"Saints Field" Dedicated To Honor Championship Team Of 2000

Limestone College and the Athletics Department dedicated the newly renovated Saints Field in honor of the 2000 men's lacrosse national championship team during a special ceremony held on the field prior to the game against Lake Erie College on Saturday, March 21.

The 2000 championship team not only put Limestone lacrosse on the map with the program's first of three national titles, but also played a key role during the recent capital campaign to raise money for improved athletic facilities. The 2000 team raised $100,000 for the naming rights to the new artificial turf field that also features a state-of-the-art lighting system and serves as the home for men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's soccer and field hockey.

"It is an absolute honor to have the Limestone Saints athletic field dedicated to the 2000 National Championship Team," said 2000 team captain Keith Mursch. "The foundation that made the 2000 lacrosse team successful was built years in advance from all the hard work and dedication of the players that came before us.

"Our hope is that the same hard work and dedication that was put into the fundraising efforts will provide for the continued success with the same focus on those two principals for not only the future of Limestone lacrosse, but for all Limestone athletics," he added. 

Limestone College President Dr. Walt Griffin; Vice President for Intercollege Athletics Mike Cerino, who was the head coach of the 2000 championship team; and Jake Lawson, a team captain on the 2000 squad; were among the speakers on Saturday.

As part of the ceremony, Limestone unveiled a dedication rock at the corner of the Bob Campbell Field House. A plaque on the rock contains a quote from H.M. Van den Brink's On the Water: "A championship is something different from an ordinary victory. You don't own a championship like you own a medal. A champion is something that you are. It's not a part of a moment but of a period. However old you are, whatever happens, wherever you are, even in the hour of your death: you will always be a champion."

"It is a great day for Limestone College Athletics," said Rick Matthews, also a 2000 team captain. "I am very proud and honored to be a Limestone Saint! With the dedication of this stadium, we will always be a team that stands together!"

The 2000 men's lacrosse team captured the first national championship in program history, and the first for Limestone during the NCAA Division II era, with a 10-9 win over C.W. Post on May 28, 2000, in College Park, Md. The Saints featured six USILA All-Americans that season, including a pair of First-Team selections, and led the nation in man-up goals, scoring offense, scoring defense and scoring margin.

"Everyone came from the different places for a common goal," said Lawson. "Week-to-week we were there to win lacrosse games but our mission was to win the national championship."

"To bond together as a team to attain a goal such as winning a national championship was an incredible accomplishment," concluded team captain Mat Wilde. "It's humbling that Limestone has recognized our success with such an enduring tribute. I feel very proud that future national champions will have the opportunity to reach their goals on a field that is dedicated in our honor."