The official team sport of Maryland is making its Big Ten debut this weekend with the inaugural Big Ten Lacrosse Championship tournament at the University of Maryland. On Thursday night’s game, new Big Ten 
member (men’s lacrosse only) Johns Hopkins played Penn State, and new Big Ten member Maryland took on Ohio State. After two competitive games, Hopkins and Ohio State came out on top, and will square off in the championship game Saturday May 2, starting at 8 pm.
When the Big Ten announced the first official Big Ten Lacrosse Championship would be held at the University of Maryland and that Johns Hopkins University would host the championship tournament the following year, lacrosse fans across the state of Maryland rejoiced. “The sport of lacrosse is embedded in the culture of the state of Maryland,” said Sean Ellenby, the Assistant Director of Media Relations at the University of Maryland. Michael Mattia, the Deputy Director of Athletics at Johns Hopkins added to this sentiment by saying “the state of Maryland is the hub of lacrosse and there is no better way to expose the other Big Ten institutions, and jump start the inaugural season of the sport in the conference, then to see how seriously the game is taken in this state.”
The University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University are both excited and flattered to bring the first two tournaments in Big Ten history to the state of Maryland, as they are both new additions to the conference. Not only do both universities have storied lacrosse histories that promise exceptional competition, but the venues will provide an exceptional atmosphere for the tournaments. “Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium has hosted more 
NCAA Final Fours [10] than any other venue, and we are thrilled to carry on its championship tradition,” said Ellenby. Hopkins also offers an exceptional atmosphere at Homewood Field which is over 100 years old and has fielded 44 national championship winning Hopkins Men’s Lacrosse teams.
Fans who want to come out for the historical game on Saturday can “expect a very competitive, well played, exciting, entertaining tournament,” said Mattia. “Almost all of the Big Ten regular season games have been close, and I anticipate this tournament to follow suit.” For more information about the conference and the tournament and to buy tickets, visit http://www.umterps.com/fls/29700/B1GMLaxTC/.
