A group of cougars is called a range. The Claremont Cougars, the 5C men’s club lacrosse team, embodies that word. From seasoned veterans who turned down collegiate offers to novices picking up a lacrosse stick for the first time, the team offers a diversity of skill levels, united by a desire to win.
Founded in 1958, the Cougars make up the oldest continuous collegiate lacrosse program in California, playing in the Division III Southwestern Lacrosse Conference (SLC). Even without official P-P or CMS men’s lacrosse teams, the Cougars maintain a level of commitment and competition similar to that of varsity teams on campus. After a loss in last year’s DIII SLC semifinals to Santa Barbara City College, the team looks to make a deep run into the postseason. With the most rookies in recent memory, the Cougars hope to capitalize on the arrival of new talent under the leadership of a small four-person senior class.
“Twenty rookies is unheard of. I think it is the largest in Cougars history,” captain Ryder Jones CM ’26 said. “They bring a lot of talent to the team. It gives us a really good opportunity to develop these guys.”
While their competitive season has only just begun, the team has been hard at work since the start of the school year, tirelessly recruiting new players and preparing to build out their team for the season ahead.
“In the fall, we’re trying to bring in freshmen to not necessarily replace the graduated seniors but really build up the team,” Jonathan Hernandez PO ’28 said. “After the first month, we start with practices twice a week, usually Monday and Tuesday, and then we have a big scrimmage at the end of the fall semester against a few other schools.”
During the spring season, the Cougars usually play one game per week in addition to three practices. In their season opener, the Cougars’ preseason work paid off with a 14-8 win over last year’s champions, Moorpark College.
“Our first game was really big for us because [Moorpark is] the defending conference champion,” Andrew Wysk PO ’29 said. “We knew that it was going to be a tough game going into it, so everyone was ready to perform at their best.”
The team quickly found themselves down 2-6 after the first quarter, a worrisome start against the tough Moorpark squad. They rallied to even the score by the end of the first half, and, impassioned by a halftime speech from the coaches, the team’s energy bounced back in the second half.
“We had a lot of people who were really familiar with the stuff we were doing throughout the fall,” Hernandez said. “A lot of that ball work we did, having people getting comfortable throwing, tossing and communicating effectively, really played a key role in this [win].”
Communication and repetition lead to wins on the field and bolster feelings of community off the field. For Jones, the support from the entire Cougar family was apparent as soon as he stepped on campus.
“I remember checking in on moving day, and the check-in person told me John Faranda [faculty advisor] was looking for me,” Jones said. “He instantly welcomed me in and introduced me to the guys, [some of whom] have become [my] lifelong friends.”
This large incoming class of rookies gives ample opportunity for Jones and leaders alike to offer that same warm, welcoming spirit. According to Hernandez, the rookies radiate new energy and excitement, reminding him of his own lacrosse journey.
“I see a real drive from a lot of our players, especially our newer players,” Hernandez said. “They are really finding a love for the sport, just like I did when I first got here.”
The team hopes to continue building its spirit and fighting through games, with its next contest coming up against Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, Feb. 20.
“We’re feeling pretty confident,” Wysk said. “We’ve done well against them in the past, but as Coach said, Moorpark was confident against us, and we were the ones who took that one home. So we still need to obviously bring our A-game and do our best to make sure that we guarantee that win.”
The team enters a competitive stretch of the season with a trip to Las Vegas, Nevada, planned for early March, to face a competitive list of opponents. As a team, they hope to keep improving and learning while their freshman class adjusts to the collegiate game, and to maintain their fight in close matches.
When asked to describe this year’s team in just one word, Wysk did not hesitate.
“Fighters.”
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