Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. The US Lacrosse Convention (LaxCon) drew more than 7,000 lacrosse coaches, officials, fans and industry representatives to Baltimore for a three-day extravaganza. It included a record 2,843 attendees for Saturday’s Fan Fest, which provided access to the expo hall, live field presentations and Team USA autograph session. Check out photo galleries from Friday and Saturday, as well as some social media highlights from #LaxCon below.
2. The U.S. indoor team’s Blue-White exhibition took place before a packed house at DuBurns Arena in Baltimore on Saturday night. Marcus Holman, a member of the 2014 and 2018 U.S. field teams and the 2015 U.S. indoor team, scored three goals to lead White to a 13-12 victory over Blue in an intense scrimmage. Head coach Regy Thorpe, one of several box lacrosse presenters at LaxCon, used the event to evaluate 40 players who are not on active NLL rosters.
3. The Buffalo Bandits, trailing 6-0 out of the gate and 12-5 near the end of the third quarter, pulled off an improbable comeback to defeat the previously unbeaten Saskatchewan Rush 16-15 in Saskatoon on Friday night. The NLL’s Twitter Game of the Week did not disappoint, as Buffalo’s backup goalie Zach Higgins came up huge in overtime, while little-used Pat Saunders scored the game-winning goal. In the other NLL game this weekend, the first-place New England Black Wolves improved to 4-1 with an 11-9 home win Sunday over the Rochester Knighthawks.
4. The NCAA Division II men’s and women’s lacrosse tournaments will expand to 12 and 16 teams, respectively, beginning in 2019. Starting this season, the women’s tournament is moving to a four-region format. “Our division is growing,” LIU Post coach Meghan McNamara said.
5. Paul Day, a longtime professional indoor lacrosse coach and executive, was named head coach and general manager of the NLL’s Philadelphia Wings. He said he envisions the expansion team, which starts in 2018-19 with the same name as a proud franchise that operated in Philadelphia from 1987-2014, becoming “the flagship of the NLL.”
What We’re Reading
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Bill Wilson is operating as Air Force’s interim coach, but the government shutdown is further complicating matters for the Falcons, College Crosse reports.
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Furman gave Jackson Roberts one last bus ride home.
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Penn State may have found Nick Aponte’s replacement on attack.
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With a healthy Selena Lasota, a fifth year of Danita Stroup, the draw prowess of Shelby Fredericks and Claire Quinn moving back to the midfield, Northwestern is a dark horse to get to the final four.
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Syracuse is still catching up after its fall season was cut short due to a mumps outbreak. The Orange started to find some answers Saturday with its first preseason scrimmage against Vermont.
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9/11 hero Welles Crowther (Boston College) and former college lacrosse stars Mandee O’Leary (Temple) and Larry Quinn (Johns Hopkins) will be honored with the Tewaaraton Spirit and Legends awards in May.
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The Philadelphia Eagles are going to the Super Bowl, and the wives are getting some media attention of their own — namely U.S. women’s soccer standout Julie Ertz, wife of tight end Zach Ertz, who was driven to tears when she received the news. Before the Eagles’ big win over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC championship game, however, Heavy.com profiled defensive end Chris Long, noting his wife Megan’s background as a star lacrosse player at Virginia.The article omits that Chris Long himself played lacrosse in high school. The Eagles will play the Patriots, featuring former Penn State lacrosse player Chris Hogan, in Super Bowl 52.
What We’re Watching
Ohio Machine and two-time Team USA midfielder Kyle Harrison featured prominently at LaxCon, participating in several demos and discussions on diversity in the sport. He was fresh off a trip to Hong Kong. Check out the trailer.
The sweetest of Marcus Holman’s three goals in the U.S. indoor team’s Blue-White exhibition:
AIR HOLMAN • Highlights coming soon! #USAIndoor @USAMLax pic.twitter.com/s4PT81rI9T
— US Lacrosse (@USLacrosse) January 21, 2018
Loyola assistant and Team Canada star Dana Dobbie shows some slick-sticked moves off the draw at LaxCon.
One hand work as drawer -- walk the dog, fly the kite, walk the dog, fly the kite #danadobie #laxcon pic.twitter.com/LZqIQXTsSr
— Capital Lacrosse (@CLCLacrosse) January 20, 2018
Stony Brook’s midnight madness:
It's officially midnight, and here come the Seawolves at LaValle Stadium! #NCAALax #AEWLAX pic.twitter.com/FUs0pvTll1
— Stony Brook WLAX (@StonyBrookWLAX) January 20, 2018
He’s crazy like a fox. @JoeSpallina has a message for the rest of NCAA women’s lacrosse: The Seawolves are coming. @StonyBrookWLAX @News12LI #ncaa #lacrosse pic.twitter.com/Tz7BkZWiol
— jamie stuart (@N12jamiestuart) January 20, 2018
What’s On Tap
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We’re inside the top 10 of our countdown of the Nike/US Lacrosse Preseason Top 20s featuring extensive team-by-team previews. Up today: No. 10 North Carolina (men) and No. 10 Navy (women).
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Of course, the college season already has started. The MCLA got underway Saturday, as Baylor defeated Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 20-5 and UT-Dallas took down Louisiana Tech 15-4 in Division II openers. We’ll unveil the Warrior/US Lacrosse MCLA Preseason Players of the Year for Division I and Division II today.
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Hall of Famer Roy Colsey, 44, suited up for the U.S. indoor team in the Blue-White exhibition. Don’t call it a comeback?
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Neil Stevens checks in with more news and notes from around the NLL.