In focus: Club sports

About 800 students participate in Princeton's 31 club sports, which range from traditional sports such as baseball, softball, basketball, soccer and volleyball to more unique pursuits such as martial arts, ballroom dancing, rifle and table tennis.

Club sports are overseen by the Department of Athletics, but are separate from Princeton's varsity sports. The clubs compete against other colleges and universities on a regional and national level, and several squads this year enjoyed successful seasons, including:

Cycling: After eight weekends of races in the Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference, Princeton's team -- which includes men and women -- has qualified for the national tournament to be held May 21-23 in Madison, Wis.

Men's ice hockey: Princeton was the runner-up to Wagner College in the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Hockey Association, reaching the league's championship game for the first time.

Men's lacrosse: Princeton's club made the National Collegiate Lacrosse League tournament for the second straight year and finished the season ranked third out of the league's 100 teams.

Rifle: Princeton's rifle club advanced to the Mid-Atlantic Conference tournament and reached the quarterfinals.

Rugby: The women's club finished second in the nation, losing to Penn State after upsetting three higher-ranked teams (Illinois, Massachusetts and Virginia) to reach the finals. In March, the club took a six-day tour of England and Wales, where it practiced with the Richmond and Blackheath clubs outside of London. The men's club captured its first Ivy League championship in 25 years, capping a season that also included an undefeated tour of Trinidad and a victory in the Schuykill River Exiles Tournament in Philadelphia.

Ski and snowboard: The women's and men's clubs finished first and third, respectively, in the New Jersey Conference.

Table tennis: Princeton's men's club finished second in the Mid-Atlantic Division of the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association.

Tae kwon do: The Princeton club finished sixth in its national tournament, at which its eight members collected four gold, one silver and five bronze medals.

Ultimate Frisbee: The men's club recorded its best season in three years, finishing fifth in its regional tournament in the Ultimate Players Association college division. The women's club finished third in its sectional tournament and ended the season with a 19-3 record. Both Princeton teams are known as Clockwork Orange.