A beginner's guide to Johns Hopkins athletics

For both the new and the most seasoned Hopkins students, most tend to think of Hopkins varsity athletics with respect to lacrosse and lacrosse only. After all, we have won two of the past four national championships, 28 overall, and were national runners-up last season (after knocking off Duke in the semi-finals in what is considered one of the biggest lacrosse upsets of all time). And while lacrosse is the most followed sport here at Hopkins, there is much more to athletics here than just lacrosse. Here are eight helpful introductory facts for Hopkins athletics.

1) Home of the Blue Jays - While the blue jay may not seem to be be as ferocious a mascot as some of our competitors' (among which are the Gettysburg Bullets and the McDaniel Green Terror) you may be surprised to know that a blue jay is actually one of the more ferocious and assertive birds out there. It shows out on the field, where the athletes representing the white, black and blue (our school's athletic colors) can often be seen out-muscling and outworking opponents all while instilling a petrifying fear into their hearts.

2) Division-III athletics have their charm - All of Hopkins's intercollegiate athletics teams are Division III, except for men's and women's lacrosse, which are Division I. Division III athletics are unique in that no athletic scholarships are given. Any athlete admitted to the University must be up to the school's academic standards first, before consideration is given to athletic talent. DIII athletics also are much less of a time commitment than Division I athletics. Since nearly all DIII competitors will not become professional athletes after college, academics are just as important to Hopkins athletes as they are to any other student, and thus the time and practice demands placed on athletes at Hopkins are not the same as at a school with Division I sports.

3) Root for the home team at Homewood Field - Our main athletics facility on the Homewood campus is the aptly named Homewood Field. Located on the northwestern corner of campus, Homewood Field has been the site of Hopkins sporting events since 1908, as it celebrated its centennial anniversary last school-year. Men's lacrosse and football were the first sports to be played there, and currently those two teams are joined by men's and women's soccer and field hockey. The permanent bleachers on both sides provide seating for up to 8,500 fans, and concessions are almost always available during games.

4) Hopkins athletes are not your average "jocks" - Not surprisingly, the blue jay is also considered to be one of the most intelligent birds. This is very fitting here at Hopkins. As mentioned earlier, since we are Division-III athletics (except lacrosse), most of our athletes will "go pro in something else" (as the March Madness commercials proclaim). Hopkins has been home to numerous academic All-Americans throughout the years, and Hopkins athletes have been awarded numerous postgraduate scholarships to go along with countless numbers of team and individual athletic and academic commendations.

5) Lacrosse at "The Nest" - Lacrosse season starts in late February, and keeping with the bird theme, Homewood Field is nicknamed "The Nest" during lacrosse season. Attendance at lax games can range from 2,000 to upwards of 10,000, with a great atmosphere regardless of the size of the crowd. Homecoming weekend takes place in the spring to coincide with lacrosse season and always is a tremendous amount of fun.

6) The Centennial Conference - Hopkins competes in the Centennial Conference, along with 10 other Division III schools, all from Maryland and Pennsylvania. Bryn Mawr, Dickinson, Franklin & Marshall, Gettysburg, Haverford, McDaniel, Muhlenberg, Swarthmore, Ursinus and Washington College are the colleges we compete against in our conference.

7) Lacrosse is not necessarily our "best" sport. Sure, lacrosse is the only sport in which Hopkins competes in Division I, but historically Hopkins's athletic department has been incredibly successful. This past season, one day after the lacrosse team lost in the national championship game, the Blue Jays baseball team was in Appleton, Wis., playing in the championship game of the Division III College World Series. Needing to win two games in one day against undefeated Trinity (Ct.), Hopkins managed to win the first game, before losing the second game by one run. Regardless, the national runner up finish was the best ever for a Hopkins baseball team. The men's swim team was also a national runner up but boasted the national champion in 200-meter backstroke in rising junior John Thomas. In 2007 to 2008 men's and women's soccer and men's and women's tennis were Centennial Conference champions.

8) Go to the games! On any given day, there is a good chance that a varsity athletics competition is taking place. In the fall, football, field hockey, men's and women's soccer, women's volleyball, water polo and cross country are in season. In the winter, men's and women's basketball, swimming, fencing, track and wrestling take place; and in the spring Hopkins hosts lacrosse, baseball and men's and women's tennis. Athletes love it when students show up to support them and tickets are free. For a schedule go to www.hopkinssports.com.