Dialed In: Your Lacrosse Fix For Friday, March 3

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

1. The PLL filled its final coaching vacancy with a surprise hire.

Many around the Premier Lacrosse League expected that Steven Brooks would have his interim tag removed after his showing on the sidelines during last week’s PLL Championship Series, but Atlas LC has instead named Mike Pressler its next head coach and general manager.

Pressler coached NCAA lacrosse for 37 seasons before retiring from Bryant last June to coach Highland Park (Tex.) High School.

His 382 NCAA wins are eighth-most all time.

More here.

2. No one is winning the Tewaaraton Award in February.

That hasn’t stopped our contributors from doing a weekly power ranking of the top options for the prestigious award.

This week, Patrick Stevens thinks Cornell’s CJ Kirst is the frontrunner on the men’s side after producing 16 goals and five assists in just three games.

Charlotte Varnes believes Izzy Scane is the runaway favorite right now on the women’s side, with her 27 goals in four games causing defenses nightmares.

3. World Lacrosse celebrated a bit of history early Thursday morning.

The organization welcomed six new members, bringing membership to 85 nations. The six-member group is the largest single addition to WL’s membership since August 2008 and the second-largest addition dating back to 1974.

Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone and Togo are five nations to join from Africa, and Malta joins from Europe. The Africa Association of Lacrosse now has 11 members, and the European Lacrosse Federation has 34.

More here.

WHAT WE’RE READING

• Xavier Arline didn’t want to choose. Luckily, as Patrick Stevens writes, his coaches at Navy pursue both of his passions — football and lacrosse.

• Is Marissa White the next great Tar Heel? The UNC freshman is putting in the work, and it sure seems that way, Beth Ann Mayer writes.

• Taylor Cummings is back this week to shout out programs doing the little things in a big way.

• From Chris Rosenthall for Inside Lacrosse: “PLL’s Sixes-Style Championship Series Meant Something”

• A men’s weekend primer from Lacrosse Bucket’s Tanner Demling.

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING

Meet Northwestern’s Shanley twins — Katie and Kiera.

Just having some fun with our resident twins pic.twitter.com/vxM8NbJpWW

— Northwestern Lax (@NULax) March 2, 2023

WHAT’S ON TAP

• Another packed weekend of lacrosse. How many upsets will we see this time? Check out our TV Listings for more info.

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