The Whittier College Board of Trustees has ratified its decision to approve the return of men’s lacrosse at the club level, reaffirming the College’s commitment to supporting outstanding student-athletes and honoring the legacy of men’s lacrosse at Whittier.
The return of men’s lacrosse follows a successful alumni-led fundraising campaign spearheaded by men’s lacrosse alumni Joe McCarthy ’97 and Jon Damm ’95. Thanks to contributions from more than 130 donors, the campaign raised more than $185,000, surpassing the goal of $145,000. The funds will provide the program with an operational budget to hire a full-time head coach and recruit athletes for the 2025-26 academic year.
President Dr. Kristine Dillon ’73 expressed her gratitude to alumni for their instrumental role in restoring men’s lacrosse.
“We are grateful to alumni who led the initiative to raise the requisite funds to bring men’s lacrosse back to Whittier in fall 2025. After asking the College how they could help, these alumni accepted the challenge to raise at least $145,000 by May 7 so the Board of Trustees could then ratify their conditional approval (conferred in February) to bring back the program,” said Dillon.
She continued, “Student-athletes bring vibrancy and camaraderie to the Whittier community and, with the support of the alumni and friends of men’s lacrosse, they can again be contributors to student life and overall enrollment.”
The Whittier College men’s lacrosse program intends to compete in conferences like the Southwestern Lacrosse Conference of the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA). With a full-time head coach soon to be hired and recruiting efforts underway, the program is poised for success in the 2025-26 season.
Photo: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com.
