Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. US Lacrosse CEO Steve Stenersen penned a public letter to the NCAA Division I Council, expressing his support of a proposal that would curtail the early recruiting trend in college lacrosse. The council will meet April 13-14 to vote on this proposal that would ban all contact, including phone calls, between college coaches and prospective student-athletes until Sept. 1 of their junior year of high school.
“The positive culture of youth lacrosse is being destroyed and the best interests of children are being ignored as a result of early recruiting practices,” Stenersen wrote.
2. In this week’s Nike/US Lacrosse rankings, the Maryland women further cements their No. 1 spot, while Stony Brook climbs to a program-record No. 4. Louisville also makes it back in the Top 20 at No. 20.
On the men’s side, Villanova and Loyola return to the Top 20. Syracuse jumped three spots with a one-goal win over Notre Dame, but Rutgers dropped the most after back-to-back losses over Delaware and Johns Hopkins.
A look at the major-college and junior-college polls released on Monday:
NIKE/USL RANKINGS
MD1 | WD1 | MD2 | WD2 | MD3 | WD3
MAVERIK/CASCADE/IL MEDIA POLLS
MD1 | WD1
USILA POLLS
MD1 | MD2 | MD3
IWLCA POLLS
WD1 | WD2 | WD3
JUNIOR COLLEGE MEN
3. The Epoch/US Lacrosse Players of the Week are Yale’s Hope Hanley on the women’s side and Albany’s TD Irelan on the men’s side.
What We’re Reading
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Maryland men’s lacrosse has rediscovered its chemistry after back-to-back wins over North Carolina and Michigan.
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Senior defenseman Kevin Gayhardt transforms into a key player for the Quakers.
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ESPN’s Quint Kessenich writes for Inside Lacrosse that teams can’t stop improving in April. Otherwise, they won’t be in consideration come May.
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Maryland’s bench is just as talented as its starters. The reserves shined in a blowout win over Big Ten rival Michigan in Division I women’s lacrosse.
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Zone defense befuddles Northwestern in its loss to Penn.
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With the loss of Nina Corcoran, Penn’s Alex Condon proves that past success wasn’t a fluke.
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New Dartmouth coach Danielle Spencer is reinventing the way the Big Green play, as a result of the new 90-second possession clock.
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McDonogh boys’ lacrosse gets back on track, according to the Baltimore Sun.
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Fox 5 New York reports on helmets in women’s lacrosse, but discovered some athletes don’t want them.
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USA Today added reports on mandatory girls’ lacrosse helmets for Florida players.
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East Coast Dyes has grown from a twins’ basement to a 21,000-square-foot warehouse with 30 employees in Towson, Md. Read how they turned $6,000 into a global business.
What We’re Watching
Hofstra men’s lacrosse joined the HU World Changers project, which highlights students, professors, coaches and others in the Hofstra University community who make an impact, big or small. Coach Seth Tierney talked with his son, freshman attackman Ryan Tierney, about how they first got into lacrosse, what they love most about the sport and how the sport keeps their family close.
I want @Ryan_Tierney77 to use @HofstraU as a springboard into life. - @TierneySeth https://t.co/FJZgXj1C0v #HUWorldChanger #RoarWithPride pic.twitter.com/hqgs4bF81a
— Hofstra Lacrosse (@HofstraMLAX) March 31, 2017
What’s On Tap
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The Nike/US Lacrosse high school rankings come out today. Check back later to see which boys’ and girls’ teams are No. 1.
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Several Nike/US Lacrosse Top 20 teams are in action on Tuesday. In Division I men, No. 11 Yale takes on St. Johns, while No. 15 Virginia plays Cleveland State. On the women’s side, No. 7 Cornell faces Binghamton.