Auburn has a long and proud lacrosse tradition. Ray VanGiesen, an Auburn High Alumni and as inaugural member of the AHS Athletic Hall of Fame, is widely recognized as the "founding father" of Central New York Lacrosse at the high school level. VanGiesen was a collegiate lacrosse All-American at Hobart in 1932 before going on to found the Fayetteville-Manlius program in 1933.
The Auburn School District's Lacrosse program was founded in 1972 by Mr. Thomas Butcher. Since that inaugural season, the Maroons have enjoyed 17 sectional tournament appearances, advanced to 5 semi-final appearances in 1976, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, and captured Sectional and Regional Championships and a NYS Final Four Berth in 2001.
The Maroons have had 5 players earn US Lacrosse High School All-American and Academic All-American status. there are also hundreds of alumni who have participated in the game at the Jr. College, Division I, II, and III levels since the program inception. These alumni have gone on to earn numerous Collegiate Academic and Athletic All-American Honors, Players of the Year Honors and six who have won JUCO and NCAA National Championships. There are currently 5 alumni coaching collegiate lacrosse and an additional 22 alumni who are playing at the college level. -Nick Musso