Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. US Lacrosse unveiled the #LaxAtHome portal Thursday with expanded digital offerings and educational resources from our partners and friends in the lacrosse community. With separate tracks for athletes, parents, coaches and officials, this centralized resource will help you stay on top of your game while staying home during the coronavirus pandemic.
2. A record 30 nations will compete in the 2021 World Lacrosse Women’s World Championship. US Lacrosse will host the quadrennial championship July 7-17, 2021, at Towson University. Among first-time participants are Argentina, Jamaica, Norway, Puerto Rico and Uganda.
3. Two All-American goalies announced their decisions regarding the additional year of eligibility afforded them by the NCAA.
Delaware’s Matt DeLuca, a two-time All-American and four-year starter, posted a thank-you note on Instagram indicating that he was moving on.
Syracuse’s Drake Porter, meanwhile, concluded a post announcing his return with three words: “Hartford or bust.” The 2021 NCAA men’s lacrosse championship weekend will be played at UConn’s Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn.
4. Kali Hartshorn, a second-team All-American and one of the top draw specialists in the country, announced Thursday she would not return to Maryland in 2021.
5. Old Dominion is joining the American Athletic Conference as an affiliate member in women’s lacrosse, giving the AAC the sixth team it needs to retain its automatic qualifier.
WHAT WE’RE READING
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Ousted Johns Hopkins coach Dave Pietramala broke his silence Thursday, telling the Baltimore Sun he bears no ill will and has no regrets about how his 20-year tenure ended.
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Richmond isn’t lamenting the loss of a breakthrough season. The Spiders, who were undefeated and ranked No. 13 nationally when the NCAA shut down sports due to the COVID-19 outbreak, instead are looking forward to a bright future.
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The Daily Orange on Nick Mellen’s farewell press conference and Syracuse’s mixed bag of returnees and players who have entered the transfer portal.
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Three former Tufts players are teaming up to help their peers funnel funds to coronavirus relief efforts, per the Syracuse Post Standard.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
Major League Lacrosse declared Thursday “Gary Gait Day,” and highlights of the Great One’s epic performance in the 2005 playoffs as player-coach for the Bayhawks did not disappoint. He was 38 and still unstoppable.
At 38 years old, Gary Gait DOMINATED the 2005 MLL Playoffs
— Major League Lacrosse (@MLL_Lacrosse) April 16, 2020
He scored 11 goals
And he was a coach too #GaryGaitDaypic.twitter.com/DmLPDWFIzK
WHAT’S ON TAP
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A story about Gabby Kiewe, who built an adaptive lacrosse ball for the blind as part of a high school engineering project and appeared live on US Lacrosse’s Instagram for a Q&A with Kyle Harrison earlier this week.
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How Small Town Sticks, a US Lacrosse First Stick Program grant recipient, is growing the game in South Jersey.