Junior Anthony Chapman recently announced his commitment to Division-1 Hampton University. Chapman, a midfielder of the Warriors club lacrosse team, will continue to play midfielder for the Pirates. This commitment makes him the first Warrior to play Division-1 lacrosse and the third in the state.
Before he started his lacrosse career, he was a multi-sport athlete in middle school, balancing football, basketball, and wrestling. His introduction to lacrosse came during wrestling season.
“I think I was in 7th grade when Mr. Mantzaris was asking after wrestling practice if I wanted to try a new sport, and it was lacrosse,” Chapman said
Andrew Mantzaris, a teacher at the middle school, football, wrestling, and lacrosse coach, introduced Anthony to the sport and played a major role in Anthony’s development on and off the field. Mantzaris spoke on the growth of Anthony from when he first started to now, with help from a great situation, to get to where he is today.
“His mindset was rough, like that of many middle schoolers,” Mantzaris said. “but as he progressed through high school with the help of great teachers, coaches, mentors, and friends, he developed a sharp mind, and his work ethic improved to be among the best.”
Chapman has traveled across the country to compete and train at different camps as part of the Midwest Top Gun club team, featuring athletes across the region. Through these camps, Chapman showcased his skills in front of college coaches and recruiters, eventually leading to interest and offers from these schools. Hampton in particular stood out for Anthony, who said his decision came down to the interest from the school he had during the recruiting process and the fit for him.
”The first day you were allowed to get calls, they called me 8 AM sharp,” Chapman said. “They talked to me for a bunch of hours on end, and one day it just felt right to commit there, and the coaches were very welcoming, it’s in a great spot, and it’s an HBCU.”
Hampton University is an HBCU located in Hampton, Virginia, and is a member of the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA). The Pirates are led by first-year head coach Vincent Culpepper. The Pirates first competed as a club team until becoming the first-ever HBCU to have a Division-1 program in 2016. Chapman’s commitment is a historic milestone for Westside, as he becomes the first athlete in school history to commit to a Division-1 lacrosse program. His decision also places him among a rare group in the state, making him just the third player in Nebraska to earn a Division-1 lacrosse commitment.
Though lacrosse is one of the biggest youth sports in the country, Nebraska is one of 26 states where lacrosse is not a sanctioned sport. Westside and other schools currently have a club team, meaning they receive little to no funding and resources from the school, making it very difficult for these athletes to succeed. With the growth of the sport, there have been pushes from players, coaches, and pro teams to get lacrosse recognized as a sport across the country and to receive the proper support to fuel the next generation of athletes.
“I believe lacrosse is one of the biggest sports in the country right now,” Mantzaris said. “Kids are very interested in trying something new, and lacrosse teaches them how to handle adversity and move on from mistakes quickly so they can focus on the task at hand. That’s especially important for kids and high schoolers who are still figuring out life. It’s also one of the most physically demanding sports, which makes it very popular, especially among young men. And as a bonus, it’s actually the oldest sport in the country.”
From trying lacrosse for the first time in middle school to becoming the school’s first D-1 commit, Anthony Chapman’s journey reflects personal growth and expanding the reach of the sport. As Chapman looks forward into his junior and senior seasons before taking the field at Hampton, he carries not only his own dreams, but the hopes of future lacrosse players across the state and across the country.
