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

1. Thanks in part to an unexpected outbreak of mumps in the fall, the Syracuse women had less time to exorcise some demons from a stunningly up-and-down 2017 season. But with an NCAA-allowed two extra weeks of preseason practice, is the Orange, ranked No. 5 in the Nike/US Lacrosse Preseason Top 20, back?

Coach Gary Gait pointed to a lack of chemistry last season, an intangible that should improve this season with a more experienced roster. He's also got a former All-American now coaching his goalies, and his top three scorers from last season return.

2. With two-time Tewaaraton Award finalist Ben Reeves back, the No. 5 Yale men's team is poised to reach its fourth consecutive NCAA tournament. But can the Bulldogs finally get past the first round?

Doing so won't fall only on Reeves's shoulders, as senior faceoff midfielder Conor Mackie also is back. Defensively, however, Yale will break in a new starting goalie.

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3. You can see the Nike/US Lacrosse Preseason Top 20s for all NCAA divisions of play in our NCAA preview edition, which mails this week as a benefit to members of US Lacrosse.

4. Speaking of preseason polls and such, defending national champions top all divisions in the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Assocation preseason polls; ditto the two divisions of play in the Nike/US Lacrosse Women's Collegiate Lacrosse Associates Preseason Top 20s. Both were released yesterday.

IWLCA coaches slotted Maryland, Adelphi and Gettysburg No. 1 in NCAA Divisions I, II and III, respectively. Pitt topped WCLA Division I, while Denver Club ranked first in WCLA Division II.

5. Neil Stevens checked in with his weekly National Lacrosse League notebook, highlighting the key takeaways from the weekend that was and previewing this weekend's games.

Defending champion Georgia is back to .500, using a six-goal run keyed by defensive stops and transitions to win at Vancouver, 16-12. Rookie Frank Brown (Hobart) scored the first goal of his NLL career to earn the Swarm's player of the game jacket. 

A first-place showdown in Denver between Saskatchewan and Colorado highlights the weekend slate. Faceoff is 9:30 p.m. ET Friday.

WHAT WE’RE READING

  • The NLL's Philadelphia Wings and New England Black Wolves have made their Super Bowl bet.

  • Sophomore Nick Cardile is poised to become a mainstay on Penn State's defense, wrote The Daily Collegian.

  • Campus station WAER posted a podcast that looked back on Syracuse's 2017 season and ahead to this season, noting that eight years have passed since the Orange won an NCAA men's lacrosse title.

  • Montevallo is getting ready for its inaugural season of NCAA men's lacrosse. The Shelby County (Ala.) Reporter took a look at coach Jason Lange's program and the impact it's having on the sport's growth around Birmingham.

  • The Baltimore Sun previewed the Navy men.

  • The Marquette Wire profiled Marquette freshman Nia Polk, the Golden Eagles' first player from their home state of Wisconsin.

  • More from the home of the cheeseheads, as Landof10.com spotlighted Wisconsin football commit and former Maryland lacrosse commit Bryson Shaw.

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING

AFC champion Patriots quarterback Tom Brady last night was asked by a “reporter” how to make typically stoic coach Bill Belichik smile.

 

Lacrosse All Stars went behind the scenes at Cleveland State as it prepares for its inaugural season.

 

WHAT’S ON TAP

  • We'll continue our previews of teams ranked in the Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Preseason Top 20 with No. 4 Albany on the men's side and No. 4 Princeton on the women's side. 

  • Subscribe today to our weekly email newsletter and stay connected to each week's top lacrosse stories. The newsletter goes out every Thursday.

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