The following stories appeared on USLaxMagazine.com throughout the fall, chronicling some of the nation's top teams as they prepare for the 2019 season. Catch the rest of the Fall Ball Focus on our website.
FALL BALL FOCUS
AIR FORCE (M) │ SIENA (M)
UMASS (M) │ RICHMOND (W)
USC (W) │ HIGH POINT (W)
BOSTON U (W) │ BRYANT (W)
MARIST (W) │ ALBANY (W)
Bison on the Horizon
Bucknell Enters 2019 with Renewed Confidence, Even without Sands
An upset loss to BU in the Patriot League semifinals was painful enough for Bucknell. The pain that came a couple of weeks later — a “no” from the NCAA selection committee — was even worse.
“You couldn’t eat the food in front of you,” senior midfielder Reed Malas said. “You had this uneasy feeling. There were so many different articles and predictions, and in our minds we thought it was a toss-up. It was really tough, honestly.”
Rather than wallowing in their sorrows, the Bison spent the fall motivated by what they accomplished — including a win over Yale, the eventual NCAA champion. Eleven seniors return, though there’s no replacing All-American Will Sands. — Jonathan Sigal
No Championship Hangover
Yale Coach Andy Shay Not Concerned About Championship Hangover
Here’s a stat that grabs your attention: 3.94. That was Ben Reeves’ laser-timed finish in the 20-yard shuttle, which would have put him No. 1 in the NFL combine. And while that says as much about Reeves, who graduated as a Tewaaraton winner, it also illustrates Yale’s borderline psychotic commitment to nutrition, strength and conditioning. Faceoff ace TD Ierlan, who transferred from Albany fresh off the greatest season by any specialist in NCAA history, fits perfectly in that mold. — Matt DaSilva
11 Minutes Too Many
Virginia Prepares for Ryan Conrad's Last Season
The easiest word to describe Ryan Conrad is urgent. Conrad, who blew out his knee in a March game against Syracuse, was denied a redshirt by the ACC. The threshold for an extra year of eligibility is playing in 30 percent or less of a season. That Syracuse game pushed him 11 minutes over the mark. His sense of urgency has been contagious. — Jonathan Sigal
Breakthrough in Ann Arbor
All Signs Point to a Emergence of the Wolverines
Forgive Kevin Conry for sounding excited.
Michigan’s second-year coach has a unique perspective on the new shot clock — he thinks it will help his defense — and boasts a roster that returns 90 percent of its scoring.
The Wolverines are coming off a season in which they jumped out to a 7-2 mark — the best start in program history — stumbled badly against Maryland, Rutgers and Ohio State, and then narrowly lost to Johns Hopkins before playing spoiler with a 10-9 overtime triumph at Penn State in the season finale.
Brent Noseworthy and Decker Curran give Michigan an enviable 1-2 punch at midfield with which new offensive coordinator Justin Turri can tinker.
Conry also expressed excitement about the current crop of freshmen — including Michigan native Bryce Clay, the state’s all-time leading scorer.
“This is probably the most talent Michigan has put on the field in our eight years of existence here,” Conry said.
Amazing Grace
'Tranformative' Gabriel Raises the Bar for Marquette
Marquette has as good a chance as any team to win the Big East now that Florida is gone. Grace Gabriel, the team’s first All-American, is a big reason for its transformation. “The view has completely changed,” she said. “People know we’re getting better. That’s intimidating.” — Jeremy Fallis
Her Father’s Daughter
Kent State Coach Brianne Tierney Runs Practice like her Father
Kent State coach Brianne Tierney — daughter of Denver men’s coach Bill Tierney and wife of Cleveland State men’s coach Dylan Sheridan — appears to be a chip of the old block. “You run practices just like your dad,’” Sheridan told her. “I don’t know how that happens or how to explain that,” she said. — Justin Feil
Better to Play in May
Hewitt Aims to Return Vanderbilt to Relevance
Vanderbilt had a run of NCAA tournament appearances in the 2000s, including a 2004 trip to the final four. New coach Beth Hewitt, who built Le Moyne into a perennial D-II power, is focused on returning to prominence. “The NCAAs and playing in May is why you go play in college,” Hewitt said. “We want to get back into the spotlight where Vanderbilt’s the place that you want to be.” — Justin Feil
Sophomore Sensation
Fish, Sears Lead Tigers After Breakout Freshman Seasons
Princeton started four freshmen from the get-go. Goalie Sam Fish soon made it five. Kyla Sears, the gem of the class, lived up to the billing by setting Princeton and Ivy League records for a freshman with 64 goals and 83 points en route to second-team All-American honors. Already, Sears is on pace to eclipse the Tigers’ career scoring record. — Justin Feil