Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. The lacrosse world was buzzing on Tuesday after a Bloomberg report indicated that Paul Rabil is starting a new outdoor league with a group of sports and media investors led by the Raine Group. The Premier Lacrosse League would be a six-team touring league beginning play in June 2019. Rabil declined to comment on the report.
2. Austin Staats was the No. 1 overall selection of the National Lacrosse League entry draft. Staats, who led Onondaga CC to the junior college national championship this year and helped the Iroquois Nationals win bronze this summer, was drafted by the expansion San Diego Seals.
"I'm ready. I'm coming." Austin Staats @Top_ched83, #1 overall pick in the @NLL Draft by @SealsLax, talks to @tgeldrid. Full conversation here https://t.co/GrjRwpg5bs or on the free LSN app (download link here: https://t.co/QyCj6BaBwK) #NLLDraft pic.twitter.com/QoNy3HAwPA
— Lax Sports Network (@LaxSportsNet) September 26, 2018
The league's other expansion franchise, Philadelphia, selected MLL Rookie of the Year Chris Cloutier No. 2 overall.
Three players in the U.S. Indoor Team tryout pool were selected: Connor Fields (No. 10 to San Diego), Trevor Baptiste (No. 14 to Philadelphia) and Connor Kelly (No. 33 to San Diego).
3. Regy Thorpe announced the roster split for the U.S. teams competing at the Lacrosse All-Stars North American Invitational this weekend as part of the tryout process for the 2019 U.S. team. The event starts on Thursday morning.
Can’t wait to see what this group has to offer. Always an honor repping the red, white and blue. Let’s goooooo. If you are around Syracuse this weekend, come support the future members of the USA Indoor team. https://t.co/GtSSf3YUud
— Chris Schiller (@sthernselectlax) September 25, 2018
4. Tami Worley Kirby found her home at Penn State. After this weekend, she’ll be at home in the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
Tami Worley Kirby was a two-sport star at Marple Newtown (Pa.), but feared what was ahead. Still, she became the first in her family to go away to college.
— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) September 25, 2018
There, she turned into a transcendant player with @PennStateWLAX. Now, she joins the Hall of Fame. https://t.co/3uvF3A8uEJ pic.twitter.com/lJzFqzbIXY
WHAT WE’RE READING
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The Buffalo News goes in depth with Connor Fields ahead of the NLL draft, taking a look back at Fields’ battle with injuries through his senior season at Albany and this summer with Charlotte in the MLL.
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The NLL points to Major League Soccer as a benchmark to what the league could become.
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Veteran NLL goalie Brandon Miller announced his retirement from playing – he’ll join the Toronto Rock coaching staff.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
We wrote about Loyola star Pat Spencer’s basketball prowess last year. Now see a glimpse with your own eyes.
In Baltimore and caught some early gym time with @LoyolaMLAX Pat Spencer? Who is stopping this kid on a lacrosse field this spring?#throughthelegsdunk pic.twitter.com/zuduoikN3w
— Paul Carcaterra (@paulcarcaterra) September 25, 2018
Vanderbilt is getting ready for 2019 under new head coach Beth Hewitt.
The Commodores hit the practice field for the first time a week ago so get a first glimpse of your Commodores right here! #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/FVISHM4hDy
— Vanderbilt Lacrosse (@VanderbiltLax) September 24, 2018
WHAT’S ON TAP
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Former Johns Hopkins, MLL and Team USA star A.J. Haugen is profiled as we continue our look at the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame Class of 2018.
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