Colorado College Makes Historic Run To Claim National LaxStache Champions

Contact: Pat Colleluori
Phone: (610) 952-8191
Email: [email protected]

 

(Colorado Springs, CO) – The National LaxStache-Off Against Cancer is one of the most exciting and fascinating aspects of Lacrosse Mustache Madness.  Within the campaign, the National LaxStache-Off is a four-week tournament in which all registered teams are seeded, bracketed and pinned against real competition.  These teams go head-to-head in live rounds with teams out-raising their opponents advancing until one team is crowned the National LaxStache Champion.  This year, the campaign featured the largest field of participating teams in history with 136 teams rounding out 14 divisions.  The competition was intense but after braving four rounds in the divisional bracket and another four rounds in the championship bracket it was Colorado College Men’s Lacrosse who was crowned National Champions on November 30th.  Their road to glory was historic, proving that any team in the country regardless of size, division or status has the ability to be a champion.    

Colorado College Men’s Lacrosse Coach Sean Woods thought that his team may have been late to the party when he registered the team to be part of Lacrosse Mustache Madness on October 28th.  While some teams had been underway since early September with their fundraising efforts, Woods knew that his team was capable of doing incredible things and had full confidence that they could strongly contend for a shot at the National LaxStache-Off Championship.  He rallied the troops and within 24 hours, built a powerhouse fundraising team consisting of 48 Growers right in time for the seeding of the National LaxStache-Off Against Cancer divisional bracket.  The team was seeded to compete in the Imperial Division and was paired against two opponents in the opening round, Saint Joseph’s University Men’s Lacrosse and Mary Washington College Men’s Lacrosse.  The Tigers quickly grew to $3,163.68 and within 72-hours shot to $9,729.67, surpassing both opponents and they never looked back.  In Round two the Tigers were paired against the Baldwin Wallace University Yellow Jackets and the momentum kept coming.  During the round the Tigers ended up raising $2,115.63, eclipsing the Yellow Jackets by $1,698.75.   After taking down Baldwin Wallace, the Tigers met Franklin & Marshall College Men’s Lacrosse and ended up capturing the Imperial Division Championship by $1,298.68.  The Tigers were certainly rolling, but Coach Woods knew that he needed to keep the momentum going so he instructed campaign organizers to adjust the teams fundraising goal to $12,000.

On November 17th, campaign organizers announced the Sweet Stache 16 bracket with Colorado College going head-to-head against D1 powerhouse Syracuse University, anchored by former Lax Stache Individual Fundraising Champion Ben Kaminow.  During the round, the Tigers raised more than $3,689.03, taking down their first D1 opponent.  It was Colorado’s arsenal of growers led by Noah Beecher, Ben Tishgart, Kyle Curtin and Makay Hansen that stepped up and set the tone for success in the opening round of the championship bracket.  The Tigers were then matched against Dickinson College Men’s Lacrosse, who captured a wild card slot to advance.  The Dickinson Red Devils were gaining steam, especially after the news of the wild card, but as the competition got underway, Colorado’s relentlessness proved too much for them.  With more than $17,725.89 raised, Woods made another decision to increase the fundraising goal to $20,000 heading into the next round.  The competition was intense and Colorado drew Boston University, another D1 perennial contender.  The Terriers have always been fierce competitors in Lacrosse Mustache Madness and a deep roster of growers has always been their formula for success.  The round was intense with lots of donations supporting both teams but in the end it was just $745.46 separated the Tigers from the Terriers.  The Tiger’s had done the unthinkable, they advanced to the National Championship!  

Much like Colorado, Wentworth Institute of Technology Men’s Lacrosse was having much success on the other side of the bracket.  After knocking off John Carroll University Men’s Lacrosse and William Peace University Men’s Lacrosse in the opening round of the divisional bracket, the Leopards defeated Bridgewater University Men’s Lacrosse, Marietta College Men’s Lacrosse and Siena College Men’s Lacrosse to advance to the Sweet Stache 16.  After advancing to the championship bracket, Wentworth took down Bentley University Men’s Lacrosse, Harvard University Men’s Lacrosse and Robert Morris University Men’s Lacrosse and were firing on all cylinders.  Going into the finals Colorado was at $18,844.37 raised to Wentworth’s $10,171.72 but the incremental gain during the round was an equalizer.  The final round got underway on November 27th and out of the gate both teams landed big donations.  It was back and forth throughout the next two days and the team captains were in constant communication with campaign organizers to figure out their position.  In the end it was $463.54 that separated Colorado College Men’s Lacrosse from their opponent.  

On Monday, November 30th, Colorado College Men’s Lacrosse was crowned the Champions of the 2020 National LaxStache-Off Against Cancer.      

Proceeds from Lacrosse Mustache Madness directly support the essential services provided by the HEADstrong Foundation on behalf of families overcome by cancer, including underwriting nights of lodging and accomodations at Nick’s House, a guest residence operated by the organization for families displaced in the pursuit of advanced cancer care.  In addition, HEADstrong has already earmarked support for Chad Stowell and several other collegiate lacrosse players navigating their cancer fight.  

Learn more about how you can use your mustache and facial hair to improve lives affected by cancer at www.LaxStacheMadness.com or www.HEADstrong.org