KNOXVILLE, Tenn.–The University of Tennessee men’s lacrosse club has named seniors Jack Cleary, Patrick Kerley, Chris Bates and Luis Aloma as its captains for the 2009-2010 season.

The Volunteers will look to the captains for leadership in the upcoming season. The season includes games against perennial powers Florida State, Lindenwood, Virginia Tech and Texas A&M on top of the always tough divisional opponents in the Southestern Lacrosse Conference (SELC). The season officially begins Feb. 12 against Clemson University on the TRECS Intramural Field at the University of Tennessee. 

“It is with great pride that we announce the 2009-2010 captains of Tennessee lacrosse,” said Tennessee head coach Matt Synowiez. “These four men bring a great deal of leadership to our team on and off the field, and I am not surprised these four individuals were chosen by their peers to be their leaders this season,” Synowiez said.

Cleary, an attackman from Franklin, Tenn., has been named captain for the second straight year. He was named SELC honorable mention all-conference at attack last season and will be looked to anchor the attack again this year.

“Jack has competed against our opponent’s best defenseman every game for the last three years,” said Synowiez. “He hasn’t always been our leading scorer, but he always makes the right decision and is without a doubt our on-field general in the offense. His presence makes everyone else on the field better.”

Kerley, a defenseman from Madison, Miss. who attended Battle Ground Academy in Brentwood, Tenn., has also been named captain for the second year. Kerley, a 6’ 5” athlete, covers a great deal of ground on the field. Kerley had never played lacrosse before he came to the University of Tennessee and has come a very long way in a short amount of time. His length, quickness and calming demeanor have made him a natural leader since he joined the lacrosse program and being selected as a captain two years in a row is certainly an example of that. Kerley played high level basketball growing up and had a very high defensive IQ the day he picked up a lacrosse stick.

Bates, a long stick midfielder from Knoxville, has been the hardest working player in the University of Tennessee lacrosse program since the day he joined us as a freshman. He has all day energy and has never complained a single day he has been on the team. He is the embodiment of being a hard-nosed, tough lacrosse player and has always played much bigger than his 5’ 10”, 160 lb. frame. Bates is extremely quick and can run with anyone in the MCLA. The Volunteers will lean on him one more season to be the anchor of their defensive midfield unit.

Aloma, a defenseman from Rochester, N.Y., has been a three-year starter for the Volunteers alongside Kerley on the defensive unit. He has a tremendous handle on the game of lacrosse and is UT’s most vocal leader on the defense. Aloma knows where everyone is supposed to be and makes the entire defensive unit better with his presence. He is another hard-nosed player that has taken on whatever challenge the team has asked him to overcome.

“I have greatly enjoyed watching these boys develop into the players, and more importantly, the men they are today. We have greatly improved on the field as a lacrosse program over the last five years, but more important to the coaching staff is that we have helped develop leaders that will excel in their future lives after lacrosse is over,” said Synowiez.

The Volunteers open up the season against visiting Clemson University Feb. 12 at 8:00 p.m.

The first practice of the 2010 spring season will be on Thursday night January 14th starting at 6PM on the TRECS Intramural Field.  Goalies and Face-off players must be dressed and at the field at 5:45 PM.  If you are interested in coming out for the lacrosse team please send an email to volslax@utk.edu before the 14th so the team can have you complete the necessary paperwork. 

For Immediate Release – University of Tennessee Lacrosse

Knoxville, TN (October 23, 2009) - The University of Tennessee men’s lacrosse Head Coach Matt Synowiez and Team President Jack Cleary are pleased to announce the Volunteer’s 17-game 2010 regular season schedule.  The Volunteers 2010 season includes three teams that finished in the top 15 in the 2009 MCLA Top 23 poll.  This is the most challenging schedule the Volunteers have undertaken in the last 6 years and includes games against the Florida State Seminoles, Lindenwood Lions, Virginia Tech Hokies, NCAA Division II Mars Hill College and NCAA Division III Sewanee College.  The schedule also includes five out of conference opponents.  Coach Synowiez, and Assistant Coaches Chris Kelley, Mike Vitulano, and Chris Hurley are excited about the talent and motivation of the 2009-2010 team and look forward to seeing the Vols compete on the field.  

On Sunday, January 31^st the Volunteers will take on Middle Tennessee State University as we continue to help this young program grow and stabilize so they can achieve their goal of joining the SELC / MCLA in 2010-2011. 

The following weekend will continue our traditional spring game against the excellent NCAA Division II Mars Hill College team followed by a game against NCAA Division III Sewanee College the same afternoon.  It will be a great early test to make sure the Vols are ready for the following weekend.

UT has two huge games in Knoxville the following weekend.  Tennessee has their first Divisional game of the spring against the Clemson Tigers on Friday night February 12^th in a night game under the lights.  The Volunteers will then battle Divisional opponent University of Kentucky on Sunday February 14^th.  Tennessee has an opportunity to lock up its spot in the SELC Tournament if they can sweep this important weekend. 

The following weekend has the Volunteers on the road traveling south to take on the Auburn Tigers in a Friday night game on February 19^th.  Tennessee is then looking forward to our first out of conference game of the year on Saturday February 20^th against visiting Eastern Michigan being played at Auburn University. 

Back in Knoxville, Tennessee is looking forward to the visiting Georgia Bulldogs for a key SEC rival game on Friday night February 26^th under the lights.  On Saturday February 27^th, the Volunteers will be matching up against Indiana University in our second out of conference game of the spring. 

The Volunteers take their show on the road the next weekend traveling to Memphis to host Lindenwood University, Texas A&M University, and Illinois State at the beautiful facilities at Memphis University School.  Tennessee will take on the always tough Lindenwood Lions (ranked 10^th in 2009 final MCLA poll) on Friday night March 5^th under the lights at MUS.  The Volunteers compete against Illinois State on Saturday march 6^th, followed up by a very good Texas A&M team on Sunday March 7^th before the end of the weekend.  These three challenging games give the Volunteers an opportunity to simulate three games in three days like the SELC Tournament requires.  After this stretch of games Tennessee gets a much needed break as the team is off from competition for 13 days while they enjoy spring break. 

Tennessee returns to competition back in Knoxville for our final Divisional home game against in state rival Vanderbilt University on Saturday March 20^th. 

The next weekend has the always tough Florida State Seminoles (ranked 7^th in 2009 final MCLA poll) and Virginia Tech Hokies (ranked 13^th in 2009 final MCLA poll) rolling into Knoxville for a weekend of games.  Tennessee will match up with Virginia Tech on Friday night March 26th for the first game between the two teams in over 5 years.  The Volunteers are hosting a great match-up between Virginia Tech and Florida State on Saturday afternoon march 27th at UT’s field turf facility.  Sunday March 28th has the Vols returning to the field against Florida State to complete a great weekend of lacrosse in Knoxville.

April is a lighter month for the Volunteers as they match up with SELC rival Georgia Tech on Friday night April 9^th in Knoxville, and the Vols will be hosting a great game between georgia Tech and NC State on Saturday.  The weekend culminates on Sunday with Tennessee taking on NC State.  The Vols complete their regular season on Tuesday night April 20^th against MCLA Division II opponent Tennessee Wesleyan College right before the SELC Tournament scheduled for Friday April 23^rd through Sunday April 25^th. 

Tennessee is coming off of its best season in 8 years with its 9-4 record in 2009.  The Volunteers have been steadily improving over the last few years as they work their way back to being an elite program within the MCLA.  The team wanted to reach out and schedule more top ranked teams than they have in the past and feel this season’s schedule fulfilled that goal.  The team is also proud of having 5 out of conference opponents on the schedule so we can measure our progress against other teams around the country.  The Vols are excited about the young team they have returning and look forward to seeing them in action in 2010. 

2010 University of Tennessee Lacrosse Schedule

January 31^st – vs. Middle Tennessee State University (Independent)

February 6^th - vs. Mars Hill College (NCAA Division II)

February 6th - vs. Sewanee College (NCAA Division III)

February 12^th – vs. Clemson University *

February 14^th – vs. University of Kentucky *

February 19^th - @ Auburn University

February 20^th – E. Michigan (at Auburn University) ^

February 26^th – vs. University of Georgia

February 27^th – vs. Indiana University ^

March 5^th – vs. Lindenwood University ^ (at Memphis University School, Memphis, TN)

March 6^th – vs. Illinois State University ^ (at Memphis University School, Memphis, TN)

March 7^th – vs. Texas A&M University ^ (at Memphis University School, Memphis, TN)  

March 20^th – vs. Vanderbilt University *

March 26^th – vs. Virginia Tech University

March 28^th – vs. Florida State University

April 9^th – vs. Georgia Tech #

April 11^th – vs. NC State University #

April 20^th – @ Tennessee Wesleyan College (MCLA Div. II)

April 23^rd-25^th – SELC Tournament, Atlanta, GA

May 11-15^th – MCLA National Championship at Dick Sporting Good’s Park, Denver, CO

* Divisional Game

^ Out of Conference Game

# Parents / Senior Day

The University of Tennessee Lacrosse Club is hosting the first annual Volunteer Fall Ball Invitational this Saturday October 24th.  The Volunteers are hosting the University of Kentucky and Tennessee Wesleyan College in a 3 team round robin play day.  The games will be regulation length. The Vols are looking to replace some key graduates from last season's 9-4 team (Chris White and Justin Estrada).  Tennessee has attracted another talented class of over 20 new players interested in joining the squad and this weekend will provide a great chance to see them on the field against regular season competition.  The schedule for the day is as follows:

10:30 AM-12:30 PM - University of Tennessee vs Tennessee Wesleyan College

1:00-3:00 - University of Tennessee vs University of Kentucky

3:30 - 5:30 - University of Kentucky vs Tennessee Wesleyan College

The games will be at the TREC Intramural field located at 2111 Volunteer Blvd, Knoxville, TN. 

Grab your lawn chair and come out to enjoy some great Fall lacrosse games and cheer on the Volunteers. 

The University of Tennessee Men's Lacrosse Club would like to give a special thank you to all the alumni and friends that made it out for the Alumni Game on Friday October 9th.  The youngsters raced out to a 3-0 1st quarter lead before the alumni answered the call and made it 3-1 at the end of the 1st quarter.  The action was back and forth in a driving rain storm for the 1st half of the 2nd quarter until lighting and a tornado warning forced the game to be cancelled.  The score was 6-3 with the youngsters leading at that point and the alumni had a great squad put together.  It was unfortunate about the weather but the entire team is appreciative for the alumni that were able to make the trip to Knoxville. 

We hope that all the alumni plus those that couldn't make it will put it on their calendars for next Fall.  We are entertaining tying the game in with a Fall Ball game against a real opponent, which the alums could watch, and then the Alumni game would be scheduled directly afterwards for a fun double header.  If any alumni have suggestions on what we can do to make the event better please don't hesitate to let the officers and coaches know.  Please also look us up on facebook under the group University of Tennessee Lacrosse. 

Thanks again and Go Vols!

Next up the Univ of Tennessee Lacrosse Club is welcoming at least 24 alumni back for the annual Alumni Game this Friday night at 7:30 pm on the TRECS Turf field. A post game celebration has been arranged at Tin Roof on Cumberland Ave. 21+ only event for alumni and current players old enough. A full team cookout has been arranged for Saturday afternoon before the Univ of Tennessee vs Univ of Georgia football game.    

The University of Tennessee lacrosse club would like to thank the Sewanee College Men's Lacrosse team and Head Coach Marty Waters for hosting us for our first scrimmage of the Fall on Sunday afternoon October 4th. We would also like to congratulate Univ of Tennessee alumni and just announced Assistant Coach of Sewanee College Joe Wilson.  We are very proud of Joe and wish he, Coach Waters and the entire Sewanee Lacrosse team the best in the upcoming season.

Both teams were able to work very far into their benches to get a feel for the depth of talent on their prospective rosters.  In the end Sewanee was victorious on the day, but more important than the score was the opportunity to work on new offenses and defenses in a game speed situation. The scrimmage was very productive for both clubs as they begin the process of putting their teams together for the upcoming spring season. Sewanee looked quite talented and we look forward to watching their progress as they improve on the 4-10 season from last year.

The first practice of the Fall is this Wednesday at 6:45 pm at South Doyle Middle School in the baseball outfield.  We will carpool from the TRECS parking lot to the field at 6:30 pm.  Anyone that has a vehicle and doesn't mind giving a few teammates a lift please bring it to TRECS at 6:30.  The field is ours starting at 7pm, so if another group is using it we will get dressed and stretch to the side so we can get going at 7pm.  Wil will practice at S. Doyle on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:45-9pm, and Sundays are full field scrimmages at Safety City field off of Concord from 11AM-12:45PM.  Concord is on the western edge of campus across from Neyland Dr. 

Your first dues installment is due by September 21st.  Please check your email for more details.