hoya sports
Sports are deeply rooted in Georgetown University’s culture. Whether it is men’s basketball or club boxing, Hoya sports bring the Hilltop together. In the 201718 season, Georgetown earned five conference titles in the historically competitive Big East Conference. For the first time in school history, both the men’s and women’s soccer teams won the Big East title, while the men’s and women’s golf teams and the men’s lacrosse team all earned conference titles. At home games, Georgetown students support the school’s 23 varsity teams at four venues both on and off campus. Georgetown’s soccer teams play their home matches on Shaw Field, while women’s basketball and women’s volleyball call McDonough Arena home. Cooper Field, located in the center of Georgetown’s campus, hosts Georgetown’s football team in the fall and lacrosse games in the spring.
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Shaw Field At Shaw Field, located next to Yates Field House, Georgetown fans’ loud cheers and heckles give the Hoyas an important home-field advantage. This past fall, the women’s soccer team celebrated its second consecutive Big East title on Shaw Field on Nov. 5, with a 3-0 victory over Butler. One week later, Hoya fans cheered on the men’s soccer team to its double-overtime victory in the Big East tournament final over Xavier. Shaw Field serves as an exciting venue for Georgetown fans to watch the Hoyas, who hope to find further success in the Big East this upcoming fall. The Georgetown women’s soccer team will open its slate of home matches for the 2018 season Aug. 23 against NCAA tournament semifinalists Duke. The team will welcome Big East foe DePaul on Sept. 27 and will rematch Butler — whom the Hoyas defeated in the Big East championship final last year — on Oct. 21. The men’s soccer team will play its first Big East Conference game of the season against Xavier on Sept. 15, in another Big East Conference final rematch. Students can get tickets to soccer games at Shaw Field for free by showing their student IDs and can support both teams as they aim for more postseason success. McDonough Arena McDonough Arena, located on the southern perimeter of campus next to the recently constructed Thompson Center, has hosted basketball and volleyball games for over 60 years. Today, it is home to two of Georgetown’s most popular sports: women’s basketball and women’s volleyball. The women’s volleyball team improved on its 2016 record this past season and recently hired Jackie Granger to the assistant head coach position. Granger ranks 14th in kills in Division 1 history and has Big East volleyball experience, as she played at St. John’s for four seasons. The women’s basketball team thrilled fans both at McDonough Arena and away from home last season. The Hoyas advanced to the Big East tournament semifinals for the first time in 19 years and played in the second round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament for the first time since 2009. Capital One Arena The Georgetown men’s basketball team, perhaps the university’s proudest sports treasure even in disappointing seasons, plays its home games at Capital One Arena, also home to the Washington Wizards and Stanley Cup Champions the Washington Capitals. Patrick Ewing, a Georgetown basketball legend who twice won Big East
Player of the Year in his four-year career with the Hoyas, earned the prestigious Naismith Award in the 1984-85 season and led the Hoyas to a national championship win in the 1983-84 season, enters his second season as head coach of the men’s basketball team. Georgetown toppled the University of Houston and future NBA Hall-of-Famer Hakeem Olajuwon in the 1984 final, and Ewing was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Ewing will look to sustain the team’s upward trajectory, fill the 18,277-seat Capital One Arena and re-establish Georgetown as a Big East contender next season. Three four-star recruits, point guard James Akinjo, forward Josh LeBlanc and center Grayson Carter, will make their Georgetown debuts at the Capital One Arena this upcoming winter. Three-star recruit and Virginia native Matt McClung will also join the Georgetown basketball team. Center Jessie Govan, the Hoyas’ leading scorer and rebounder from last season, will be welcomed back to the Hilltop for his senior season next winter. Ewing and the Hoya fans will have reason for optimism this coming fall with the strong recruiting class and the return of Georgetown’s star center. Cooper Field Cooper Field, the bright green artificial turf expanse in the heart of campus, hosts games for the football team, as well as the men’s and women’s lacrosse teams. The women’s lacrosse team made its first-ever NCAA tournament appearance since the team’s founding in 1977 this past spring, losing a close contest to Virginia Tech in the first round. The men’s lacrosse team defeated Denver to win its first Big East Conference championship. Lacrosse is a can’t-miss event on Cooper Field, with conference play beginning in the spring. The football team will open its 2018 home schedule on Cooper Field on Sept. 8 against Campbell University. Homecoming weekend will bring Columbia to the Hilltop on Sept. 22 and the Hoyas will face Lehigh on Parent and Family Weekend on Oct. 20. Been to all those games and still can’t get enough? Georgetown has many other varsity and club sports for avid fans: The men’s and women’s track and field, swimming and diving, tennis and rowing teams all found success this past year, with steadfast encouragement from Hoya fans. The baseball and softball teams also competed in exciting contests throughout the spring. Whether you attend a club Ultimate Frisbee game on Cooper Field or a volleyball game in McDonough Arena, Georgetown sports provide a truly unique experience for Hoya fans, electrifying the Hilltop and inspiring passion in students that will continue well beyond your four years here.