‘Drip King’ found purpose, fulfillment in Christ, making Spirit-led impact on Liberty men’s lacrosse

Caleb Hammett's transformation from embodying the party culture at a secular school to becoming a new creation in Christ and part of the Spirit-filled community at Liberty University is documented on a Flames Central feature released on Good Friday.

Hammett, also known on his social media platforms as the Drip King, has emerged as a game-changing faceoff specialist for the Flames' men's lacrosse team this spring, winning 218 out of 263 faceoffs (83 percent) and scoring five goals. He is gearing up for Saturday's ALC Championship semifinal showdown with Clemson at Lynchburg's City Stadium with a new outlook on the game.

"Lacrosse used to be my whole entire identity, but now it's completely in Jesus," he said. "(In eighth grade), I started feeling like me being a good lacrosse player correlated to worth, and that kind of set the tone for the rest of high school where it really, really became my identity."

He accepted a scholarship to play lacrosse at NCAA Division I UMass, where he enjoyed a breakout redshirt freshman season that gave him significant status on and off the field.

Caleb Hammett surrounded by refs — Hammett emerged from a dark season before Liberty. (Photos by Kendall Tidwell)

"I quickly fell into the trap of going to all of the team events, all of the team parties," Hammett said. "I figured out immediately the only way to bond was over partying, and chasing girls, and being a good lacrosse player. This was the thing that I had been chasing my whole entire life. I had exceeded it more than I could have ever imagined, and I was more empty than I could have ever imagined."

He endured a wrist injury that threatened his playing career, and a teammate died unexpectedly, which only caused him to further flounder in his faith.

"That was the first time I'd ever seen loss in my life, especially that close, and that still wasn't enough to fully bring God into my life," Hammett said, noting that he and his girlfriend, who were living a worldly relationship, broke up a month later. "I was in a really bad mental place and … that was when I hit a point where I was like, 'This is rock bottom.'"

Striving for acceptance, Hammett discovered a new outlet of creating lacrosse-related content on social media, building a following of more than 4 million people that still left him empty.

"Junior year (at UMass) was the time where I was blowing up a lot on social media and I remember I was so addicted to the views," Hammett said. "I probably had the most viral videos that I've ever had, but as viral as the videos were going … I just (felt) disappointed in myself."
That was when he heard the voice of God, calling him to surrender his life to Christ.

"I always kind of had that subtle belief in God, and I was like, 'I want purpose, I just want a reason to be here,'" Hammett recalled. "I was just praying and … this is the only time I've ever felt the Lord audibly really call me into something, and He (said), 'Drop everything outside of Me and just fully give your life to Me.'"

Following the Lord's lead and inspired by the university's mission of Training Champions for Christ, Hammett chose to transfer to Liberty for his fifth and final year of eligibility as a graduate student and to join the Flames' MCLA Division I program.

Hammett and two teammates — Hammett (center) warms up between senior Ben Chun, graduate Conor Guiltinan.

"Since coming to Liberty, my faith comes first, and I have an opportunity to serve these guys as a talented lacrosse player," Hammett said. "It feels like such a right way to finish off my lacrosse career, where I can play, help the team, serve the guys on the team, and — being an older guy — pour into them faith-wise. I also have a lot of brothers around me and meeting a lot of great people that have been amazing community to me. I know the Lord has had His hand on that from the start."

"The first 20 years of my life almost was trying to find worth and value and identity in all of these different things of the world," Hammett added. "Being able to wake up in the morning every day and feeling like I'm living the life I was called to, I feel like that last puzzle piece that I could never fit in there is finally there."

He still has an active social media presence on Instagram and TikTok, using the platform to share his testimony of his faith in the Lord as well as his love for lacrosse.

"Being able to have a social media following still and being able to reach a lot of people is such a blessing that I know is only coming from Him," Hammett said. "I just encourage anybody that's on that fence to take the leap over and realize that your plan is so, so, so small compared to what God has for you."

Flames Central video produced by Caleb Smith, narrated by Matt Warner

Caleb Hammett faceoff win Texas A&M — Hammett, shown winning a faceoff against Texas A&M, has won 218 out of 263 draws on the season. (Photo by Ethan Smith)

‘Drip King’ found purpose, fulfillment in Christ, making Spirit-led impact on Liberty men’s lacrosse

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Players Mentioned

Caleb Hammett

‘Drip King’ found purpose, fulfillment in Christ, making Spirit-led impact on Liberty men’s lacrosse

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Caleb Hammett

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