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Field Space Availability Again Slows Down Vaqueros

Feb. 7, 2025

Santa Barbara, CA - It's back to the drawing board for SBCC women's lacrosse. The club could barely be stopped on the field during the last time they fielded a team. That was Spring 2023.  The Vaqueros went undefeated in conference play before eventually finishing 12-3 overall. Appearances in the WWLL semifinals and the WCLA National Tournament were other highlights of the season. Ultimately, though, administration slowed down the club in 2024 and 2025, despite strong interest. 

The SBCC women's lacrosse program started in 2007-08 and almost every year since then women at the college have formed a team and shown they want to play lacrosse. The exception is the Covid-19 year all of athletics at the community college level paused. The restart in 2021-22 was stymied by holdups with administration but then the team had the previously mentioned breakout year in 2022-23. At the same time everyone learned that 3C2A Fullerton College fields a varsity women's lacrosse team in their athletic department. In addition, 3C2A Orange Coast College fields men's and women's crew teams. Precedents, both, that a sport need not be a 3C2A championship sport to field a team at a community college.

The women's lacrosse club leadership renewed their charter with the Office Of Student Life in the fall but could not get an answer on a field space request in time for players to schedule classes around practice. Momentum from the past spring season stalled without help from the administration a second time.

SBCC Men's Lacrosse was awarded field space and shows it can happen with cooperation and administrative support. That Vaqueros club had a successful season, eventually hosting and playing in the Southwestern Lacrosse Conference (SLC) championship game.

There is great potential for a women's lacrosse program at the college with all the interest in playing. More than a dozen local SBUSD player enroll at SBCC every year. Prior to all the no answers (for an advisor and for field space) it seemed the demonstrated interest in competing in women's lacrosse could be a highlight for the SBCC Title IX Office and the Board of Trustees.  It is not the case.

The Vaqueros will get started on planning for 2025-26. More than twenty women show interest in playing lacrosse at SBCC every year. The club will have to organize again, recruit again and push through with the Office of Student Life again to be able to play.