For Immediate Release: September 12, 2011
Contact: David O'Brian (dobrian@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-6478

BU men's lacrosse raises $1,500 for 9-11 Relief Fund
Bearcats take part in campus-wide "Walk to Remember"

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VESTAL, N.Y.-- Members of the Binghamton University Men's Lacrosse Team spent Sunday afternoon honoring the 10th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. The entire team took part in the university's "Walk to Remember," which paid tribute to those who lost their lives a decade ago. Furthermore, student-athletes on the team, as well as their families, raised over $1,500 for the 9-11 Relief Fund during the event.

The attacks of September 11, 2001 have had a direct effect upon the BU men's lacrosse program. One of the players lost their father, who was in the South Tower when United Flight 175 crashed into it.

"When we heard about the Walk to Remember, everyone wanted to take part in it," senior defender Ryan Button said. "It has affected our program directly and we wanted to give back to the many other people that were affected by that day."

Button and the other seniors on this year's team were in sixth grade when the attacks happened. In the decade since then, those players have graduated from high school and are closing in on earning their bachelor's degree. All of them, however, have vivid memories of a day that happened more than half their lifetime ago.

"For me, that day was surreal," senior attack Nick Marshall said. "I remember sitting in class and there was an announcement over the loudspeaker." Marshall said. "No one could believe it. The teachers were trying to help anyone who was having a hard time understanding what had happened."

This past Sunday, the men's lacrosse team not only took part in the Walk to Remember, but had a booth nearby taking donations for the 9-11 Relief Fund.

Their booth had a display honoring the passengers of United Flight 93, which overpowered the terrorists who were determined to crash that plane into the Capitol or White House in Washington D.C. The Bearcats also had a collage dedicated to the parent of the men's lacrosse student-athlete who died in the attacks.

This year's men's lacrosse team has 12 freshmen and with fall practices only starting last week, the players are still getting to know each other. Sunday's event, however, gave the Bearcats a chance to becoming closer as a group away from the playing field.

"Today was a good way to show the newcomers on our team that we care about more than just playing lacrosse," senior defender Ben Waldron said. "We put a lot of work into our academics and we try and help out on campus and in the community whenever we can."