Zed’s Return
Virginia’s Zed Williams returned to Charlottesville during the first quarter of the Cavaliers’ April 9 game against North Carolina after the death of his father, Daniel. Williams, of the Seneca Nation, had just finished observing the 10-day mourning period, an Iroquois tradition. The Klockner Stadium crowd cheered Zed as teammates took turns hugging him — all in the middle of a spirited ACC game.
Williams played inspired lacrosse. Most memorably, he zipped an unbelievable bounce pass through three UNC defensemen to Mike D’Amario on the doorstep for an assist to go with his three goals in a 15-12 Virginia loss.
Celly Supreme
NFL teams aren’t the only ones having fun with celebrations.
Choreographed celebrations at the Under Armour All-America Lacrosse Game on July 1 included a Terrell Owens-like autograph, a human bicycle, a bobsled simulation and a game of duck, duck, goose. But Bubba Fairman’s “RKO out of nowhere” took the cake.
Also, Notre Dame’s Ryder Garnsey gets a nod for his “dead fish” celebration after scoring the game-winner in overtime at Virginia on March 18.
Record KO’d
Kylie Ohlmiller was an offensive force even before the 2017 season, but she stepped up in the absence of fellow Stony Brook attacker Courtney Murphy. Ohlmiller broke the Division I single-season points record with 164 on 78 goals and 86 assists, leading the Seawolves to the NCAA quarterfinals.
Landmark Legislation
After months of campaigning for an early recruiting proposal that would restrict contact between a recruit and coach until Sept. 1 of the junior year, US Lacrosse and many within the lacrosse community celebrated as the bill was passed by the NCAA Division I Council on April 14.
The legislation marked the biggest hurdle passed en route to curbing the early recruiting trend in lacrosse.
Goalie Goal
Want to strike lacrosse social media gold? Post a video of a goalie heaving or carrying the ball the length of the field to score.
It happened on several occasions this year, most notably on July 4, when Denver Outlaws goalie Jack Kelly picked off a pass on the defensive end and hit a full-field buzzer-beater, much to the embarrassment of Atlanta Blaze goalie Adam Ghitelman, who was drinking water.
Ghitelman would mention that he allowed the only 2-point goal by a goalie in MLL history as part of an icebreaker exercise U.S. team tryouts the following month. Kelly followed him and confessed that he had scored the goal before they exchanged a good-natured hug in front of the other players.