Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. Former North Carolina goalie Caton Johnson is transferring.
Johnson, displaced between the pipes this season by freshman Collin Krieg, is headed to Ohio State, Inside Lacrosse’s Ty Xanders reports. He entered the portal in February and left the Tar Heels’ roster.
Johnson started 13 games from 2019-20 with UNC and was the 2019 ACC freshman of the year. He should be able to compete for a starting job with the Buckeyes.
2. Livy Rosenzweig is returning to Loyola in 2022.
The program’s all-time points leader can further distance herself from the pack by playing a fifth season next spring, taking advantage of the eligibility waiver granted by the NCAA as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and shortened 2020 season.
She revealed the news on “The Stick Drop” podcast with Sheehan Stanwick Burch. While back at Loyola, she plans to get her Master’s in Clinical Professional Counseling.
3. An NCAA decision is drawing sharp criticism from the lacrosse community.
The NCAA reduced bench sizes from 52 to 45 per team, including coaches, players and support staff. Participating teams learned of the restriction during a conference call on Monday.
In other women’s Division I coaching news, New Hampshire announced that coach Sarah Albrecht will not return after nine years in charge of the Wildcats program.
4. Endicott has bowed out of the men’s Division III tournament.
Positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing forced Endicott out, meaning Christopher Newport will move on to the second round as a result of the no-contest.
CNU will play the winner of Stevenson (the host team) and Kean.
5. Ric Beardsley has stepped down as head coach of Christian Brothers Academy (N.Y.).
Beardsley, who spent the last decade with CBA, led the Brothers to a state title in 2017 but abruptly left the team Thursday, citing personal reasons. He said it has nothing to do with health concerns.
6. Saturday’s Lehigh-Rutgers men’s game will be special.
Three Kirst brothers — Colin, Connor and Cole — will share the field in the first round of the NCAA tournament (Colin and Connor with Rutgers and Cole with Lehigh) in memory of their late father, Kyle.
Matt Hamilton with the story on family, lacrosse and how proud their father would be.
WHAT WE’RE READING
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Lenoir-Rhyne’s Bryce Reece said that as a Black athlete, he has to work twice as hard in lacrosse to get the same recognition as others. Blaxers Blog tells his story.
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Anish Shroff makes his long-awaited return to USALaxMagazine.com with a breakdown of the first round of the NCAA men’s tournament.
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James Madison had some early hiccups, but Ella Brockway writes that the Dukes are peaking at the right time.
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Even UConn players were a bit surprised to be included in the 29-team women’s tournament field. Now, Ella Brockway writes that they’re just going to keep fighting.
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Tournament time means upset time. Patrick Stevens with the top 10 biggest upsets in the 50-year history of the NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse tournament.
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From Denison’s Paul Flannery: Steven Villacorta’s improbable rise to lacrosse stardom as the son of El Salvadoran immigrants.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
The first game of the day on Friday features Stony Brook and Towson. The Seawolves are ready.
Ready to earn one more practice #WinOneEarnOne | #NCAALAX pic.twitter.com/5QsbF0HQdg
— Stony Brook Women's Lacrosse (@StonyBrookWLAX) May 13, 2021
WHAT’S ON TAP
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Thirteen Division I women’s tournament games, beginning at noon.