10 | theLAKER Over several seasons, growing strength in Laker teams has brought energy and excitement to the College community. Men’s soccer on the rise Building on the momentum of its first NJCAA Region III District B championship in 2024, the men’s soccer team took another regional title in fall 2025. The team set a program record of 17 victories and achieved a historic third-place national ranking. The number of players from outside the U.S. has grown from four in 2022 to 24 in 2025. Students from New York state and 12 other countries, including Scotland, Kenya and New Zealand, made up the team last fall. Before the past two seasons, the team had appeared in the national rankings only once, in 1997. Second-year head coach Joe Balls’ leadership and recruiting style have helped increase international student enrollment and guide two historic seasons. His work earned him Region III Coach of the Year honors in both 2024 and 2025, along with Mid-State Athletic Conference Coach of the Year recognition in 2025. Excellence in women’s volleyball For the past five years, fans at Putt Moore Court have watched the women’s volleyball team capture five straight NJCAA Region III championships, the longest streak in regional history. Each year, a championship ring ceremony allows athletes from the previous year to come back to campus to receive their championship rings and praise from the community. The program has earned national rankings seven times, reaching a peak of No. 2 in 2025. It recorded 30 match victories in both 2011 and 2024. Andrew Solomon has been the Lakers’ head coach for eight years and is a two-time Region III Coach of the Year. In 2023, Andrew also led the inaugural FLCC men’s volleyball team to a NJCAA National Invitational Championship, earning him Coach of the Year in that role. Esports levels up FLCC Esports remains one of the largest and most active collegiate esports programs in the country. Approved in 2019 as a varsity sport, the team has steadily added to its list of achievements, including earning its fifth national championship in fall 2025 in Fortnite Zero Build. This spring, the roster has grown to 130 students competing across 24 game titles five days a week. Competing in NJCAAe Tier I and III, the program uses a flexible model that allows players to compete and collaborate both on campus and online. Over the last eight years, Coach Michael VanEtten has developed notable collaborations, including a partnership with the Empire State Scholastic Esports Federation to strengthen connections between local high schools and collegiate esports. The program is also supported by a 12-member student leadership board that guides media production, team engagement, and student support roles. Strong Laker teams build momentum campus happenings The men’s soccer team celebrates its championship in National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region III District B. Women’s volleyball players show off their championship rings. Esports continues to add players and trophies. Cheer on the Lakers Entry to all FLCC athletic events is free and open to the public. Game schedules, recaps and team information are posted by sport at flcc.edu/athletics.
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