Biden Makes Orange Feel At Home

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WASHINGTON, D.C. - United States Vice President and 1968 Syracuse University College of Law graduate Joe Biden opened his office and his home to the NCAA champion Orange lacrosse team on Wednesday, June 24.

Biden invited the team to the nation's capital for a reception to celebrate Syracuse's NCAA-record 11th national championship, which the Orange captured with a thrilling 10-9 come-from-behind victory against Cornell. SU rallied from three goals down with less than four minutes to play to tie the game before emerging victorious in overtime. It was a performance Biden called "the single most exciting game I have seen in God knows when."

The vice president addressed the Orange in his office at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building where he gave the team a brief history lesson on the significance of some of the furniture in the room, including his desk which was once used by President Richard Nixon.

Following the vice president's remarks, the team presented him with several ceremonial gifts, including a signed helmet with "Biden" printed across the back. In addition, Syracuse-Steiner Sports is preparing a shadow box for the vice president that includes a game ball from the Orange's NCAA title win over the Big Red as well as a piece of the net.

"I can't even put into words how awestruck we all were listening to the vice president talk," midfielder Matt Abbott said. "He is an SU graduate and to think that he went from being where we were [as SU students] to being the vice president of the United States is amazing."

Before adjourning to his residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory for the reception, Biden surprised the Orange by taking them to the White House where President Barack Obama took a few minutes out of his busy schedule to say hello.

"President Obama shook all of our hands," Abbott said. "It really meant a lot to us that he would take the time to do that with all that's going on in the world right now. It was an unbelievable experience."

To cap off the trip, Biden arranged a private White House tour for the team Thursday morning before the Orange boarded the bus back to Syracuse.

"To get a personally guided tour by the vice president is something I never thought in a million years I would get to do," Abbott said.

Fans interested in learning more about the team's visit to Washington, D.C. can check out manager Justin Simon's blog updates at SUathletics.com/blog.

Syracuse University Athletics

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