Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. The National Lacrosse League held its draft last night and Josh Byrne, who was named the Rookie of the Year in Major League Lacrosse this summer after leading Hofstra with 66-points as a senior, was the No. 1 overall pick. Byrne was picked by Buffalo. Rochester went to the well in Columbus three times, selecting Jake Withers, Austin Shanks and Eric Fannell from Ohio State with the No. 2, No. 5 and No. 6 picks. Other notable early picks were Princeton's Zach Currier going No. 3 to Calgary and Virginia's Zed Williams going No. 4 to defending league champion Georgia.
2. There was big news in Major League Lacrosse as well, as Long Island sent two draft picks to Denver to pick up attackman Mike Bocklet in a trade. The oldest of three Bocklet brothers playing in the MLL, he ranked second in the league with 37 goals last year.
Extremely excited and fortunate to have the opportunity to play for my "home town" team! Look forward to making the most of it!! https://t.co/bxfzEQHve2
— Michael Bocklet Jr (@Coach_Bocklet) September 18, 2017
3. We continued our look at this year's class of inductees into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame yesterday, profiling former Johns Hopkins and UMBC coach Don Zimmerman. "I was amazed at how much teaching he did on a daily basis," said former Hop goalie Quint Kessenich. "A lot of that is carried into my broadcast work. I hear myself sounding a lot like Coach.”
4. The NCAA Division II Championships Committee is recommending the expansion of the NCAA Division II Lacrosse Championships. If the recommendation goes through, in 2019 the men's championship would go from 8 to 12 teams and the women's championship would go from 12 to 16 teams.
5. Our Myth Busters series took a look at lacrosse balls and highlighted the importance for safety considerations to use NOCSAE approved balls.
What We’re Reading
-
Very gut-wrenching news with three tragic stories in the lacrosse world. Holmdel (N.J.) High School player Jack Dowd died after collapsing during a fall league game at Rutgers, Boston.com has coverage from the funeral of Lafayette freshman McCrae Williams, who died last week, and Devin Delaney, a senior lacrosse player at Burnsville (Minn.) High School, was found dead in a dorm room over the weekend at North Dakota State University.
-
Lacrosse All-Stars continues its look at Scotland’s preparation for next summer’s FIL Men’s World Championship.
-
Former Holy Cross player Sophia Agostinelli is trying her hand in the National Women's Hockey League. She recently signed with the Connecticut Whale.
-
The Women's Professional Lacrosse League announced a partnership with Under Armour and Longstreth Sporting Goods to outfit the league's teams.
-
The Baltimore Business Journal takes a look at the cool digs where East Coast Dyes operates.
What We’re Watching
A lot of NCAA lacrosse schools launched their first day of full-team practices on Monday. Here's a look at the Towson men's lacrosse team's first practice - as they get ready to play the U.S. men's national team on October 8.
Take a behind the curtain of #FallBall Day One! pic.twitter.com/utql4qLyGS
— TU Men's Lacrosse (@Towson_MLAX) September 18, 2017
The Michigan women's team also has reason to be happy, as it begins play at its new home stadium.
Grateful to be practicing on our new field today. #goblue pic.twitter.com/3kp8pqZjuK
— Michigan Lacrosse (@UMichWLAX) September 18, 2017
What’s On Tap
-
Veteran women's lacrosse official Laurette Payette will be profiled from this year's National Lacrosse Hall of Fame induction class.