Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. There’s another McMahon at USC.
The Women of Troy lost one half of the Huff sisters when Kaeli Huff transferred to Stony Brook but reunited a pair of sisters when former Penn midfielder Michaela McMahon chose to transfer to USC on Thursday.
She joins her older sister, Izzy, in Southern Cal. Their older sister, Gabby, played at USC from 2014-17. The youngest McMahon sisters, Daniella and Sophia, both play at Stanford. The family is from Bardonia, N.Y.
Michaela McMahon won a gold medal in 2019 with the U.S. women’s U19 team and has since produced at Penn. In 23 games at Penn, she’s started 16 games and scored 29 goals with six assists.
USC lost Huff and Kerrigan Miller as transfers but added Maddie McDaniel and McMahon to presumably help fill those holes on the roster.
2. Our NCAA team previews continued with looks at the No. 7 teams.
In Hall of Fame coach Bill Tierney’s opinion, midfielder Jack Hannah is the most competitive player he’s ever coached — and he belongs in the conversation as one of the top middies in the country. More here from Patrick Stevens on the Denver men.
Cara Trombetta told Florida’s coaches that she wants to be challenged whenever she steps on the field. It’s the veteran leadership that will set an example for the large number of younger players on the Gators’ roster. Justin Feil checks in with Florida here.
WHAT WE’RE READING
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An incredibly powerful story by Matt Kinnear of Inside Lacrosse on Adelphi attacker Alison Johnson, who lost her mother in May and whose father has been in a vegetative state after he suffered a heart attack in 2019.
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“She’s so Zen.” The Daily Tar Heel with a look at how Jenny Levy built UNC.
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Penn State head coach Jeff Tambroni knows how to build culture. Here are a few books he looks to when shaping his teams’ identities.
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Ross Dickerson, statistically the best faceoff man of all time across all three divisions, isn’t worried about the standing neutral grip, writes Matt Hamilton.
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It’s “Week Zero” of the Division I men’s season, and Tanner Demling of Lacrosse Bucket has a primer of the top storylines.
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How to eat for immune support during COVID-19 from our friends at TrueSport.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
Thankfully, lacrosse is back this weekend. We missed pole goals.
Defensemen generating offense was on full display in 2019. Longsticks shot 41% from inside the arc and 17.9% from 2-point range.
— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) January 28, 2021
Q: How did coaches stop transition offense in 2020? pic.twitter.com/vEmtqkY4V5
WHAT’S ON TAP
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Our 2021 NCAA Preview rollout continues with scouting reports on the No. 6-ranked North Carolina men and Northwestern women.