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Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:

1. Utah’s much-anticipated Division I debut will come Oct. 20 in a fall ball exhibition against UMBC at US Lacrosse’s Tierney Field. The Utes, who will compete as an independent in their inaugural season, also released their spring schedule Wednesday. It includes dates at perennial powers Denver, Duke and Virginia, as well as games against borderline top-20 teams in Marquette, Vermont, Hofstra and UMass.

2. St. Anthony’s (N.Y.) attackman Brennan O’Neill and American Heritage-Delray (Fla.) attacker Caitlyn Wurzburger are the top-ranked recruits in the Class of 2020, according to Inside Lacrosse, which released its annual high school boys’ and girls’ recruiting rankings Wednesday. The magazine now limits its rankings to high school juniors and seniors in light of NCAA recruiting legislation that went into effect last year. O’Neill also competes for the Team 91 club team, while Wurzburger qualified for the U.S. U19 women’s training team last month.

3. Back-to-school week means college lacrosse teams are back on the field and getting after it in the weight room. A sampling of social media posts Wednesday:

4. Marie McCool, the former North Carolina and current Team USA standout who signed an endorsement deal with Brine/New Balance earlier this summer, visited US Lacrosse headquarters and Tierney Field on Wednesday for an all-day video and photo shoot. A glimpse behind the scenes:

5. UMass coach Greg Cannella, the second-longest tenured head coach in NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse, inked a two-year contract extension that will keep him in Amherst through the 2022 season. Cannella recently completed his 25th season at the helm of his alma mater. The Minutemen finished 12-5, won the CAA title and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2012. “After a championship season for our men's lacrosse team, it was clear we needed to further our commitment to Greg and his program,” athletic director Ryan Bamford said in the school’s announcement Wednesday.

6. Princeton received some hardware Wednesday and reminded us that All-American attackman Michael Sowers quietly put together one of the most remarkable seasons in recent memory.

7. US Lacrosse announced rule changes for youth boys’ lacrosse (14U and younger) on Wednesday. Points of emphasis include sportsmanship, targeting, crosscheck holding and experimental rules.

8. Megan Douty, the U.S. women’s team defender, says the new rules put forth by the Federation of International Lacrosse earlier this summer will help lacrosse’s case for inclusion in the Olympics.

WHAT WE’RE READING

  • John Danowski and the U.S. men’s coaching staff pushed all the right buttons in Israel. US Lacrosse Magazine editor in chief Matt DaSilva corralled the Team USA coaches to learn more about their history together and their shared approach to teambuilding.

  • Virginia Tech coach John Sung shares lessons learned in his journey from high school coach in the lacrosse hinterland to leader of a fast-rising ACC women’s lacrosse program.

  • Anticipation is building for the Sept. 25 NLL entry draft at Xfinity Live in Philadelphia. The San Diego Seals have the first overall pick, and if recent selections are any indication, that will be a player with immediate impact.

  • Duke women’s lacrosse is unveiling its freshman class with Q&As. On Wednesday, it was the highly touted Anna Callahan’s turn.

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WHAT WE’RE WATCHING

The Lacrosse Network with some encouragement, via U.S. gold medalist Kyle Hartzell, for potential recruits who may not have been contacted by college coaches immediately Sept. 1, as well as top highlights from across the high school lacrosse landscape.

 

 

WHAT’S ON TAP

  • The latest pearls of wisdom from Hall of Fame coach Dom Starsia in his popular series on leadership.

  • A Q&A with Colorado women’s lacrosse coach and U.S. U19 assistant Ann Elliott.

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