Lafayette College, at first glance, seems to have an extraordinarily high number of athletic people. Starting at 6 a.m. until closing hour, the Kirby Sports Center is a hub of activity. The center comes with a rock-climbing wall, an indoor track, and squash and racquetball courts, to name a few. Facilities are clean and accessible, although a little bit of a walk from the rest of campus, and they are excellent for athletes and non-athletes alike. Practices are early morning or late afternoon, with some teams having evening practices. A gander into Skillman Library, between the hours of 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., will reveal a host of student athletes, decked out in their team gear, diligently working through homework. The serious athletes—like those who play on the varsity teams or are involved in club sports—put in hours of practice every day, come rain or shine. Athletics is a serious program, taken seriously, and largely respected by the student body. Amongst the intramural/club sports teams, certain sports do dominate the campus more than others. Lafayette crew is one of the largest club sports, along with rugby and soccer. The intramural scene also draws large crowds during the annual tournaments and can get quite competitive.
However, the focus of the school is not on the athletics department. Aside from major football games, attendance is somewhat low. The general student body is either unaware of the various sports events that are going on or are too busy to attend—not an uncommon reason for most Lafayette students. School spirit is unabashedly celebrated on "Lafayette-Lehigh," the longest-running collegiate football rivalry in the country. Homecoming also sees a lot of school spirit. Otherwise, spirit hits a plateau.
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Athletics at Lafayette College
B+
D1
Lafayette is a D1 school but the football team has not been so great lately. All the other different sports teams are great though.
Apr 30, 2012
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Athletics at Lafayette College
B+
Laf Lehigh
The rivalry is really intense and fun. The Laf Lehigh Game is one of the biggest days of the year.
Apr 18, 2012
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Athletics at Lafayette College
calizyo
Chemical Engineering '15
3.8
B+
Sports Are an Attraction
people don't often go watch, but a large percentage of the student body are involved because the school is so small. I know many who participate in varsity sports.
Mar 28, 2012
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User rating for Lafayette College - Athletics is
3.5 out of 5
based on 22 user reviews.
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