Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. “We are going to take the lacrosse world by storm with a new attitude, purpose, and mission,” reads the first line of a press release by Next Level Sports.
The basis of the bold statement on Martin Luther King Jr. Day centers around the Next Collegiate League (NCL). The NCL will play the fast-paced World Lacrosse Sixes format and feature teams from the Mid-Atlantic region, including several Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) like Morgan State.
According to the release, the league will consist of a 10-game season and begin in April with the inaugural Crown Classic Tournament.
More here.
2. Florida features new talent at almost every position on the field, writes Kenny DeJohn in the Gators’ team preview. Yet, with 2021 IWLCA All-American second-team selection Sarah Reznick in the goal backing a stingy defense, the team still cracks the preseason Top 10 and should be dangerous this spring.
“You have to really show up and really be on your A game when you compete against them,” said one rival coach.
3. The Rutgers men’s lacrosse team lost its entire starting attack from a season ago when the Scarlet Knights advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals and nearly knocked off No. 1 seed UNC. But like last year, Brian Brecht has brought on some key additions via the transfer portal. Rutgers ranks No. 10 in the Nike/USA Lacrosse preseason ranking.
“The guys that came last year and the guys that came this year, they wanted to be at Rutgers,” Brecht told Patrick Stevens. “I think they were excited to join us. I really didn’t feel like I was twisting their arms or begging them to come. When we reached out, they reciprocated.”
Full preview here.
WHAT WE’RE READING
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After signing Joey Spallina the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2022, Gait lacrosse — run by Paul Gait — has its sights set on the Syracuse men’s lacrosse team. Syracuse.com with the details.
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For IL Women, Alyssa Murray Cometti broke down each D-I women’s team in one sentence.
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Interested to see how your favorite team’s slate of games stack up this spring? Lacrossereference.com compiled a full strength of schedule ranking, both overall and non-conference, for all of men’s and women’s Division I teams that have released schedules so far.
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Patrick Dodds lifted Panther City LC to its first win in franchise history with his overtime goal against the New York City Riptide. That news and more in the weekly NLL notebook from Jack Goods.
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Lacrosse Bucket sets the table for the upcoming season in the SoCon, where last season, High Point prevailed over Richmond in the conference title game.
WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
Some flashy highlights from last week’s Syracuse men’s lacrosse media day. Is it February yet?
Ready to put on a show pic.twitter.com/zOOh7njAOf
— Syracuse Men’s Lacrosse (@CuseMLAX) January 18, 2022
WHAT’S ON TAP
We get one step closer to the season with previews on the Loyola women’s and Penn men’s teams.