Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. College lacrosse is back on campus. We’ve included a litany of events — including women’s lacrosse play days this weekend at Columbia and Stony Brook — in a composite fall ball schedule for fans to follow.
2. Caroline Haussermann, a National Lacrosse Hall of Famer and trailblazer for the women’s game, died Aug. 20 in Williamsburg, Va. She was 92. Haussermann, also a member of the USA Field Hockey Hall of Fame, was the first executive director of the United States Women’s Lacrosse Association. As an athlete, she played both squash and field hockey internationally.
3. Rich Kilgour and John Tavares, Buffalo Bandits legends whose jersey numbers are next to each other in the rafters of KeyBank Center, will stand together behind the Bandits bench as co-head coaches next season.
4. Major League Lacrosse will reportedly move the start of its season to June starting in 2019, according to a tweet by US Lacrosse Magazine contributor Marisa Ingemi, thus eliminating much of the overlap that previously prevented National Lacrosse League players from joining MLL teams until midseason.
Sounding like MLL schedule in 2019 will be first weekend of June. So after NCAA final four, cuts off near all NLL overlap for players. Rookies get a full season (assuming draft is before/during the final four)
— Marisa Ingemi (@Marisa_Ingemi) September 20, 2018
WHAT WE’RE READING
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Towson introduced Steve Grossi, an experienced assistant coach with stops at Richmond, Princeton and St. Joseph’s, as its new defensive coordinator Thursday.
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Gary Gait reconnected with his hometown newspaper and indicated there’s been progress in his role as lead negotiator for the NLTPA and general manager of the Canadian women’s national team program.
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The WNBA could learn a thing or two from MLL, writes Forbes’ David Berri.
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Longtime Ridgewood (N.J.) girls’ lacrosse coach Karla Mixon has resigned after 18 seasons at the helm of one of the most successful teams in North Jersey. Ridgewood, the Tournament of Champions runner-up, finished the 2018 season ranked No. 21 in the Nike/US Lacrosse National Top 25.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
US Lacrosse women’s game senior manager Caitlin Kelley and Team NB/Brine athlete Marie McCool discuss rule changes, innovation, growing the game and the impact of the new Dynasty Warp Pro.
Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly recalls his lacrosse days in Cincinnati, playing lax alongside Bengals coach Marvin Lewis’ son, Marcus.
Luke Kuechly played lacrosse growing up with the son of Bengals coach Marvin Lewis. pic.twitter.com/eE2iGWM8ca
— Steve Reed (@SteveReedAP) September 20, 2018
Read more about the Kuechly connection on ESPN.com.
WHAT’S ON TAP
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Our series of profiles on the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame Class of 2018 continues with legendary high school girls’ lacrosse coach Phyllis Kilgour and women’s game pioneer Denise Wescott.
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