STATESBORO, Ga. - As of Feb. 12, the Georgia Southern men's lacrosse team became the first team in the SouthEastern Lacrosse Conference (SELC), and one of the first in the MCLA, to be nationally recognized as a Purple Heart Team.

They join a growing list of organizations that include numerous former Major League Lacrosse teams as well as Major League Baseball and National Football League teams.

The idea to become a Purple Heart Team came from the fact that Georgia Southern’s coach, Christopher Lowe, is a combat-wounded veteran who lost use of his right leg in Afghanistan and is a member of the Military Order of The Purple Heart and Purple Heart Riders.

To be nationally recognized as a Purple Heart Team, a program needs to work with a local chapter of the Military Order of The Purple Heart (MOPH), issue a proclamation that sets aside a day or game to honor our nation's wounded service members and send a copy of the proclamation to the MOPH headquarters.