2008 LAX Pre-Season Poll

[89Hen]

Lacrosse Magazine 2008 NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse
Pre-Season Top 20 Poll:
1. Duke
2. Virginia
3. Johns Hopkins
4. Georgetown
5. Notre Dame
6. Princeton
7. Cornell
8. Maryland
9. Syracuse
10. North Carolina
11. Towson
12. Albany
13. Delaware
14. Massachusetts
15. Colgate
16. Bucknell
17. Navy
18. Ohio State
19. Yale
20. Drexel

[andy7171]

Is it that time already!?!

[89Hen]

Is it that time already!?!
Four weeks away. UD opens with a scrimmage of sorts in College Park on Feb 2. I've already tagged some games to try to make...

Maryland at Georgetown, Feb 23
Delaware at Georgetown, March 12
Duke at Georgetown, March 22
Virginia at Maryland, March 29

[andy7171]

I'm lucky, channel 2 (ABC) in Baltimore televises a local game every Saturday afternoon during the season.
Towson opens with Loyola on Feb 23rd. xthumbsupx

[danefan]

Albany opens at Hopkins on Feb. 23rd.



We have a pretty decent schedule this year:

Sat, Feb 23 at (3) Johns Hopkins Md. 12:00 p.m.

Tue, Feb 26 vs. Siena 2:00 p.m.

Sat, Mar 01 at (5) Notre Dame 1:00 p.m.

Sat, Mar 08 at (13) Delaware 1:00 p.m.

Tue, Mar 11 at (14) Massachusetts 3:00 p.m.

Sat, Mar 15 vs. (20) Drexel 1:00 p.m.

Fri, Mar 21 vs. (6) Princeton 1:00 p.m.

Sat, Mar 29 vs. Binghamton* 1:00 p.m.

Sat, Apr 05 at Hartford* 1:00 p.m.

Tue, Apr 08 vs. (19) Yale 7:00 p.m.

Sat, Apr 12 at UMBC * 1:00 p.m.

Fri, Apr 18 at (9) Syracuse 7:00 p.m.

Sun, Apr 20 vs. Vermont * 1:00 p.m.

Sat, Apr 26 vs. Stony Brook * 7:00 p.m.

* denotes AEast game

8 of 9 out of conference games against pre-season ranked opponents.

[TheValleyRaider]

Lacrosse Magazine 2008 NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse
Pre-Season Top 20 Poll:
1. Duke
2. Virginia
3. Johns Hopkins
4. Georgetown
5. Notre Dame
6. Princeton
7. Cornell
8. Maryland
9. Syracuse
10. North Carolina
11. Towson
12. Albany
13. Delaware
14. Massachusetts
15. Colgate
16. Bucknell
17. Navy
18. Ohio State
19. Yale
20. Drexel

Let's see if the 'Gate can get their first ever Tourny berth this season

[Seawolf97]

Looking forward to this season. Stonybrook opens at Virginia on Feb. 23rd.

[danefan]

Inside Lacrosse Final Four picks from a few weeks ago:
http://www.insidelacrosse.com/page.cfm?pagerid=2&news=fdetail&storyid=171941

[89Hen]

Inside Lacrosse Final Four picks from a few weeks ago:
So basically Hopkins, Duke and UVA fans can book their trip to Boston. :p

Anybody have a guess as to how well attended the final four will be? This will be the first time it's away from the Philly-Baltimore area in a long time.

[danefan]

So basically Hopkins, Duke and UVA fans can book their trip to Boston. :p

Anybody have a guess as to how well attended the final four will be? This will be the first time it's away from the Philly-Baltimore area in a long time.

I think it really all depends on who makes it. If a New England team makes it you can expect a normal turnout. If not, I'd say somewhere in the 35,000 range.

[crunifan]

Not a single team from the other side of the Mississippi.

I had no idea anyone took lacrosse seriously.

[Col Hogan]

Not a single team from the other side of the Mississippi.

I had no idea anyone took lacrosse seriously.

Long time ago...when I was a student...lacrosse easily outdrew football on campus...

Where I live now (Northern Virginia) lacrosse and soccer can outdraw football on the high school level...

I'll be looking forward to UMass having another great year...

[mountaineertider]

I played club lacrosse at App last year, but those costs build up so fast, I couldn't afford it this year.

However, back on topic, I can see UD, Duke, UMass, and Syracuse in the final four. I think the Minutemen will win it all though, they made it to the finals a few years back with a boatload of freshmen and sophomores, those players are quite seasoned now. I never count Syracuse out...same with Duke. UD might suprise, they are my sleeper team. I think they lost that amazing faceoff guy, but they were still a strong team last year.

[andy7171]

I played club lacrosse at App last year, but those costs build up so fast, I couldn't afford it this year.

However, back on topic, I can see UD, Duke, UMass, and Syracuse in the final four. I think the Minutemen will win it all though, they made it to the finals a few years back with a boatload of freshmen and sophomores, those players are quite seasoned now. I never count Syracuse out...same with Duke. UD might suprise, they are my sleeper team. I think they lost that amazing faceoff guy, but they were still a strong team last year.
I wouldn't go betting the mortgage on any of these predictions. xrolleyesx

Duke, UVA, Hopkins are the top tier. One will win the NC. They are just too stacked with talent.

Princeton, Maryland, Syracuse, UNC are the second tier "Old Guard"

Georgetown, Notre Dame, Cornell are up and coming programs who should be considered second tier as well.

Then you have the rest of the pack. A team might put it all together and surprise, or get hot come tourney time, but won't get far in the post-season.


I don't see the Final Four in Boston be successful at all. 30K tops. Mostly from Long Island. Heaven forbid if the Sox are in town that weekend.

[danefan]

They should have the final four at the new Giant's stadium when its built. A lot of interest in Westchester and Long Island and up and coming interest in Rockland and Orange Counties NY and the Northern NJ counties as well. Plus its only 1.5 hrs from Philly. You'd get 50,000 plus if it were held at Giant's stadium.

[danefan]

Not a single team from the other side of the Mississippi.

I had no idea anyone took lacrosse seriously.

Final Four attendance last year was 52,000. It's huge in Maryland, Virginia, and really Southern NY (Long Island, Westchester).

Take Duke's roster for example: 18 of the 48 players are either from Long Island or Westchester County NY.

[andy7171]

They should have the final four at the new Giant's stadium when its built. A lot of interest in Westchester and Long Island and up and coming interest in Rockland and Orange Counties NY and the Northern NJ counties as well. Plus its only 1.5 hrs from Philly. You'd get 50,000 plus if it were held at Giant's stadium.

I thought it was going to cycle up and down between Baltimore, Philadelphia, NYC, with Boston and Washington being alternate possablities.

Giants Stadium would definately draw a huge crowd just like Philly and Baltimore do.


Final Four attendance last year was 52,000. It's huge in Maryland, Virginia, and really Southern NY (Long Island, Westchester).

Baseball at the HS and college level is almost non existant here in Baltimore.

[danefan]

I thought it was going to cycle up and down between Baltimore, Philadelphia, NYC, with Boston and Washington being alternate possablities.

Giants Stadium would definately draw a huge crowd just like Philly and Baltimore do.


Baseball at the HS and college level is almost non existant here in Baltimore.

Baseball is rather large at the high school level up here, but not nearly as big as it used to be and its dwindling with the increase in Lacrosse. At the college level, its almost impossible to compete nationally from the Northeast. You have about half of the time to play and practice outside.

Drive down any neighborhood in Northern NJ or Souther NY and what you used to see was kids playing stick ball or having a catch with a mitt and ball. Now what you see everywhere is kids tossing a lax ball.

[89Hen]

However, back on topic, I can see UD, Duke, UMass, and Syracuse in the final four. I think the Minutemen will win it all though, they made it to the finals a few years back with a boatload of freshmen and sophomores, those players are quite seasoned now. I never count Syracuse out...same with Duke. UD might suprise, they are my sleeper team. I think they lost that amazing faceoff guy, but they were still a strong team last year.
Appreciate the love for UD, but in addition to losing Alex Smith (faceoff guy) they also lost their three top scorers from last year. Only 5 starters returning. They will be hard pressed to even make the tourney this year. :)

[andy7171]

Baseball is rather large at the high school level up here, but not nearly as big as it used to be and its dwindling with the increase in Lacrosse. At the college level, its almost impossible to compete nationally from the Northeast. You have about half of the time to play and practice outside.

Drive down any neighborhood in Northern NJ or Souther NY and what you used to see was kids playing stick ball or having a catch with a mitt and ball. Now what you see everywhere is kids tossing a lax ball.
Same here in Baltimore. You have Calvert Hall and Mt. St. Joes holding the baseball torch and that's about it. The further South from Batlimore County you go the more baseball is still popular. DC Metro has hot spots for Lacrosse, Landon, G'town Prep and the other Prep schools, but baseball is still the top sport down there.

It's kind of sad, because I do like baseball. It's just think Lacrosse is so much more enjoyable and exciting to watch and play.

[89Hen]

DC Metro has hot spots for Lacrosse, Landon, G'town Prep and the other Prep schools, but baseball is still the top sport down there.
Don't know about that. While lax may not be as big at many of the public schools, I don't see ANY coverage of HS baseball around here. Prep and Landon do get some lax coverage (albeit limited), so in that regard, I think lax is bigger than baseball in DC.

[andy7171]

Don't know about that. While lax may not be as big at many of the public schools, I don't see ANY coverage of HS baseball around here. Prep and Landon do get some lax coverage (albeit limited), so in that regard, I think lax is bigger than baseball in DC.
Well maybe you're right. It just seems that the Post All-Met is loaded with Prep, Landon, DeMatha and maybe even St.Albans players but then stretch to Severn and Severna Park and St. Mary's to fill out the all-stars.
Now this might be partly to blame for the WMAC private schools actively recruiting from other schools in the area. A practice that is slowly creeping up to baltimore.

[89Hen]

Well maybe you're right. It just seems that the Post All-Met is loaded with Prep, Landon, DeMatha and maybe even St.Albans players but then stretch to Severn and Severna Park and St. Mary's to fill out the all-stars.
Now this might be partly to blame for the WMAC private schools actively recruiting from other schools in the area. A practice that is slowly creeping up to baltimore.
No doubt there, but I'm just saying HS baseball is compelely ignored here, public or private.

[Fresno St. Alum]

Go Johns Hopkins! I wish schools out west would have NCAA LAX

[crunifan]

I suppose lacrosse is comparable to wrestling in Iowa.

That's really impressive that people are so supportive of it. I will occasionally see the title game on ESPN and I always thought it was put there in pity.