Good Article About B1G Lacrosse and Hopkins
I know some were wondering about what is going on with Hopkins and lacrosse generally with the B1G. Here is a good take on what is going on with the ESPNU deal/BTN/scheduling, etc.: http://insidelacrosse.com/news/2013/06/03/hopkins-and-big-ten-lacrosse-big-questions-answered
One big thing seems to be that Maryland actually had a big hand in convincing the B1G to sponsor lacrosse, and Hopkins as a lacrosse-only member, which makes sense, as otherwise Maryland would have had to become an independent.
Also, I posted this in another thread, but they said that the ACC is far and away the strongest conference in lacrosse, but the B1G makes a strong case for the top 2-5, and that might even go up in the near future. http://www.collegecrosse.com/2013/6/3/4392036/conference-realignment-big-ten-b1g-johns-hopkins-lacrosse-conference-ratings
but I remember reading somewhere that the bulk of the talent comes from the NE. Is that true?
I wonder how this impacts the decision making process for players a few years from now - I think Michigan's supposed to finish their new lacrosse facilities in 2016 so that timing works out pretty well for us too.
A considerable amount of lacrosse talent comes from the mid-atlantic states, but lacrosse has certainly picked up in the northeast. Considering how both Johns Hopkins and Maryland have been traditional national powerhouses, having them both become apart of the inagural Big Ten lacrosse league will not only enhance the league's notoriety, but also positively impact Michigan's lacrosse recruiting now that we will have access to talent rich New Jersey, Maryland, New York, New England, and Virginia.
I'm really looking forward to seeing our program contend at the national level in the coming years. Go Blue.
Nice article.
Not to show my hand, but I am writing a little diary post on a darkhorse future associate member and at the same time, an old foe that was once quite familiar. A real thorn in our ass for quite some time.
Those bastards.
I'm going with Cornell
Cornell as an affiliate? Nah, they are an Ivy, and it’s stable. Actually it’s U of D-M, they are leaving the MAAC in Lacrosse for the B1G. /s
New associate member in lacrosse? It would surprise me if that happened. Actually, I wonder what Hopkins would do if more Big Ten lacrosse teams were added? I know it isn't likely that any of the current Big Ten schools sponsor lacrosse in the near future, but who knows what happens with expansion. Wasn't one of the reasons that the Big Ten made a great fit for Hopkins was because, with only 6 teams, that allowed an auto-bid and the ability to schedule its existing rivals with the non-conference schedule. Maybe one team wouldn't be that big of an issue, but more than that could be if they aren't teams that Hopkins would already be scheduling.
I've always wondered why Northwestern doesn't do varsity level lacrosse. They would seem a demographic and endowment fit, is it just because they're so far from the traditional northeast recruiting base?
Those Canadian bastards
Random guess: U of Chicago for Track and Field and/or Tennis?