Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:

1. The IMLCA held its annual convention this weekend in Baltimore, highlighted by the Nike Awards Luncheon.

Penn’s Mike Murphy (Division I), Indianapolis’ Greg Stocks (Division II) and Cabrini’s Steve Colfer (Division III) earned USILA Coach of the Year honors, while Penn State’s Peter Toner (Division I), Mount Olive’s Dylan Price (Division II) and Amherst’s Dan Annino each was named the IMLCA Assistant Coach of the Year in his respective division.

The joint luncheon is one of the ways in which the USILA and IMLCA are aligning their efforts, with Inside Lacrosse reporting that the two bodies have decided to unify at the leadership level.

All of the award winners are listed below.

USILA Division I Coach of the Year
Mike Murphy, Penn

USILA Division II Coach of the Year
Greg Stocks, Indianapolis

USILA Division III Coach of the Year
Steve Colfer, Cabrini

IMLCA Division I Assistant Coach of the Year
Peter Toner, Penn State

IMLCA Division II Assistant Coach of the Year
Dylan Price, Mount Olive

IMLCA Division III Assistant Coach of the Year
Dan Annino, Amherst

MCLA Coach of the Year
James Harkey, South Carolina

Junior College Coaches Award
John Savage, Nassau

IMLCA Creators Award
Phil Buttafuoco

NILCA Coach of the Year
Ajay Chawla

IMLCA Extra Man Award
Bob Scalise, Harvard

IMLCA Sticks & Service Award
Towson University

IMLCA Lifetime Service Award
Paul Wehrum, Union

NILCA Man of the Year
Clay White, Broadneck (Md.)

USILA Howdy Myers Man of the Year Award
Tom Abbott, NCAA officiating coordinator

USILA Frenchy Julien Service Award
Keith Bugbee, Springfield

USILA Doyle Smith Media Award
Matt Kinnear, Inside Lacrosse

Among other highlights of the convention were whiteboard workshops, live field demonstrations by professional players, presentations by Team USA’s Nick Myers (U19 head coach), Pat Myers (U19 assistant) and Seth Tierney (senior assistant), and the IMLCA Hall of Fame Reception formalizing the inductions of Don Leet, Tom Postel, William Schmeisser, Cliff Stevenson, Dick Watts and Chuck Winters.

A quick step inside the last session at the #2019IMLCACon with @hopkinsmenslax assistant coach Bobby Benson. Thank you @IMLCACoaches for such a great event! Videos will be available here soon: https://t.co/PxXpsRIekL pic.twitter.com/ejvXkbXDxp

— LacrosseCoachesInsider (@LAXcoachinsider) December 8, 2019

Full day of content for our coaches at Day 3 of the 2019 IMLCA Convention - Thank you to all of our speakers who helped make this day one to remember #2019IMLCACon pic.twitter.com/ri4I4USi3N

— IMLCA (@IMLCACoaches) December 8, 2019

So thankful for our US National Teams coaches. ⁦@TierneySeth⁩ ⁦@MyersJMZ⁩ and ⁦@PatMyers1221⁩ delivered impactful messages on the process required to build teams in a short timeframe to compete at the highest levels today ⁦@IMLCACoaches⁩ ⁦@USAMLax⁩ pic.twitter.com/1C23Up797m

— Skip L (@slichtfu) December 7, 2019

Whiteboard Workshops - The opportunity for coaches to learn from one another and see tips, tricks, and strategies drawn up on the board #2019IMLCACon pic.twitter.com/379w3WGy05

— IMLCA (@IMLCACoaches) December 9, 2019

Each year we honor coaches who have served as great ambassadors of our sport on and off the field. We were honored to induct these great men and 2 others last night into our 2019 IMLCA Hall of Fame Class #2019IMLCACon pic.twitter.com/flXJSBEZCE

— IMLCA (@IMLCACoaches) December 7, 2019

What an amazing turnout yesterday for Day 1 of the 2019 IMLCA Convention in Baltimore! Excited to see what the next few days hold #2019IMLCACon pic.twitter.com/5c1w1ZVig1

— IMLCA (@IMLCACoaches) December 6, 2019

2. It took just 10 seconds for Jake Withers to score the first goal in Halifax history.

The Thunderbirds, made up largely of players who migrated with the former Rochester Knighthawks to Nova Scotia, easily defeated the expansion New York Riptide 12-4 on Saturday. Warren Hill made 40 saves in the win.

WIZ!

With the first goal in @HFXThunderbirds franchise history, @jakewithers4 makes it 1-0 in Halifax just 10 SECONDS into the game. pic.twitter.com/KRJCPNZItf

— NLL (@NLL) December 7, 2019

In other NLL Week 2 results:

• Josh Byrne scored the go-ahead goal on a crease dive (see “What We’re Watching” below), Matt Vinc made a series of saves on the ensuing possession and Dhane Smith added two insurance tallies in the final minutes, as Buffalo defeated San Diego 13-10.

• Callum Crawford and Joe Resetarits combined for 12 points, as New England defeated host Toronto 12-8 in both teams’ season opener Saturday.

3. Calgary Roughnecks forward Dane Dobbie has been slapped with a six-game suspension for his role in a late-game skirmish in the Roughnecks’ season-opening 12-7 win over Vancouver on Nov. 29. Dobbie, the reigning NLL MVP and NLL championship MVP, was assessed with a gross misconduct penalty, which comes with a one-game suspension. Dobbie received an additional five games as a repeat offender. The PLPA is expected to appeal the ban.

WHAT WE’RE READING

• “Give & Go” with Joe Namath, er, Brett Manney.

• How the San Diego Seals can build on their successful first season.

• A Bronx Times feature on the emerging Bronx Lacrosse program.

• Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari compared recent practices to lacrosse, as the Wildcats work on finishing through contact. “I might as well give them sticks,” he said.

• A leading youth soccer organization in Florida is opening its doors to US Lacrosse and a local league to introduce the stick-and-ball game to its families as a way to promote multi-sport participation.

• Gladiator Lacrosse founder Rachel Zietz of “Shark Tank” recently was named to Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list and Is now at Princeton, where she hopes to inspire young entrepreneur.

• Saskatchewan Rush forward Robert Church is rounding back into form.

• Rob Pannell, rumored to be leaving Major League Lacrosse for the Premier Lacrosse League, told Inside Lacrosse he’s still exploring his options.

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING

The redodge, the dive and Josh Byrne lands at No. 3 on “SportsCenter.”

Wow is right!

Number 3 on #SCtop10. pic.twitter.com/4YWLtSfMzg

— Buffalo Bandits (@NLLBandits) December 9, 2019

An emotional tribute to San Diego Seals captain Brodie Merrill, whose brother, general manager and head coach Pat Merrill, hopes to reward his leap of faith with a title in his twilight.

 

 

WHAT’S ON TAP

• Jack Goods’ weekly NLL notebook.

• The December edition of our Holiday Gift Guide, featuring a little something for everyone in your lacrosse family this season.

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