The St. Ambrose University Men’s Lacrosse team has certainly exceeded expectations for the 2022 – 2023 spring season. This year the team fought hard against competitive opponents, leading them to a conference championship. After the big win, the team traveled to the national tournament. SAU Men’s Lacrosse upholds one of the most prominent qualities in team sports: a victory is never for the individual, but for the entire group to share. 

Junior long-stick midfielder Trent Knight has been playing for SAU since his arrival at the university. As an upperclassman, Knight exemplifies what it means to be determined and hardworking. The conference championship game left a rewarding impression on Knight as well as the rest of the team.

“The biggest moment in my career at Ambrose was this year winning the conference championship against William Penn,” Knight said. “It’s a huge accomplishment the program has never seen before and something we will never forget.”

Sophomore face-off specialist Amari’ye Gardner emphasizes the importance of positive team chemistry and how it can change the dynamic of a team. As Gardner did not play in his freshman year, he represents what it means to have a passion for lacrosse. 

“I think our team’s chemistry is what got us to nationals!  This is probably the strongest bond I’ve had on a team ever,” Gardner said. “We all love each other and have each other’s backs! It’s definitely a brotherhood!”

With many changes being made during this season, some of the players have evaluated how they can elevate their mental skills as well as physical. As any student-athlete knows, playing a sport while going to college can be very stressful and hard to manage. With the team’s success, Knight emphasizes appreciation where it is due.

“This season has been my biggest season elevating my game and that has come with team bonding and pushing one another in practice,” Knight said.

As Gardner returned to lacrosse this past year, he acknowledged the hard work he would have to put forth in order to show positive results in his skills. While becoming comfortable with his teammates, he found a home with SAU lacrosse.

“Something I did to elevate my game this year was asking a lot of questions and trying my best to look at how the better guys played,” Gardner said. “With older guys like D Wit, Coach Dev, Coach Hunter, and more of my teammates giving me constructive criticism, I could pick apart my weaknesses little by little. Eventually, I could feel myself getting more confident in my ability.” 

With the season coming to a close, Knight and Gardner are both excited about what the next year will bring. Knowing that the team had great success in the 2022 – 2023 season, SAU Men’s Lacrosse has already begun preparing for the upcoming semesters. 

To find out more about SAU Men’s Lacrosse, you can locate the team’s past rosters and statistics on the SAU Athletics webpage.