This year’s event at Knoxville Catholic High features all youth teams in two days of competition
By Dan McWilliams
The annual Knights Cup Lacrosse Tournament features all youth teams from around East Tennessee in its seventh rendition this year.
The two-day event is set for Friday and Saturday, April 25-26, at Blaine Stadium on the campus of Knoxville Catholic High School.
Four youth lacrosse teams will play on the first day in round-robin action starting at 6 p.m. and 12 more the following day beginning at 9 a.m. Teams will play two games each on Saturday, and both Blaine Stadium and an auxiliary field will be used. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. Friday and 8:30 a.m. Saturday.
The Knights Cup has raised more than $65,000 in its previous six lacrosse tourneys held from 2016 to 2024 to benefit Catholic Charities of East Tennessee’s Pregnancy Help Center in Knoxville, again the beneficiary this year. Previous tourneys have showcased high school and college teams along with youth players.
“The benefit to youth lacrosse is continuing to promote youth athletics and provide an opportunity for teams to play out-of-market competition in front of the large crowds at Blaine Stadium,” event coordinator Seth Smith said of the 2025 Knights Cup.
Knights of Columbus Council 5207 at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus is the main sponsor of the event. More than 40 Knights, including district deputy John Saucier, will be volunteering for the Cup this year, Mr. Smith said.
The outlook for the latest Knights Cup is “increased attendance as parents and families support youth lacrosse and promoting the sport with youth teams playing under the big lights of Blaine Stadium,” Mr. Smith said.
The event coordinator encouraged fans to come out and support the Knights Cup.
“The popularity of lacrosse continues to grow nationwide, and fans continue to fill stadiums,” he said. “Individuals and businesses can contribute by becoming sponsors and advertisers for the event.”
Sponsors can visit knightscup.org to learn how they can help. Different levels of sponsorship are available from $750 to $1,500 that can include sponsors’ names and logos on all promotional materials and corporate logos on the event website, corporate logos on the game program cover, ads in the game program, and “brought to you by” public-address announcements. Ads in the program range from $50 for an eighth-page ad to $200 for a full-page ad.
A total of 100 tickets will be provided to sponsored teams.
Sponsors and advertisers may also contact Mr. Smith at 301-787-2965 or ssmith765@hotmail.com.
Tickets are good for all games on both days. Adult tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the gate, and tickets for children 13 and older are $4 in advance and $6 at the gate. Children under 13 are admitted free. Family packages are $20 in advance and $25 at the gate. The game program will be sold at the stadium for $7. Tickets may be purchased at the website.
Mr. Smith this year succeeds longtime Knights Cup coordinator Tom Ciaccia, who began leading sports events in 2004 for the Sacred Heart council, beginning with a single-day baseball tournament at the Knoxville Smokies’ stadium in Kodak.
“Tom conceived the idea over 20 years ago of creating an event to bring together two things he values: youth athletics and Catholic charity,” Mr. Smith said, adding that special thanks should go to Mr. Ciaccia for those years of “dedication to make the Knights Cup a success for Catholic Charities and the athletes.”
Mr. Smith also expressed gratitude to Jason Surlas, athletics director at Knoxville Catholic, “for continuing to be a supporter of the Knights Cup and [KCHS physical-plant manager] Kelly Tillery for making the use of Blaine Stadium and Faris Field available for this event,” as well as Rob Saunders of Council 5207, Knights Cup sponsors and advertisers, and individual Knights “for giving their time to make the event a success.”