As 2023 warms up, the Seawolves grow hungry. Sonoma State Men’s Lacrosse team is ready for a season of redemption. After a week of two-a-days(Two practices a day) and the beginning of official practice, the season opened up with a scrimmage against the Sacramento Brewer’s Men’s Lacrosse Club on Jan. 28 . The Seawolves won 15-9 with everyone from seniors to freshman stacking up goals. Thankfully, for the older guys on the club team, injuries were kept to a minimum aside from a pulled hamstring. By the end of the day, hands were shaken, laughs were had, and joint team photos were taken. 

As soon as you come toward the East side of SSU campus, you can hear echoing yelps, hoots, and hollers before you even see the team. Once you reach Beaujolais Field and see the boys in blue, you can feel how spirited the team is from hundreds of yards away. It is clear to see that helmets are strapped in, sticks are hot, and minds are focused when these athletes step onto the field.

Recently named team captains Casey Hoops and Michael Trujillo are both returning to the program, using the extra year of eligibility as a result of the halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hoops mentioned that for the current seniors, fifth-years, and even sixth-years, it is a dream to go and play out of state in the national tournament. They came back to make that happen for the program, to recreate what the 2002 National Championship Team was able to accomplish. Alongside the captains and one of the leading scorers in the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association returning for another year Kieran Fara, an incredibly strong freshman class joins the team this year. You can tell that with a heightened sense of morale and grit, confidence has been successfully instilled in each member of the team. 

When asked about what they expect to see from this season, the captains had so much to say. “We have nothing to lose and everything to prove this season, we are on nobody’s radar… and that is a good place to be,” said Trujillo.. The whole team seems to be excited to make a big shake in the MCLA rankings with an underdog mentality. 

On the Preseason Coach’s Poll located on the MCLA website, Sonoma State is currently unlisted. There is no doubt that this is quite the opposite of a discouraging factor for the SSU Men’s Lacrosse team. This fed the Seawolves’ hunger as they won their first game of their season 9-4 against Stanford this past Saturday. This was a redemption game for the team as last season the Seawolves lost to Stanford 13-9, and as these two teams have played each other since the 1980s, the rivalry grows stronger with each new year. 

“This is a big deal for us,” noted Head Coach Ben Hewitt when asked about his thoughts on playing Stanford before any other team. He and the rest of the coaching staff have come into this season wanting the team to reach its highest potential. After a hard fought battle, Sonoma State was victorious in the official first game of the 2023 lacrosse season.