Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. The U.S. women’s national team returned home Monday after a 25-day European tour ended with an 11-8 win over Canada in The World Games final Sunday in Wroclaw, Poland. The victory gave Team USA its second gold medal of the summer after also defeating Canada in the FIL World Cup final July 22 in Guildford, England. Midfielder Taylor Cummings summed up the journey in her “Mission Log” entry. “We accomplished things in these four weeks that no other team has ever done,” Cummings wrote. “We are now World Cup champions. We are now World Games champions. And most importantly, we are now, and forever will be, a family of 19 heartbeats.”
2. Los Angeles officials have reached an agreement with the International Olympic Committee to host the 2028 Summer Olympics, which could bode well for lacrosse’s bid to return to the Olympics — a popular subject at The World Games, an IOC-recognized event that featured the sport for the first time. FIL officials frequently have cited 2024 as the goal, but Ron Balls, the FIL’s director of finance, told US Lacrosse Magazine that “2028 is a more realistic possibility,” because it takes a minimum of seven years for a sport to proceed after receiving provisional recognition from the IOC. The FIL anticipates that the IOC will consider its application for provisional recognition by December. Lacrosse was part of the Summer Games in 1904 and 1908. It was a demonstration sport in 1928, 1932 and 1948. Considering its popularity in North America, Los Angeles offers an ideal venue for its return.
3. The MLL playoff picture is much clearer than it was at this time last year. Denver and Ohio, which met in 2016 championship game, both are assured home semifinals. They are tied for first place with 9-4 records. Florida (8-6) clinched the first playoff berth in franchise history. Rochester (7-6) controls its destiny for the fourth spot, but if the Rattlers lose to Ohio, then the winner of the game between Charlotte and New York will get the nod.
4. The UWLX championship game will feature the unbeaten Long Island Sound and surprise finalist Boston Storm. Both advanced in semifinals Saturday at Harvard. The final will be played Wednesday at 1 p.m. as part of the 28th Lake Placid Summit Classic.
5. The Colorado Collegiate Box Lacrosse League, the first summer box circuit designed for NCAA players, concluded its first season Monday night. The Big Horns defeated the Fighting Bison 10-8 to sweep the best-of-three Morrow Cup series. The CCBLL is a collaboration between the Colorado Mammoth, the University of Denver, the U.S. Box Lacrosse Association and Warrior Lacrosse.