Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. A wild rankings update.
After a weekend where half of the teams in the top 10 lost, there were bound to be some noticeable differences in the new Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Women’s Top 20.
Penn State and Ohio State both cracked the top 20 after upsets over conference foes, while Virginia made the biggest leap, moving up 11 spots, after defeating Richmond 15-9 last Friday night.
2. Army has cracked the top 10.
A surefire way to move into the top 10 of the Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Men’s Top 20? Defeat a team that didn’t lose a game last year and entered the season ranked No. 2 in convincing fashion on the road.
Army’s 18-11 win over Syracuse at the Carrier Dome followed that formula and vaulted the Black Knights up eight spots from 15 to 7 despite a loss to Virginia a week prior. The team one spot behind Army, No. 8 Rutgers, made the biggest leap in this week’s rankings thanks to an 11-9 season-opening win over Penn State.
3. Lacrosse is back on TV.
A week after releasing its women’s lacrosse schedule, ESPN announced it will offer nearly 120 regular season men’s college lacrosse games across ESPNU, ACC Network (ACCN), ESPN3, ESPN+ and ACCNX this season.
— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) February 23, 2021
That's how many lacrosse games will be on ESPN networks this spring season — 180 women's games and 120 men's games.
Check out the lineups below.
MEN: https://t.co/H2wc5Akiw8
WOMEN: https://t.co/uGRpsUo6Du pic.twitter.com/ITdTMxcGII
4. Matt Danowski has retired from professional lacrosse.
The second overall pick in the 2008 MLL Draft, Danowski most recently played for the PLL’s Chrome LC in 2019. The all-time leading scorer at Duke and the university’s first Tewaaraton Award winner in 2007, Danowski tallied 434 points in his pro career — good for eighth all-time.
On the international stage, Danowski was co-captain of the 2018 U.S. team that won a world championship in Netanya, Israel. In 2003, he earned MVP, Outstanding Attackman and All-World honors at the FIL U19 World Championship.
Thank you @mattdanowski for your contribution to the game and an unbelievable career pic.twitter.com/28FxPVGqXC
— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) February 22, 2021
Thank you, Dino @mattdanowski pic.twitter.com/TU3vrG63py
— Chrome Lacrosse Club (@PLLChrome) February 22, 2021
WHAT WE’RE READING
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Rick Sowell led three different programs to the NCAA tournament. Sowell’s coach at Washington College, Terry Corcoran, shares some of Sowell’s background and comments from his former teammates on the impact he made earlier with a stick in his hands.
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Catawaba enters Nike / US Lacrosse D-II Men’s Top 20 After Upset Win
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The Albany Times-Union reports that the NLL’s New England Black Wolves will be relocating to Albany.
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Former NFL running back Dalton Crossan hasn’t played lacrosse since high school, but Chaos head coach Andy Towers didn’t hesitate on taking a shot on the “next-level” athlete.
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Bellarmine lacrosse plans to return to action on March 2 against Robert Morris. The Knights previously announced on Feb. 12 a pause on team activities for two weeks due to COVID-19 protocols.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
Spring sport, you say?
Chris Hogan says on Barstool’s Pardon My Take that he’s not worried about a matchup with Redwoods LC midfielder Myles Jones.
“I’ll take my chances...I’m not gonna shy away from it.” @ChrisHogan_15 on possibly defending @MylesJones_15 @pardonmytake pic.twitter.com/LcuDPD4W0x
— TLN (@LacrosseNetwork) February 22, 2021
WHAT’S ON TAP
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The men’s and women’s Division I players of the week drop later today.