While much of the focus is on Seton Hall's 14 Division 1 teams, club sports also make an impact on campus.
For the students who do not suit up in the blue and white to play Division 1 sports but are still looking for that competitive challenge they had in high school, club sports may be the answer.
Just ask junior Rugby Football Club match secretary and captain Marlon Gonzalez-Perez, who has been a part of the team since his freshman year.
"Rugby at Seton Hall was an alternative to going Greek, and the structure and foundation a sport such as rugby offers is what brings a few athletes who don't want to hang up the cleats," Gonzalez-Perez said.
Gonzalez-Perez also said that the club has transformed. "The Seton Hall University Rugby Football Club has changed in the last few years from a bunch of guys just getting together to a family of gentlemen that are there for each other at a moment's notice," Gonzalez-Perez said. "We are a close-knit group but always welcome new additions to the family."
The team currently sits at 5-1, with its most recent win coming on Sunday over SUNY New Paltz, bringing them to first place in their division.
"The season this year is a product of our continuous efforts as a collective group to improve and has reflected our will as a club to go out on the rugby pitch and sell out each and every Sunday," Gonzalez-Perez said.
Seton Hall offers four other club sport options. Students can try out for men's volleyball, lacrosse, soccer and ice hockey teams.
The men's ice hockey team, which currently sits at 2-2, also has found success in recent years at Seton Hall.
"We'll be fighting for a playoff spot once again, definitely," senior Ben DiCostanzo said. "We lost some good seniors last year, but we got some good freshmen that can really play."
DiCostanzo added that the team is trying to raise awareness on and off campus.
"I would like more people to know the fact that we have a team in general," DiCostanzo said. "I think we're trying to do that now by doing a lot of fundraising to try to raise some money and awareness for our team. We're hoping to get more students out to our games. We think that the more people come out the more they'll enjoy themselves and want to come back."
Hockey returns to action Fri- day against Rutgers at Codey Arena. The rugby team returns to the pitch on Sunday for a battle with Marist at Ivy Hill.
David Heim can be reached at david.heim@student.shu.edu.
