Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • Videos
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Library
    • Research
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Health & Society
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • |
  • Alumni
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • |
  • Alumni
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • Videos
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Library
    • Research
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Health & Society

Ph.D Student Participates in European Lacrosse Championships

Wednesday, October 26, 2016, By Keith Kobland
Share
Ph.D student Ben Uveges competing during the European Lacrosse Championships. (Courtesy of  Agnes Vaczi Photography)

Ben Uveges, left, competing during the European Lacrosse Championships (Courtesy of Agnes Vaczi Photography)

As a Ph.D student in Earth sciences, Benjamin Uveges knows the rigors of research and deep thought. He also knows his way around a lacrosse field. Uveges played four years of lacrosse at the collegiate level. Then, this past summer, he performed on the international lacrosse stage, taking part in the European Championships. We recently asked Uveges about his goals, both academically and athletically.

Q. How did you become involved with the Hungarian lacrosse team?

A. I got involved with the team somewhat by chance. A few years ago, while the Lacrosse World Games were going on in Denver, my dad happened to see that Hungary was one of the countries that was looking to put a team together, but couldn’t do it in time for the Denver games. So we did some digging and saw that the guys in charge of putting the team together were holding tryouts for Americans with Hungarian heritage to join up and bring some experience, and frankly just numbers, to the team, as the Hungarians were having some trouble fielding a full 23-man squad. I have been playing for a long time, and had played four years of collegiate lacrosse at McGill University, and was looking for a way to play again in grad school. My dad’s side of the family is all of Hungarian descent (both sets of his grandparents, so my great-grandparents, immigrated here in the early 1900s), so I qualified as having Hungarian heritage. And I decided to give it a try and went to tryouts in June of 2015 in Philadelphia and January of 2016 in Budapest. I ended up making the team, and went on to play in the European Championships with them this past summer.

Q. What does your involvement actually entail?

A. The European Championships were held just outside of Budapest this summer, so I was lucky enough to get to spend almost a month in Hungary, as I had to go a week early for practices. The games consisted of 24 teams from across Europe, and was structured as a pool play tournament. We were placed in Pool A (random draw) and played everyone in our pool once. Once pool play was over, the teams were divided up into three playoff divisions, two teams from each pool went into each division, and it was basically run like three separate playoffs. In the end, I think we ended up playing eight games over the course of 10 days. We finished fifth in our pool, which put us in the lowest playoff division, but we were able to go undefeated once we hit the playoff bracket, and finished 17th overall in the tournament.

Q. How difficult is it balancing your studies with lacrosse?

A. In terms of balancing lacrosse with my studies, it really only became an issue when I had to travel over to Hungary for a month during the summer, which is typically the time when I get the most research done. I have finished my graduate coursework, and passed my qualifying exam, so now I’m at the point where I am just trying to finish up my research/dissertation. Most of the time it was just trying to get back in shape and keep up my stick skills on my own time. I only had to travel for the team a couple times, and to Hungary only twice (last January for tryouts, and then again for the Euro Games). Because lacrosse isn’t as big of a sport as, say, basketball or soccer, the national teams don’t actually have enough money to pay the players anything, or pay for them to travel, so the total amount of travel was kept to a minimum.

Q. Is there any connectivity between your graduate work and lacrosse? Does one help or impede the other?

A. I think that there is certainly a connection between my graduate work and lacrosse, and just athletics in general. I find that having some outlet through which I can blow off steam is not only beneficial for me, but almost a necessity. I definitely get jumpy if my work keeps me from doing some form of exercise for too long, and I think that my academics would suffer if I didn’t have an outlet. I think that having something that is physically stimulating, can both enhance and balance out the mental stimulation and rigor of graduate school.

  • Author

Keith Kobland

  • Recent
  • ‘ADA Live!’ Focuses on Protection and Advocacy Systems for People with Disabilities
    Sunday, February 28, 2021, By News Staff
  • Hilda A. Frimpong Becomes the First Black Student to Lead Syracuse Law Review
    Saturday, February 27, 2021, By Robert Conrad
  • Important Update for Flexible Spending Accounts
    Friday, February 26, 2021, By News Staff
  • Message From Dean of Students Marianne Thomson
    Friday, February 26, 2021, By News Staff
  • CAS in Intercollegiate Athletic Advising and Support Addresses Unique Needs of College Student-Athletes
    Thursday, February 25, 2021, By Jennifer Russo

More In Health & Society

CAS in Intercollegiate Athletic Advising and Support Addresses Unique Needs of College Student-Athletes

The Department of Higher Education in the School of Education is expanding their curriculum offerings to prepare current and future higher education professionals (e.g., advisors, administrators and coaches) to learn how to support and advocate for the success of intercollegiate…

Boost Your Immune System With These Expert Tips (and Recipes!)

A healthy immune system is important throughout the year, but even more so during cold and flu season and while we remain at-risk of contracting COVID-19. In honor of National Nutrition Month, celebrated in March, we tapped into campus experts…

Application Deadline Approaching: Five Reasons to Be a Barnes Center at The Arch Peer Educator

The deadline to apply to be a Barnes Center at The Arch Peer Educator for the 2021-22 academic year is Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, and all students are encouraged to submit an application. Students who are interested in applying for…

CRS Professor’s New Book Focuses on the Rhetoric of Antisemitism

Amos Kiewe, a professor in the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies (CRS), has authored the new book, “The Rhetoric of Antisemitism: From the Origins of Christianity and Islam to the Present” (Lexington Books). It…

Spring 2021: Barnes Center at The Arch Services and Hours; Virtual Recreation Jan. 30–Feb. 4   

As the Spring 2021 semester begins, the Barnes Center at The Arch announces hours, services and more surrounding holistic health and well-being. Visit the Stay Safe: Barnes Center at The Arch webpage for information surrounding how to access services, resources…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
Social Media Directory

For the Media

Find an Expert Follow @SyracuseUNews
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • @SUCampus
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2021 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.