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12:00 PM
Lacrosse
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The University of Utah Athletics
Friday, February 1
Salt Lake City, UT
4:00 PM
University of Utah
vs
Vermont
Lacrosse Opens Inaugural Season Against Vermont
1/27/2019 8:00 AM | Lacrosse
SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah lacrosse team completes a two-year process transitioning from a club sport to an NCAA sport with its inaugural season in 2019, opening its season against Vermont on Friday, Feb. 1, in Rice-Eccles Stadium.
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Season and single game tickets are on sale now. We will be giving away interlocking U blankets to the first 300 fans as well as inaugural season patches, team posters and schedule magnets as well as hot chocolate vouchers (400).
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Food trucks will be parked on the concourse. Merchandise will be on sale. A live red-tailed hawk will be available. Fan activities include a face painter and balloon artist.
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Utah's clear bag policy will be in effect and lacrosse equipment will not be allowed. There is no charge for parking. Fans are welcome to tailgate in the lot on Guardsman Way.Â
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Arrive early to witness the ceremonial first goal.
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Leading the Utes is veteran coach Brian Holman in his first head coaching job. Holman has previously coached at and won NCAA titles with lacrosse powers Johns Hopkins and North Carolina.
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The team is young, with 32 freshmen on the roster and 36 total underclassmen of a 43-man roster. Five players transferred from four year schools while 19 players played on last year's club team.
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"I want to see us compete," Holman said of what he's looking for from the Utes in their first season. "We're going to be in situations where we're going to be outmatched. Can we still maintain our competitive edge in those situations? Are we going to be tough enough to fight through it? Do we fall back on our training and find a way out of it, or do we panic and show our immaturity? That's going to be our biggest challenge.
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"We want to get every person on this roster a little bit better every day, and do it together. That's what's going to allow us to win games. If we're doing that, and we can do that, it starts snowballing, rolling down the hill and gathering up a lot of energy, and the sky's the limit. I think these guys are ready. I have a lot of faith in this group right now. They've proven to me that we're all in."
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The Utes finished their club campaign on a high note, winning the 2018 Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Conference Championship and reaching the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association quarterfinals.
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Utah scrimmaged both UMBC and Marquette in the lead up to the first game.
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Vermont was selected to finish third in the America East preseason poll. The team went 12-4 overall and 4-2 in the conference last season and has 35 players returning from last year's squad. The Catamount and Ute coaches have several ties. Holman and Vermont head coach Chris Feifs were assistants together at North Carolina. Vermont assistant Jake Bernhardt won gold with Utah assistant Marcus Holman and Team USA at the 2018 FIL World Championship. They also won the 2017 MLL Championship together with the Ohio Machine. Bernhardt played last season with assistant coach Will Manny on the MLL's New York Lizards.
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Season and single game tickets are on sale now. We will be giving away interlocking U blankets to the first 300 fans as well as inaugural season patches, team posters and schedule magnets as well as hot chocolate vouchers (400).
Â
Food trucks will be parked on the concourse. Merchandise will be on sale. A live red-tailed hawk will be available. Fan activities include a face painter and balloon artist.
Â
Utah's clear bag policy will be in effect and lacrosse equipment will not be allowed. There is no charge for parking. Fans are welcome to tailgate in the lot on Guardsman Way.Â
Â
Arrive early to witness the ceremonial first goal.
Â
Leading the Utes is veteran coach Brian Holman in his first head coaching job. Holman has previously coached at and won NCAA titles with lacrosse powers Johns Hopkins and North Carolina.
Â
The team is young, with 32 freshmen on the roster and 36 total underclassmen of a 43-man roster. Five players transferred from four year schools while 19 players played on last year's club team.
Â
"I want to see us compete," Holman said of what he's looking for from the Utes in their first season. "We're going to be in situations where we're going to be outmatched. Can we still maintain our competitive edge in those situations? Are we going to be tough enough to fight through it? Do we fall back on our training and find a way out of it, or do we panic and show our immaturity? That's going to be our biggest challenge.
Â
"We want to get every person on this roster a little bit better every day, and do it together. That's what's going to allow us to win games. If we're doing that, and we can do that, it starts snowballing, rolling down the hill and gathering up a lot of energy, and the sky's the limit. I think these guys are ready. I have a lot of faith in this group right now. They've proven to me that we're all in."
Â
The Utes finished their club campaign on a high note, winning the 2018 Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Conference Championship and reaching the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association quarterfinals.
Â
Utah scrimmaged both UMBC and Marquette in the lead up to the first game.
Â
Vermont was selected to finish third in the America East preseason poll. The team went 12-4 overall and 4-2 in the conference last season and has 35 players returning from last year's squad. The Catamount and Ute coaches have several ties. Holman and Vermont head coach Chris Feifs were assistants together at North Carolina. Vermont assistant Jake Bernhardt won gold with Utah assistant Marcus Holman and Team USA at the 2018 FIL World Championship. They also won the 2017 MLL Championship together with the Ohio Machine. Bernhardt played last season with assistant coach Will Manny on the MLL's New York Lizards.
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