Daemen University’s club sports are experiencing a surge in participation with the addition of two new sports this fall: women’s flag football and men’s basketball, as well as the re-designation of eSports as a club sport.
Club sport participation has more than doubled in the past year, with an increase from 21 students in 2023 to almost 50 students in 2024.
Flag football tops the participant list with 14 players who are finalizing requirements to field an official flag football team.
Archery continues in its third year, with 13 team members practicing weekly under the direction of former Daemen student and USA Archery Level 2 Certified Instructor, Maya Reisch.
Four Daemen flag football players participated in the WNY Girls in Sport Day at the UB Fieldhouse.
Daemen’s club basketball team hosted UB for a scrimmage in the Bieler Center.
The club basketball team formed this fall with 11 players hitting the courts to compete in multiple intercollegiate scrimmages, as well as starting league play in the National Club Basketball Association (NCBBA).
The eSports team of 9 competed in the East Coast Conference eSports League in both Valorant and Super Smash Bros.
In addition to club sports, Daemen has experienced a significant increase in other recreational activities. Group fitness classes have grown by 62% from two years ago, hitting an all-time high this fall with over 75 participants. The university’s intramural program experienced a 41% increase in student participation, with 132 players competing weekly across four different leagues this fall.
“It is exciting to see more and more students take advantage of the many recreational offerings on campus,” said Bret Stothart, Director of Recreation and Wellness at Daemen. “Students are experiencing countless, research-proven health benefits, both physically and emotionally, while simply having fun and with very little time commitment required. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and we look forward to reaching even more students in the upcoming spring semester.”
Club and intramural sports teach participants important life skills, including self-confidence, leadership, communication, time management, and conflict resolution.
Additional information can be found on the Daemen Recreation website.