Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. The latest college lacrosse rankings are out and it’s an all-you-can-eat ACC buffet.
ACC teams occupy six of the top nine spots in the Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Women’s Top 20 and five of the top nine spots in the Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Men’s Top 20.
NIKE/USL RANKINGS
MD1 | WD1 | MD2 | WD2 | MD3 | WD3
IL MEDIA POLLS
MD1 | WD1
USILA POLLS
MD1 | MD2 | MD3
IWLCA POLLS
WD1 | WD2 | WD3
NJCAA
MEN | WOMEN
NAIA
MEN | WOMEN
In other rankings news:
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While Duke has held steady at No. 1 in the Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Men’s Top 20, the Inside Lacrosse media poll has North Carolina at No. 1 and four different teams (UNC, Duke, Maryland and Syracuse) earning first-place votes. The Tar Heels also surpassed the Blue Devils for the top spot in the USILA coaches poll by the slimmest possible margin (one point). Various rankings for this week are linked above.
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With Middlebury unlikely to play this season, Franklin and Marshall is the new No. 1 in the Nike/US Lacrosse Division III Women’s Top 20.
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Christopher Newport is all the rage in the Nike/US Lacrosse Division III Men’s Top 20 after knocking off Lynchburg.
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Undefeated Roberts Wesleyan and Seton Hill entered the Nike/US Lacrosse Division II Women’s Top 20.
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Tampa and Le Moyne sure looked worthy of their 1-2 billing in the Nike/US Lacrosse Division II Men’s Top 20.
2. Sheehan Stanwick Burch will be the host of a new US Lacrosse Magazine podcast, “The Stick Drop.” Stanwick Burch is a former four-time All-American lacrosse player and the women’s game’s foremost analyst. She has reported for ESPN, CBS Sports Network and the Big Ten Network. “The Stick Drop” debuts April 1.
2. Fresh off its first appearance in the national rankings this season, No. 18 Stanford needed a late second-half surge to thwart off an upset bid by Oregon. The Cardinal trailed by as many as four goals and were down two with just over eight minutes remaining but reeled off six unanswered goals to prevail 17-13.
Stanford-Oregon was one of three Division I women’s lacrosse games Monday. Kent State defeated Presbyterian 21-12 and Colorado defeated Cal 15-5.
3. A cheap shot in the substitution box and ensuing scuffle during Saturday’s Albany-Binghamton men’s lacrosse game has resulted in the suspensions of eight players, the America East announced Monday. Binghamton’s Nicholas Imburgia will serve a two-game suspension. Patrick Murad, Jarrett Piccione, Kyle Tiernan and Max Verch each got one game, as did Albany’s Elijah Gash, Tehoka Nanticoke and Steve Ramirez.
4. Athletes Unlimited, which is launching a professional women’s lacrosse league this summer, announced a policy protecting the contracts of players who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
WHAT WE’RE READING
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A primer on high school lacrosse in the South Region, where the season is well underway (and almost over, in the case of North Carolina).
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About how and why Arizona State’s Mallory Martel and Emma Carlson mimicked Tom Wilson and TJ Oshie’s famous butt-slapping pregame ritual — receiving a 10-out-of-10 rating from the NHL’s Washington Capitals.
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The Boston Globe’s conversation with Chris Hogan as he transitions from professional football to professional lacrosse and NFL to PLL.
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Sarah Crowley, a former All-American defender at UMass, talked to Out Sports about coming out to her teammates and inspiring a “rainbow volcano.”
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
Just a casual three-quarter howitzer from Stanford’s Jay Browne, part of a prolific second half Monday in which the Cardinal scored 11 goals to thwart off Oregon 17-14.
Browne with the goal, give the assist to Gjertsen!
— Stanford Lacrosse (@StanfordWLax) March 22, 2021
» https://t.co/1Aqy96Ohre#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/fWiLbhoCX1
WHAT’S ON TAP
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Matt Hamilton’s story about Garrett Thul, the former Army and U.S. team attackman eyeing a comeback with the PLL after stepping away from the game to fulfill his military requirement.
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A look at the high school lacrosse scene in the Mid-Atlantic Region in terms of who’s playing, who’s not and what the format of the season will be.
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Taylor Cummings’ “Taylor’s Takes.”
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“Yard Sale” tonight on YouTube at 8 p.m. Eastern.
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Short-handed Albany, minus suspended starters Gash and Nanticoke, hosts No. 12 UMass (1 p.m. EDT on America East TV).