Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. Courtney Murphy set a NCAA Division I record with 100 goals as a junior in 2016. Her senior season in 2017 was wrecked by injuries, ending with a torn ACL four games into the season. She made the decision to come back for a fifth year so she can go out on her terms in 2018. Murphy wrote a deeply honest piece about her feelings as she dealt with the injury and watched her team move on withour her.
2. A new NCAA survey revealed that lacrosse was on the leading edge of the early recruiting phenomenon, and it came at a cost. Lacrosse players had the second-lowest satisfaction rate of their overall recruiting experience of all sports. Additionally, less than 70 percent of men’s and women’s lacrosse players felt the accuracy of their expected role of the team was conveyed during recruitment.
3. Hall of Fame coach Dom Starsia shared his thoughts on the key leadership traits he's seen from players over the years. Starsia also worries about how the next generation of leaders will develop. He writes, "Youth sports are so adult-organized these days, where/how would a young athlete begin to develop leadership skills?"
4. US Lacrosse awarded 21 grants through its National Diversity Grant Program. The grants are worth $32,500 and are expected to directly impact over 3,200 participants. This is the second set of awards through the grant program this year. US Lacrosse awarded $53,000 earlier in the year.
5. The National Lacrosse League announced its 2018 playoff format, which will include single elimination division semifinal and final games followed by a best of three Champions Cup.