Sonny Side Up: Arizona State Terminated
By Sonny PieperFive days after Valentine’s Day, Arizona State’s season came to an abrupt end on the ASU Campus in Tempe earlier today. The Lax Devils campaign ended before they got the chance to play one single game in 2009.
From LaxDevils.com
The ASU Men’s Lacrosse Club has been notified by officials of the University that the club is suspended until August 2009, and subject to a two-year probationary period. The Club is awaiting receipt of the formal written notification at which time club officials will decide a future course of action.
The team was indefinitely suspended by the school two weeks ago, prior to a pair of season opening NCAA scrimmages in Phoenix. The school was investigating alleged hazing violations involving members of the lacrosse team.
The school apparently made that suspension permanent for the entire 2009 season earlier today. No. 4 ASU, who made their first appearance in the MCLA Final Four last May at Texas Stadium, won’t get the chance to make a return appearance when the tournament moves to Denver in May.
Arizona State, who postponed last weekend’s trip to Stanford University to participate in the Pac-10 lacrosse tournament, was scheduled to travel to Las Vegas on Saturday for a conference game at UNLV.
Arizona State Coach Chris Malone couldn’t be reached for comment and school officials have declined repeated e-mail inquires for comment.
An obviously crushing blow to both the Southwestern Lacrosse Community and the entire MCLA. There is just no other words to describe the situation.
A top 5 MCLA program coming off their best season in the school’s history is kaput without strapping on their gear for one measly scrimmage. The public may never know the particulars of what exactly happened, but it doesn’t really matter.
Arizona State has been very quick to penalize what they deem unsavory behavior before. Remember what they did last year to their cheerleading squad after those racy pictures where uncovered on the Internet?
Obviously that isn’t same situation, but clearly the school has set a pretty high standard. As I discussed earlier, most schools have a lot less to lose in cutting a sports club versus a varsity program. With almost 60,000 students on campus, the lacrosse club is probably just one less headache for the school to deal with.
We will have more reaction from the situation in Tempe as events unfold in the coming days and weeks. If you are associated with ASU lacrosse and wish to to talk, on or off the record, please contact me via email. (Strict confidence always employed.)
CollegeLAX Founder Sonny Pieper is entering his 15th year of lacrosse officiating. He will try to run with the Big Dogs in 2009, but readily admits he has lost a step or two.
