Every sport has been affected by the coronavirus, but the timing of seasons and size of the teams create different experiences. Denver’s lacrosse teams—who compete in the spring—have navigated the extreme challenges of play during COVID-19, starting with the devastating cancellation of their season last March.

Fall sports, like soccer, trained and completed their seasons uninterrupted last year. Only their off-season training was affected when the pandemic hit. This fall, their seasons have been pushed back to the spring, but they still have the luxury of skeptical foresight. 

The lacrosse teams were completely blindsided last spring. “I think everyone was shocked. Everything happened so fast that it didn’t even feel real. We played a game Wednesday, and our season was cancelled 24 hours later,” said Molly Little (Tiverton, RI), a senior defender for DU.

The lacrosse teams had been fully prepared for an intense spring season. When asked how the team felt when everyone was sent home, senior Jack Hannah (Milford, Ohio) said, “I think it was just devastation. You put in so much work, and everything got shut down so quickly.” 

The seniors who were denied their final season last spring have been granted another year of eligibility by the NCAA. The decision has been controversial because of concerns about playing time, finances, roster size and recruiting effects, but DU lacrosse teams are not disappointed.

“I think it’s awesome. It’s good to have all the guys back who I’ve known for the last four years, including our captains Danny, Ethan and Colin. It feels like we’re coming back right where we left off with some added players as well. There’s not a change in leadership,” said Hannah. Eight of the twelve men’s lacrosse seniors decided to return for this season.

The recruiting process has drastically changed from coaching staff scouting for talent all over the country to watching film in Denver. Instead of a visit to the campus with plenty of time to meet the team, recruits are given a virtual tour. 

The teams have recently been cleared to practice in groups of 25 due to low positivity rates at DU and changing protocols. However, for the last five weeks, the teams were split into cohort groups of 10 based on living arrangements. 

In these 10-person cohorts, each group practiced for an hour, keeping the coaching staff even more busy. Socialization off the field was also restricted to cohort groups.

The system kept the teams safe but had a number of negative impacts. Since the cohorts were based on living arrangements, some of the groups had no goalies and lacked position diversity. Additionally, the freshmen had to be grouped together, preventing social and athletic integration into the team as a whole. 

“Our team loves being all together on and off the field, and it’s something that has definitely affected us. It’s been hard on all of us,” said Little. 

However, Coach Tierney says that he plans to utilize smaller groups in future years because they help develop individual skills.

The athletes have maintained a high level of intensity during training, facing the uncertainty of the future with a desperate appreciation of the time they are given. “We never know when or if we could be shut down, so we have to embrace every moment we get on the field,” said Little. 

The coaches and players are all concerned about the coming season. Local government mandates, DU administration’s policies, conference authorities and the protocols of their opponents are some of the many factors which threaten the coming season. Safe and timely travel is another challenge that the student-athletes must face.

Despite the frustrations coronavirus has created, athletes have not lost perspective. Denver’s lacrosse players appreciate the luxury of collegiate sports, even in reduced form. “Making the best of the situation is something we work hard at doing every day. We are thankful for everything we get to do, even though it’s not the norm,” said Little. 

“People are dealing with much worse situations around the country, so we don’t take our ability to play for granted,” said Hannah.

The athletic community has adapted to coronavirus protocols with bittersweet gratitude. Denver’s lacrosse teams are preparing for what they hope will be a safe and successful 2021 season in the spring. The schedule has not yet been released.