SOCON/OOC LAX SUMMARIES

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Air Force (4-3)
Always a threat for a big non-conference upset, the Falcons return a strong nucleus of young offensive players like Brandon Dodd and Ethan Grandolfo (now coached by new OC Jon Thompson), a standout goalie in Braden Host, and they had one of the more productive and complete fallball sessions in the country.

Bellarmine (2-6)
Look out for elite cover guy Jon Robbins and plenty of experience on the defensive end with returning fifth-years in goalie Ian Reilly, Brendan Fennell and Eric Rubak.

High Point (2-6)
It would have been nice to see more of Asher Nolting with Tyler Hendrycks and Devon Buckshot last year, a trio that could be scary in 2021.

Jacksonville (3-3)
The Dolphins have their Transfer U identity — 11 came in this fall— and top-end players like Evan Tyler in hopes to make a SoCon splash this spring.

Mercer (6-1)
Chad Surman takes over, looking to build on a strong campaign with Sean Goldsmith (34, 8) running the show on offense as one of the nation’s most productive attackmen.

Richmond (4-3)
It feels like the makings of a banner year in Richmond, with a youthful stars like Richie Connell, plus talented, experienced players like Ryan Lanchbury and Sean Menges, and the Spiders almost knocking off both Maryland and Duke a year ago.

VMI (0-4)
James Purpura has jumped in with both feet to coach the Keydets, building an identity out of the institution’s leadership qualities and academic appeal.

Listen to "Anchor" by Lacrosse Bucket ⚓

 

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Robert Morris (4-2)
There’s so much back for Robert Morris (particularly the attack of Ryan Smith, Jimmy Perkins, Corson Kealey and Auston Popovich) that the Colonials could knock off some top teams, but they’ll be road warriors (two home games, nine away, one neutral tentatively) with no conference home in 2021.

Amongst the Colonial returnees are fifth-year players Ryan Smith and Austin Popovich, who – along with midfielder James Scane – took advantage of the NCAA waiver granting 2020 spring student-athletes an extra year of eligibility. The duo were both named Scholar All-Americans by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) and paced the team in points with 28 for Smith (17g, 11a) and 27 for Popovich (18g, 9a). Smith, the program’s only NEC Rookie of the Year and three-time all-league selection, ranks sixth all-time at RMU in goals (94), assists (52), and points (146).

The Colonials also welcome back to the program graduate transfer Jimmy Perkins, who played at RMU from 2015-18 and is one of two seventh-year players in NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse. Perkins recorded 52 points (42g, 10a) in two seasons at the University of Utah, and ranks third in program history in assists per game (1.21). As a redshirt junior in 2018, he made the All-NEC Second Team after collecting 30 assists and 61 points – marks that rank second and fifth, respectively, in school single-season annals.

In total, McMinn’s 2021 squad features five graduate students, nine seniors, 12 juniors, 11 sophomores, and eight freshmen. The Colonials have 14 different returners who started at least one game last season, and 17 that recorded a point.

 

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Towson (0-6)
An 0-6 start seems like an anomaly for the Tigers, who bring back an All-America candidate in Koby Smith.

 

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Duke (6-2)
The preseason favorites are the epitome of a superteam, and from everything in the fall there’s no reason to not believe that John Danowski has maximized all that talent and the chemistry is on point.

 

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[SpiderFan]

Looks as though maybe the ASUN will pilfer the SoCon lacrosse as well as 3 independents for the 21/22 season next year?

ASUN Receives AQ for 2022 NCAA Tournament, Adds Utah, CSU, RoMo as Affiliates

(Photo courtesy Steve C. Wilson, Utah Athletics) This story's headline

www.insidelacrosse.com

 

[SFspidur]

Um, that's bad. We need a new home.

 

[32counter]

Robert Morris could as readily fold into the SoCon.
The other alignment makes sense for both AF and Utah.

 

[SFspidur]

Gotta assume RMU and Cleveland St will be a package deal considering proximity and Horizon conference affiliation, and if they can pry Detroit loose, that's a compact, aligned group.

Losing AF hurts us. Furman was bad at the end, but had a good history, and we've already lost them. VMI and Mercer are terrible. Hampton almost certainly won't hit the ground running.

We've got High Point as a potential leverage partner here, but we need to be finding a new home. Figure out how to get into the CAA and get it done.

 

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I worry the least about UR finding a LAX home.Denver could also readily roll into a AF/Utah alignment.UR could then back fill their slot into the Big East.
Lets see how all these hypothetical options play out.

 

[SFspidur]

Yeah, we're certainly an attractive candidate. Denver obviously fits with those guys geographically, but it would be a definite step down in quality for them.

Big East or CAA seems most reasonable. Still holding out for that elusive ACC associate member invite though.

A little worried that we're on board with this lower-level shuffling intended to ensure it ends up with 2 AQ conferences, but hopefully we're willing to chase an opportunity to move up. Don't have a whole lot of confidence in our admin, but Queally probably hungry enough to help push it for lax.

 

[GKiller]

Yeah, we're certainly an attractive candidate. Denver obviously fits with those guys geographically, but it would be a definite step down in quality for them.

Big East or CAA seems most reasonable. Still holding out for that elusive ACC associate member invite though.

A little worried that we're on board with this lower-level shuffling intended to ensure it ends up with 2 AQ conferences, but hopefully we're willing to chase an opportunity to move up. Don't have a whole lot of confidence in our admin, but Queally probably hungry enough to help push it for lax.

Tough week in Spiders athletics. We really need out of SoCon if we want to take the next step. At least Chemotti is here he might hold some cache, not confident it will just happen organically & I certainly don't trust Hardt to get it done.

 

[AnnapSpider]

I’ve been in favor of us going to the CAA for awhile. They have good, stable programs, and we’re already an affiliate with our football program.
The SoCon has served us well, but time to move up.

 

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ASUN Conference Announces Formation of Men's Lacrosse League - ASUN Conference

ASUN Conference Announces Formation of Men's Lacrosse League

ATLANTA Ga. - The ASUN Conference proudly announces the formation of ASUN Men's Lacrosse. This is the second time in nine years that the ASUN has built a new Men's Lacrosse conference. The partnership with the Southern Conference continues as the ASUN again builds opportunities for student-athletes.

asunsports.org

 

[SFspidur]

"The Southern Conference will retain its Men's Lacrosse Championship and NCAA AQ status by playing with a realigned group of six: Hampton, High Point, Jacksonville, Mercer, Richmond, and VMI."

Ugh.

Finding a bright side, the path to the AQ goes through UR and HP. One fewer at-large bid now.

 

[spider fan]

Lowers the power profile of the So. Con but keeps the automatic bid so pretty much a no brainer.

 

[whampas]

When will our affiliation with the SoCon start affecting recruiting?

 

[urfan1]

Do we know it has not affected recruiting?

 

[AnnapSpider]

As long as we can keep the ooc schedule as strong as this year, it won’t be too bad. But, why will some of the power schools want to schedule us, as our power ranking is bound to drop.

 

[spider fan]

Chemotti will be able to keep our schedule strong.

 

[AnnapSpider]

Chemotti will be able to keep our schedule strong.

He’s without a doubt one of the best lacrosse coaches in the country, but he can’t do it alone or with his
hands tied behind his back.
Don’t be surprised if he doesn’t move on if UR plans to stick with the SoCon after this year.

 

[spider fan]

Agree ....am sure he and many UR fans-, hopefully Queally included - want to move to a stronger conference, but dynamics may be tough to achieve in a short time frame. Been concerned about Chemotti moving on pretty much since he arrived and want us to "do all we can" to keep him. Quite a good coach!

 

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Big game that I’m sure we’ll be watching today-

High Point v UNC 2pm Tuesday 2/16 ACCN

Lacrosse | Videos | Watch ESPN

Watch videos from the Lacrosse collection on Watch ESPN

www.espn.com

———————-

UNC @ UR Sunday 2pm

 

[spider fan]

Heels win 17 -15.

 

[32counter]

Heels win 17 -15.

we’ll have our hands full with both these teams.Looks like an HPU v UR in SoCon final.HPU has a Canadian frosh who has a gun.High goal scorer today.

StatMonitr Stat Feed

stats.statbroadcast.com

Tyeryar, Tucci Power North Carolina to Thrilling 17-15 Win Over High Point

Tyeryar, Tucci Power North Carolina to Thrilling 17-15 Win Over High Point

(Photo courtesy of UNC Men's Lacrosse on Twitter) North Carolina showed off its depth and firepower, beating High Point 17-15 in a

www.insidelacrosse.com

 

[SpiderFan]

I think the team really let that Loyola game slip away, that was a chance to grab a great win. The remaining 3 ACC foes I think will be too tough to overcome. We've been in most of these high quality games, we're just not getting enough wins. Team has to start figuring out how to win and close out games. Had them all game except for a lackluster 4th quarter.

 

[AnnapSpider]

I think the team really let that Loyola game slip away, that was a chance to grab a great win. The remaining 3 ACC foes I think will be too tough to overcome. We've been in most of these high quality games, we're just not getting enough wins. Team has to start figuring out how to win and close out games. Had them all game except for a lackluster 4th quarter.

No ACC team is likely to be tougher than Loyola . They won a National Championship a few years ago with a young assistant coach, Dan Chemotti.

 

[SpiderFan]

No ACC team is likely to be tougher than Loyola . They won a National Championship a few years ago with a young assistant coach, Dan Chemotti.

Are you being sarcastic here? We're playing UNC, Duke and UVA, they're literally #1, #2, & #3 in the country today...

 

[AnnapSpider]

Are you being sarcastic here? We're playing UNC, Duke and UVA, they're literally #1, #2, & #3 in the country today...

Maybe a little, but Loyola is an excellent program, and I really don’t think we’ll be overmatched in any of these games.
Maybe I’m being a little bit of a homer, but I seriously think we will win one or two of these games,
It would be helpful if one of last year’s stars played up to his ability too,

 

[spider fan]

Loyola was a tough heartbreaking loss. The difficulty we have playing ACC teams, particularly Duke and UVA, is the physicality of the games. The hope is the games will be called evenly and having Duke and UNC at Robins is a plus, although Covid makes it less of a plus. Last time we played in Charlottesville Chemotti was penalized by the refs, one in particular, for expressing his frustration with the lack of calls on the UVA defense for excessive checking and some flagrant fouls. I agreed with Chemotti. Have to wait and see how it plays out this year.

 

[SpiderFan]

We'll find out this weekend!

 

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Maybe a little, but Loyola is an excellent program, and I really don’t think we’ll be overmatched in any of these games.
Maybe I’m being a little bit of a homer, but I seriously think we will win one or two of these games,
It would be helpful if one of last year’s stars played up to his ability too,

 

[AnnapSpider]

View embedded media

Well, I’m a homer. I was hoping we’d be better today than we were.

 

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Watch the physicality of High Point v UNC:

 

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Unleash Joe Cooley on Towson

 

[whampas]

Getting our butts kicked in 3rd qtr by Towson.

 

[whampas]

Nice comeback. 11-10 Spiders.

 

[spider fan]

Spiders withstand 7 -0 Towson run and win 11-10! Great character check!