Across more than 190,000 miles — from Arizona to Maine — Rec Sports’ sport clubs spent the end of the spring semester curating memories and adorning their walls with trophies at collegiate national championships.

This year, 21 sport clubs brought home national titles, with polo, archery and sailing logging the highest travel mileage. Some clubs strove for medals, while others focused on team bonding. Among the 40 sport clubs that Rec Sports supports, here are some highlights from Nationals.

Polo

15,831 miles. That’s how far the Polo Club traveled this year — from practices in Dallas to Nationals in Oak Point, Texas. Both the men’s and women’s teams captured the National Intercollegiate Championship and earned the title of most miles traveled.

“I think [playing against men] really elevated our game because once we got to Nationals where it wasn’t as fast as the men’s and it wasn’t as much pressure, we felt like we had a lot more time,” said Olivia Reynolds, captain of the women’s team. “You play up to somebody’s level and not necessarily win every time. I think the losses mean more than the wins.”

The men’s team had been busy with private tournaments while prepping for Nationals. Those tournaments acted as both practice and confidence boosters.

After five years of practice and strategizing, the men’s team brought home the national championship.

“[From] not being a stellar high school player and not performing so much in my first three years to really locking down, using everything I learned and motivating my team and winning it all,” captain of the mens team Zak Coleman said. “They wanted to win for me. They wanted to win for themselves. They wanted another win.”

Men’s Basketball

For the Men’s Basketball Club, Nationals wasn’t just about victory. It was about showing up, sticking together and pushing forward.

“The games are fun and the competition’s fun, but you can’t always rely on that to be your source of fun because it might not go your way,” said Andrew O’Neal, club president. “It’s spending time with guys that you know you love being around.”

The team earned hard-fought wins against Loyola University Chicago, Michigan State and King’s University College (Canada). The game against Loyola stood out for O’Neal.

“We had some hardships throughout, but we ultimately persevered and trusted each other and stuck through it,” O’Neal said. “It was a hard-fought battle all the way through and it came down to just a couple possessions at the end.”

Women’s Volleyball

The competition was split into two divisions — A-Team and B-Team. One pivotal game set the tone for B-Team: a semifinal match against the University of Missouri compelled them to let go of the past and focus on the present.

“We came together on that third set and we said, hey, we really want this,” said Chalsie Lee, club president. “We want it more than them. Let’s try to find our shots, try to get the ball over and in.”

The team plays to win, but slumps happen, and sometimes the hardest battle is mental.

“Sometimes people can kind of get in their heads and start to take their frustration out on other people,” Lee said. “But as a captain, I try to lead others and motivate them, and not let frustration get the best of them.”

Archery

The Archery Club hit the bull’s-eye in a hectic season with Nationals. They traveled more than 1,000 miles, earning second place overall at Collegiate Nationals.

“I try to have my archers focus on one arrow at a time,” coach Lorinda Gomez said.

With Michigan’s unpredictable weather presenting challenges, the club now anticipates the forces of nature for future competitions.

“It was extremely windy a few of the days and it was cold,” Gomez said. “Adding the element of the cold and the rain, I do think that played a factor. We’re going to Michigan again next year, so using that information and growing from it, we realize this is probably an environment we’re going to encounter again.”

Women’s Water Polo

Unity in and out of the water fueled the team’s performance this year. With a roster of 14 players for a seven-player game, the Water Polo Club leaned on substitutions to prevent burnout.

“We flew into Boston and we all stayed at an Airbnb, which was probably one of the best parts,” said Reagan Noelle Smith, vice president of the club. “It was really fun to all be under one roof, staying together for a couple days.”

After three days in the pool, the team felt the weight of the land as sharply as the buoyancy of the water.

“Playing the whole game … it’s a very exhausting game to play, so it was a struggle just to keep going, keep swimming, keep working hard, but everyone pushed through to the best of their ability,” Smith said.

What’s Next?

After a summer spent relaxing and relishing their wins, sport clubs are gearing up for the fall with recruitment weeks and practice sessions for a new year of Regionals and Nationals.

Joining the roster this year is Disc Golf, the newest sport club at Rec Sports. At the inaugural Club Crawl — previously known as the MSC Open House — more than 1,300 student organizations, including almost all of the 40 Sport Clubs, will be on display from 1pm to 5pm on Aug. 31. To learn more about the clubs, check out the Sport Club website to learn more about each club and follow them on Instagram.

Written by: Angeline Nappoly