The following stories appeared on USLaxMagazine.com throughout the fall, chronicling some of the nation's top teams as they prepare for the 2019 season. Catch the rest of the Fall Ball Focus on our website.
FALL BALL FOCUS
Bison on the Horizon
Bucknell Enters 2019 with Renewed Confidence, Even without Sands
An upset loss to BU in the Patriot League semifinals was painful enough for Bucknell. The pain that came a couple of weeks later — a “no” from the NCAA selection committee — was even worse.
“You couldn’t eat the food in front of you,” senior midfielder Reed Malas said. “You had this uneasy feeling. There were so many different articles and predictions, and in our minds we thought it was a toss-up. It was really tough, honestly.”
Rather than wallowing in their sorrows, the Bison spent the fall motivated by what they accomplished — including a win over Yale, the eventual NCAA champion. Eleven seniors return, though there’s no replacing All-American Will Sands. — Jonathan Sigal
No Championship Hangover
Yale Coach Andy Shay Not Concerned About Championship Hangover
Here’s a stat that grabs your attention: 3.94. That was Ben Reeves’ laser-timed finish in the 20-yard shuttle, which would have put him No. 1 in the NFL combine. And while that says as much about Reeves, who graduated as a Tewaaraton winner, it also illustrates Yale’s borderline psychotic commitment to nutrition, strength and conditioning. Faceoff ace TD Ierlan, who transferred from Albany fresh off the greatest season by any specialist in NCAA history, fits perfectly in that mold. — Matt DaSilva
11 Minutes Too Many
Virginia Prepares for Ryan Conrad's Last Season
The easiest word to describe Ryan Conrad is urgent. Conrad, who blew out his knee in a March game against Syracuse, was denied a redshirt by the ACC. The threshold for an extra year of eligibility is playing in 30 percent or less of a season. That Syracuse game pushed him 11 minutes over the mark. His sense of urgency has been contagious. — Jonathan Sigal
Breakthrough in Ann Arbor
All Signs Point to a Emergence of the Wolverines
Forgive Kevin Conry for sounding excited.
Michigan’s second-year coach has a unique perspective on the new shot clock — he thinks it will help his defense — and boasts a roster that returns 90 percent of its scoring.
The Wolverines are coming off a season in which they jumped out to a 7-2 mark — the best start in program history — stumbled badly against Maryland, Rutgers and Ohio State, and then narrowly lost to Johns Hopkins before playing spoiler with a 10-9 overtime triumph at Penn State in the season finale.
Brent Noseworthy and Decker Curran give Michigan an enviable 1-2 punch at midfield with which new offensive coordinator Justin Turri can tinker.
Conry also expressed excitement about the current crop of freshmen — including Michigan native Bryce Clay, the state’s all-time leading scorer.
“This is probably the most talent Michigan has put on the field in our eight years of existence here,” Conry said.