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

1. College lacrosse is back.

Utah gave Denver all it could handle and Cameron Herbert gave the lacrosse world all it could watch Saturday — opening day of the 2021 NCAA season.

The young Utes’ near-upset of No. 7-ranked Denver featured a 16-save performance by sophomore goalie Zack Johns in his first career start and a behind-the-back goal by the Pioneers’ JJ Sillstrop that made ESPN’s “SportsCenter.” Utah’s Tyler Bradbury and Denver’s Ethan Walker each scored hat tricks.

1st day of #NCAALAX, and we’re 1-for-1 on #SCTop10.

S/o @DU_MLAX and @jjsillstrop_5. pic.twitter.com/mXyPrEoEYE

— Chris Jastrzembski (@Chris_Jast) January 31, 2021

Bellarmine defeated Mercer 9-7 in the earlier game Saturday, the first official contest of the season. It wasn’t pretty, with the teams combining for 53 turnovers. But lacrosse of any kind was a sight for sore eyes, brought to thousands of viewers via Periscope by Bellarmine’s Cameron Herbert, who live-streamed and commented on the game using his iPhone and emerged as a cult hero of the action-starved lacrosse community.

2. Our NCAA Preview Edition reaches US Lacrosse members this week. The No. 6-ranked North Carolina men and Northwestern women were featured here Friday. Follow @USLacrosseMag on Twitter and Instagram as we unveil this special dual-cover magazine at 10 a.m. Eastern.

WHAT WE’RE READING

• “Give & Go” with Myles Jones, who opens up about his mismatched outfits and his most embarrassing moment as a pro.

• How Alexander Forgosh and sisters Jennifer and Joyce Liu are making a difference in their communities as US Lacrosse Impact Athletes.

• Why Colby Barker decided to leave Ohio State lacrosse and pursue his love of football as a walk-on punter at Syracuse.

• “The Invisible Opponent” featuring Maryland’s Lizzie Colson, whose recovery from ACL surgery was as much mental as it was physical.

• About new Edinboro women’s lacrosse coach Jalen Middlebrooks, the first Black female head coach in the school’s athletics program history, which dates back to 1908.

• A Daily Tar Heel feature on UNC and U.S. women’s national team coach Jenny Levy, whose winning ways and one-liners have assured her legacy in Chapel Hill.

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING

Pro lacrosse player Chris Bocklet, whose recovery from a traumatic brain injury sustained while longboarding was featured here last week, posted an update on his status on Instagram.

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by (@cbocklet10)

WHAT’S ON TAP

• Dual covers dropping on our social media channels (@USLacrosseMag) at 10 a.m. Eastern.

• We’re inside the top five of our NCAA preview rollout, today featuring the No. 5-ranked Virginia men and Stony Brook women.

• In recognition of Black History Month, our friends and content partners over at Blaxers Blog have assembled a list of the most influential figures in Black lacrosse history.

“DIALED IN” IS POSTED DAILY MONDAY-FRIDAY AT 8 A.M. EASTERN ON USLAXMAGAZINE.COM. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER FOR A WEEKLY DIGEST DELIVERED DIRECTLY TO YOUR INBOX.