PROVO â Mason Quck didn't always dream of playing lacrosse, but when he grew to love it he knew he wanted to play collegiately.
But after a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in South Africa and his freshman season with the University of Utah's NCAA Division I team, the former Corner Canyon standout realized he wanted more than lacrosse from his collegiate lacrosse experience.
He found it 45 minutes to the south, with BYU's club lacrosse team that currently ranks second in the MCLA, the highest level of club lacrosse outside the NCAA structure.
And he's succeeding, too.
In his first season in the MCLA, the sophomore attack from Draper scored 63 goals with 37 assists in 15 matches, helping the defending national champion Cougars to a 14-1 record and the No. 2 seed in Friday's Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Conference (RMLC) tournament at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman.
"I feel joy from playing the game again," Quick told KSL.com. "And, I mean, I give all my credit to my teammates."
Making the move south wasn't easy for the former Deseret News Mr. Lacrosse in 2022. Quick's parents are both Utah graduates, both of them products of their parents, and he has two uncles, an aunt and a brother who attended the U.
But after the former high school All-American played in three games as a freshman with the Utes, he felt a pull to a new environment. It wasn't necessarily about lacrosse, he admits, and Quick says he still loves his former teammates.
But when he got in touch with BYU coach Matt Schenk â pretty much "from the beginning," he says â that recruitment eventually revolved more than a ball and stick.
"The overall holistic experience was just not what he was looking for," Schenk recalled. "There's a lot to it. Some guys choose a school because of lacrosse, and some people choose a place to go to school with lacrosse and other factors.
"Mason was looking for something different," he added, "BYU could provide what he was looking for, and after that it was a question of making sure we could get him into school because BYU is not an easy place academically."
Quick grew up going to Utah football games with his dad's season tickets. While trading in red for blue (or vice versa) has become increasingly common, Quick also admits that it took a little while for his parents to get used to seeing him wearing the other colors of the in-state rivalry.
He had the same reaction.
"It was a little weird to see my dad wearing a BYU hat for the first time," he said with a laugh.
Quick adapted well to the unique culture in Provo, to the university, and to a lacrosse team where many of his teammates were returned missionaries with similar values.
He also adapted well in play, moving up from the midfield to attack and ranking second nationally in goals and first with 100 total points.
Surrounded by teammates Gavin Taylor, who ranks third nationally with 87 points, and Cade Kirschner, whose 72 points rank No. 8 in the MCLA, the Cougars open the RMLC tournament Friday at 7 p.m. MT against third-seeded Colorado State.'
A win, as well as a win by No. 1-ranked Utah Valley against fourth-seeded Colorado in the first semifinal at 4 p.m. MT, would set up a Saturday title bout between the top two teams in the country (3 p.m. MT).
The Wolverines (14-0) pulled away from the Cougars 17-11 in the regular season.
Quick would love little more than another shot at his new crosstown rivals, as well as a shot at his first national tournament.
"There are a lot of great players and a lot of great teams (in the MCLA)," he said. "I think those top teams can compete with a lot of teams in the NCAA. I think the biggest difference is just the speed of the game, and how the guys move the rock. But I love it."
Mostly, though, he just wants another chance to play lacrosse with a group that has accepted him as well as his BYU teammates.
"I'm just having fun," he said. "I love my teammates, and all of those points that I've gotten really come from them. They put me in the right positions and help me get better every day in practice, in games, and giving me the right looks to get better."
