Purdue Hurling Reflects on National Championship
It is the month of March and Purdue has won a National Championship.
No, I have not climbed out of DeLorean after moving ahead two weeks from now. One of Purdue's club sports recently won the national championship, toppling a dynasty in the sport in the process.
The sport of hurling is one of the two national sports of Ireland along with Gaelic football. It is a sports that combines elements of baseball, lacrosse, and hockey all in one fast-paced package. The objective of the game is for players to use an as wood stick called a hurley to hit a small ball called a silotar between the opponent's goalposts either over the crossbar for one point or under the crossbar into a net guarded by a goalkeeper for three points. It is played on a field roughly the size of a soccer field.
It is not a sport that is common on fields in central Indiana, but at the National Collegiate Gaelic Athletic Association championships outside of Salt Lake City on St. Patrick's Day weekend Purdue won its second national championship, beating four-time reigning champion Pittsburgh in the process. It was a championship that was long awaited according club President Reese Kerschner:
Purdue upset defending champion Pitt in the semifinals of the event against a dramatic mountain backdrop in Harriman, Utah. The Boilermakers then defeated Colorado in the championship match, which was televised via the ESPN family of networks for the first time ever. Purdue dominated the final match with 5 goals and 12 points against Colorado's 1 goal and 11 points.
The socring can be a bit complicated. If the ball goes over the crossbar, a point is scored and a white flag is raised by an umpire. If the ball goes below the crossbar, a goal, worth three points, is scored, and a green flag is raised by an umpire. A goal must be scored by either a striking motion or by directly soloing the ball into the net. The goal is guarded by a goalkeeper. Scores are recorded in the format {goal total} – {point total}. Goals are not converted into points, so it can be a bit confusing.
The popularity of the game has grown greatly at Purdue, especially since it is a co-ed sport played by men and women.
The team generally practices year-round, sometimes indoors due to weather. It plays other schools in the fall before the national tournament in March.
That practice paid off as Danny Rubin was the star of the championship match with three goals. Kerschner also cited several other star from the tournament, including a few Irish students who grew up knowing the game.
Kerschner is looking to grow the club further in the future. Purdue and Colorado were surprise teams in the championship because of the recent domination of Pittsburgh, and neither program had made it that far the previous year. Still, a repeat title is not out of the question in 2025.
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