Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. Rankings updates galore.
The Maryland men are ranked No. 1 for the first time this year after the Terrapins kept their undefeated season alive with a 16-0 run that helped oust Michigan 18-12. Duke, who until this week held the top spot, dropped to No. 4 after the Blue Devils’ 13-8 loss to now-No. 3 Notre Dame. Duke faces No. 2 Virginia, which over the weekend topped No. 5 UNC 18-16, this Thursday in Charlottesville.
Maryland Men's Lacrosse is No. 1 in the Nation.
— Maryland Terrapins (@umterps) April 12, 2021
Happy Monday. pic.twitter.com/hL46waXEjV
After North Carolina improved to 12-0 and held off Notre Dame (6-3) in a deluge, the top eight teams in the Nike / US Lacrosse Division I Women’s Top 20 remain unchanged.
That doesn’t mean, however, that there wasn’t a lot of movement. Thank the Big 10 and its unpredictability apart from No. 2 Northwestern’s dominance, for the new look this week. After almost a month without a game, Johns Hopkins won two in three days over Penn State and Rutgers to break into the rankings at No. 14. The Blue Jays head to College Park on Wednesday to take on No. 12 Maryland.
2. There was movement in the D-II and D-III rankings, too.
Wingate’s win over Lenoir-Rhyne pushed the Bulldogs into the Top 10 of the Nike / US Lacrosse Division II Men’s Top 20.
Queens jumped three spots to No. 5 in the Nike / US Lacrosse Division II Women’s Top 20
There was lots of movement the Nike / US Lacrosse Division III Men’s Top 20, with Colorado College leaping to from No. 17 to 10 and Gettysburg going all the way up to No. 7 from 14.
Messiah’s win against York helped the Falcons move into the Top 10 of the Nike / US Lacrosse Division III Women’s Top 20.
Full Rankings
MDI | WDI
MDII | WDII
MDIII | WDIII
3. The NCAA recruiting dead period is expected on end June 1.
CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd first reported the news. The dead period, which stipulates that there is no in-person, face-to-face contact between prospective student-athletes and college coaches, was imposed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and was extended eight times.
WHAT WE’RE READING
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An alumni spotlight feature from Virginiasports.com about ESPN analyst and host of the new US Lacrosse Magazine interview series “No Boundaries,” Dana Boyle.
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Syracuse.com talked with Syracuse lacrosse parents who were able to watch a game in person at the Carrier Dome for first time in a year.
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Quint Kessenich’s Top 20 for Inside Lacrosse.
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A duo of cadets (Marcus Hudgins and Wyatt Schupler) and a trio of Mountain Hawks (Tommy Schelling, Mike Sisselberger and Scott Cole) were named Patriot League Players of the Week.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
As one person noted in the comments: Poetry.
Making a lacrosse stick (via Bradlee Henry, Onondaga Nation) pic.twitter.com/QWtYsPSbNA
— Paul Rabil (@PaulRabil) April 11, 2021
Tufts’ first goal of 2021. The Jumbos dropped a program-record 29 goals on Colby in its season-opening win.
WHAT’S ON TAP
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We recognize the performances of the men’s and women’s Division I players of the week.