After losing 11 seniors to graduation after last season (five of whom went on to play in college), the 2016 Republic lacrosse team looked at this as a rebuilding year. Turns out they didn’t have to wait long for the rebuilding to take place.
The Republic lacrosse squad has earned a playoff berth for the third season in a row. They’ll square off in a semifinal match this afternoon against top-seeded North West Arkansas in Fayetteville.
“I think it speaks volumes about our program,” says coach Donnie Curran. "We are proud of… what we have been able to achieve these past 3 seasons.
Curran and his staff shaped the team into a playoff squad despite its inexperience. Twenty of the players on the team had never played lacrosse before this season began.
“These young men came in from day one giving their everything, and we never quit even after a pretty bumpy start to the season,” Curran says. “That perseverance, in conjunction with a very dedicated coaching staff that is committed to the success and growth of our program has been the recipe for our success.”
The Tigers finished 8–8, but they finished strong, winning three of their last four games to make it into the playoffs as a #4 seed.
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