The college will host the Riverhawks men’s lacrosse regional tournament from April 28-30 and the women’s district championship game on May 4.

The women’s team will play the Harford Fighting Owls of Bel Air, Maryland, the defending national champions, in the district championship game. The Riverhawks are ranked No. 1 in the National Junior College Athletic Association and went undefeated in the regular season. 

Women’s head lacrosse coach Jim Griffiths said his team is the “clear-cut favorite” to win the district championship and the national tournament, scheduled for May 13-14 in Rochester, New York. 

The men’s lacrosse team did not qualify for regionals because they went 0-7 in the regular season.

The season “is not up to what we wanted,” men’s head lacrosse coach Jeremy Ross said. “We’re all a little disappointed, but we’re making the most of what we got.”

Athletic Director Duane Herr said hosting the playoffs at Siegert Field on the Arnold Campus will draw “more fans” to watch the women’s team compete on home turf.  

“I think that it gives you the opportunity to play in front of more fans since it’s closer to home for a lot of your fans to come visit,” Herr said. “The familiarity and the opportunity to get prepared in your own locker room [is an advantage]. You don’t have to ride the bus. These kinds of things I think help out.”

“My family will probably come out,” defender Tinna Mavica, a first-year undecided student, said. “I’m just glad that we don’t have to travel. It’s nice, just being able to come here and not have to go on that bus.”

Griffiths said he’ll be disappointed if the team doesn’t go all the way.

“We’ve beaten everybody that we’ll have to play at nationals … by a significant amount,” said Griffiths, who has coached at AACC since 2001. 

For the championship, he said, “I’m just trying to make sure they don’t get complacent, bored, lethargic and all the other coaching cliches. When you’re No. 1 and you’re undefeated, you’re … projected to win. And if you don’t, it’s a disappointment.” 

Mavica said finishing 7-0 in the regular season “boosts the team up.” 

“I think [the season] is going really well,” Mavica said. “I think that we as a team have really bonded and we have good chemistry which is really great.”