panthers I is the travel team, which plays a 30-game schedule against schools like Maryland, Penn State, IUP, John Carroll, West Virginia and Duquesne.

Panthers II is the regional team, playing most of its games against schools near the Pittsburgh area, such as Carnegie Mellon, Allegheny College, California University of Pennsylvania and Edinboro.

Both teams play their home games at the Airport Ice Arena, which is about 20 minutes from campus. Each year, the team holds open tryouts the week after Labor Day. More information can be found at the Web site, www.pitthockey.com, or by contacting their general manager, Andy Mecs, at amecs@pitthockey.com or (412) 716-3727.

Men’s Rugby

Under the direction of head coach Dan Talbert, the rugby team plays two different seasons, one in the fall and one in the spring. Practices for the fall begin in August and the schedule is competitive for the next two months, including teams such as West Virginia and Slippery Rock.

The team then plays a lighter schedule in the spring, opting to use it more as time to simply prepare for the fall season and work out any kinks. Practices are held on the Cathedral lawn or at the Cost Center, and home games are played at Frick Park, which is located just down Forbes Avenue.

Anyone interested in information regarding the rugby team or signing up to play can contact the team at football@pitt.edu.

Men’s Lacrosse

The Panther men’s lacrosse team is a member of the Central Collegiate Lacrosse Association and plays its home games at the Cost Center on campus. Their conference foes include such schools as Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue.

Led by head coach Robbie Heaps, the Panthers travel around in the fall and the spring. In the fall they play tournaments, and in the spring they play opponents in their conference.

If anyone is interested in information, the men’s lacrosse team can be contacted at Rkh.SDI@verizon.net or at their Web site, www.pitt.edu/~sorc/lacrosse.

Women’s Lacrosse

The women’s lacrosse team plays in the Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse League against Division I through III opponents. The team plays its home games at the Cost Center.

If anyone is interested in finding out more about the women’s lacrosse team, information can be found on their Web site, www.pitt.edu/~sorc/ladyplc, and questions can be sent to their e-mail address, ladyplc@pitt.edu.

Pitt Crew

Under their head coach, Daniel Grancea, both men and women’s crew will compete against schools in the Big East, the Big Ten and against teams from all over the Eastern United States.

The team rows in some of the biggest regattas in the nation, such as The Head of Ohio, which takes place in October. The team also travels to Philadelphia to take part in regattas. Philadelphia is considered one of the most storied rowing cities in the nation.

If anyone is interested in information on the Pitt Crew team, their Web site is www.pitt.edu/~crew/ and their e-mail address is granaceadan@juno.com.

Ultimate Frisbee

Pitt and Carnegie Mellon University try to remain as separated as possible, but only two things unite the two universities — huge parties and Ultimate Frisbee. The two schools form the men’s and women’s ultimate Frisbee club. Together they play other schools and compete in spring tournaments.

Players say it’s a good way to lose weight and have fun. More information is provided on their Web site, www.pitt.edu/~sorc/frisbee/index.html or by e-mailing them at Frisbee@pitt.edu.