Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. Clemson announced Thursday that it’s adding women’s lacrosse to its powerhouse athletics program. The Tigers will debut in 2022-23, giving the ACC 10 teams. (Pittsburgh comes on board next year.) Athletic director Dan Radakovich said on “Packer and Durham” that the school spent the last six weeks studying the viability of various women’s sports, deciding on lacrosse and gymnastics. The women’s lacrosse team will play its games at Riggs Field, known as one of the best college soccer venues in the country.
2. Dave Pietramala was introduced as the Syracuse men’s lacrosse team’s defensive coordinator — likely the first time there’s ever been a press conference (virtually or otherwise) for an assistant coach. That’s because Petro’s pedigree makes for an unusual second fiddle. But the former two-time NCAA championship-winning head coach at Johns Hopkins — where he also starred as arguably the best defenseman in the history of the sport — said coaching again at a place that puts a premium on college lacrosse was what he always wanted.
3. High Point men’s lacrosse coach Jon Torpey authored a short but poignant article, a message to parents of youth athletes. “If you celebrate your child’s personal growth, keep the expectations reasonable and don’t base their entire worth on their success,” Torpey wrote, “you’ll see very clearly the things that matter.”
4. Newly promoted UDC women’s lacrosse coach Zhane Ruffin is the latest subject of our content partnership with Blaxers Blog — a story by Brian Simpkins on the power of representation.
WHAT WE’RE READING
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Pietramala also deftly deflected a question about whether his twin sons — highly touted North Carolina commits Dom and Nick Pietramala — will follow him to Syracuse.
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Lacrosse All Stars on what the Gait-Pietramala union means and The Daily Orange with more from Thursday’s press conference.
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Staying on Syracuse, a Syracuse Post-Standard report indicating that the university spends more on its men’s and women’s lacrosse programs than any other school in the country.
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The best may be yet to come for Loyola sensation Livy Rosenzweig, whose brilliant career will continue in 2022 and was profiled by Press Box.
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About the documentary “16” and the filmmaker looking to bring to life the legacy of late Penn State men’s lacrosse goalie Connor Darcey.
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How Rutgers has reloaded via the NCAA transfer portal, now with six transfers in the fold for 2022.
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About seven high school lacrosse players in Maine who work together at a diner but will be divided in the state championship game.
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Details of the June 29 NLL expansion draft, during which the new Panther City Lacrosse Club will select 13 players for its inaugural team.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
A sit-down with Kylie Ohlmiller at the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum during last week’s U.S. women’s national team tryouts. Ohlmiller discusses the pride of wearing red, white and blue and the upcoming Athletes Unlimited season, among other topics.
"It's always an honor to wear USA across your chest"@kylieohlmiller chatted with Sam about @USAWLax tryouts, the debut of @AUProSports Lacrosse and more! pic.twitter.com/BMDHiScS7H
— Stony Brook Women's Lacrosse (@StonyBrookWLAX) June 17, 2021
WHAT’S ON TAP
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Tari Kandemiri aka Official Lax Girl reminds us that former UMass Lowell lacrosse player will vie for a spot in the upcoming Olympics — running in the 100-meter race during the U.S. Paralympic Trials tonight.
Lax kween Noelle Lambert (@TheBornToRunFo1) will be competing at the US Paralympic Trials tomorrow night in the 100m, vying for an Olympic spot in Tokyo!! pic.twitter.com/NkdpsODYg1
— Tari | Official Lax Girl™️ (@officiallaxgirl) June 17, 2021 -
Speaking of Kandemiri, she’ll be one of the Sankofa Lacrosse Clinic coaches on site Saturday for the Juneteenth Lacrosse Expo — a Harlem Jets event featuring teams from Baltimore, D.C., New York and Philadelphia.