LOUISVILLE, Ky (PTTP) — A mixture of field hockey and lacrosse, the sport of hurling has “been around for a couple thousand years now,” said Liam Carmody, President of Pitt’s Club Hurling Team. Last week, the Pitt team won their fourth consecutive national title, beating Notre Dame in a thrilling come-from-behind win by one point.
While the game of hurling is popular in its home country of Ireland, it is not well-known in the United States. When asked how they got involved with Pitt Hurling, Business Manager Tyler Augi responded, “I just went to the club sports fair looking for something to join and they had a cool, big trophy because they had just won the national championship the year before. They said, “come learn something new,” so I went to the first practice and was instantly hooked.”
No prior experience is needed to join the hurling team, and the team is open to be co-ed, as Carmody stated, “We’re very adamant about making practice a learning environment. Almost everyone is new to the sport, and we want them to feel welcome. We play co-ed teams at tournaments, and we are very open to having girls on the time like we have in the past.”
Both seniors, the teammates reflected about how being on the hurling team has shaped their years at Pitt. Carmody said, “This has been one of my most foundational experiences at Pitt. Being able to find a team with such great comradery, a great culture, and that competes at a high level meant a lot to me; it kept me stimulated and I found my best friends.” Augi described his experience, “I really met my best friends here. Going to practice twice a week and leaving your troubles behind and focusing on something fun with a group of guys who are all lifting you up—it’s just the best experience I’ve had at Pitt.”