Last week, we kicked off the series of Guilford’s best 16 sport teams. This week, we take a look at number 15 on our list: the men’s lacrosse team that Guilford fielded for the 1992 season.1992 was a big year for Guilford athletes. The year marked a transitional period as Guilford left the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) conference and joined the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III rankings. This also meant the school was now competing in the all-Virginia-based Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) against other institutions such as Washington & Lee University, Randolph-Macon College, and Virginia Wesleyan College. These schools boast proud histories and are fierce competitors on the lacrosse field.
Being new to the conference, as well as outsiders from North Carolina, did not stop the 1992 men’s lacrosse team from having a smashing first year. Led by seniors Dave Brown and Matt Parker, the team went 10-5 overall, with a .667 winning percentage. Parker was recognized as the MVP that year, while Brown led the team in goals, averaging 4.73 in his senior year for the Quakers.
Against Limestone College, Brown set a school record that still stands today by racking up 10 goals in a single game. That same game, another record was set by Jamie Kittelberger, who dished out six assists and put in six goals of his own to give him a total of 12 points in a single game. Kittelberger led the team that year, averaging 2.60 assists per game and finishing with 39 assists for the year. Such performances must have made our Virginian neighbors take notice.
The success of the 1980s and mid-1990s lacrosse teams has not been duplicated in the past few years. This prompted a change of coaching as newly appointed head coach Tom Carmean joined Guilford in June. Carmean comes to Guilford from Amherst College, where he had been the head men’s lacrosse coach for the past eleven seasons
Carmean looks to get the men’s lacrosse team back on track this coming Feb. when the team begins seasonal play.