Rumor: Men's Lax to go D-1 in 2013
This is not confirmed, but I received an e-mail from a source that states that U-M men's lacrosse will be a D-1 team starting in the 2013. This is great news, if true, and a reflection of the hard work that John Paul, the staff and the kids have put in all these years.
November 23rd, 2010 at 9:05 AM ^
What women's team is going with them? Or is a women's team about to get a larger budget?
November 23rd, 2010 at 9:14 AM ^
Why not women's Lax??
November 23rd, 2010 at 9:57 AM ^
Just from the OP it sounded like only Men's Lax was making the jump. I guess that would make sense.
November 23rd, 2010 at 10:21 AM ^
I believe the intent was for the new women's ice hockey to help with title 9 issues. I have not heard what the plan for women's lacrosse is.
I also heard the rumor, but the email I received was not from JP who typically sends the updates on this stuff, so I would still classify it as a rumor for now.
November 23rd, 2010 at 11:03 AM ^
But I remember reading, on this board, that Red Berenson was against women's ice hockey unless they had their own facilities, and that the women's lax club team was actually more organized and ready to go varsity than the women's ice hockey club.
Again, I'm not informed at all on this - it's just what I recall reading.
November 23rd, 2010 at 12:20 PM ^
Women's Ice Hockey won't be the choice. Red is opposed and it is MUCH more expensive to fund an ice hockey program than a lacrosse program.
November 23rd, 2010 at 9:09 AM ^
As an east coaster who moved out west to play college ball, I really hope this is legit.
It's just awesome to see the game finally spreading all over the country. When I was a kid, most of the really high level high school ball was centered in Upstate NY, Long Island, and Baltimore.
As a Baltimore native, I really enjoyed that reputation... but my love of the game is really overriding my selfishness.
Let's all keep our fingers crossed that this pans out.
November 23rd, 2010 at 9:18 AM ^
For a second I thought this was about a drug patent on a laxative or something.
November 23rd, 2010 at 9:23 AM ^
Pending FDA approval, of course.
November 23rd, 2010 at 9:28 AM ^
And I'd love to see Women's Lax added so my daughters can attend UM on scholarship in @ 15 & 17 years...
November 23rd, 2010 at 9:57 AM ^
by then Robots vs. Wrestlers will be a varsity sport, likely. And since I hate when someone makes a reference that I have to google, that's from How I Met Your Mother, I didn't just make it up lol
but really, as a lax player, coach, fan, etc., I am so happy, but I wish the title of this was "NOT rumor: Lax to go D-1 Effective Immediately"
November 23rd, 2010 at 9:37 AM ^
Said he was dedicated to D-1 men's and women's lacrosse, didn't specify a timeline.
November 23rd, 2010 at 10:18 AM ^
Glad we have Brandon. Here's a man who definitely gets it.
November 23rd, 2010 at 9:50 AM ^
I have heard similar rumors and am keeping my fingers crossed as well. But, this is the closest thing we've heard as to a definitive decision and start date. Look out NCAA.
I think it would be great to play ND the first game of each season and Ohio State the last game of each season - but perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself! Go Blue! God Bless!
November 23rd, 2010 at 9:59 AM ^
I think D-1 lacrosse is inevitable at this point. Without much inside info, I wouldn't be surprised if the timeline was even a little more accelerated (i.e. spring 2012).
November 23rd, 2010 at 10:06 AM ^
Get Michigan onboard and we're halfway to a possible Big Ten lacrosse league. It's too bad Northwestern doesn't sponsor men's lax because they dominate the women's world.
November 23rd, 2010 at 11:05 AM ^
Maybe they would if there was a Big Ten Lax Conference?
November 23rd, 2010 at 10:49 PM ^
That would be great. Too bad State dropped their program all those years ago. I think Penn State is gonna be on the upswing in the next few years under new coach Jeff Tambroni. I bet Northwestern could also put together a decent program before too long.
I don't want to jinx it because its not official yet but this would be great for the sport (you and I have talked a lot about this). I'm a former player from the east coast so I'm pretty biased but I would love to see it. I probably won't believe it til they stop on the field for their first game (hopefully in 2012 rather than 2013)! GO BLUE!
November 23rd, 2010 at 10:20 AM ^
People within the A.D. have been talking about this using their non-secretive voice since Brandon came in. I don't know about the timetable, but its going to happen. Also sounds like the women's team will come with. Apparently hold up has been successful startup/fundraising and building of the Big House and Crisler renovations, soccer and golf facilities. Now that all thats left of the athletic building projects is to put up the already approved plans for Crisler and golf, the time is available to develop the lacrosse programs.
I also understand this is partially due to the fact that the gentleman who donated the funds to build "Newsterbaan" (Al Glick) had some kind of proviso that the lacrosse team would now have some kind of priority at Oosterbaan.
November 23rd, 2010 at 10:45 AM ^
FYI, I confirmed this is just a rumor. Nothing has been written in ink. There are goals of doing this by 2013, but right now they are just goals.
November 23rd, 2010 at 11:34 AM ^
Rumor...if you qualify rumor as something under serious consideration. yeah there is nothing in writing but it is definitely under consideration. Again, I think the timetable (2013) is the most unrealistic part. That's awful fast. But its definitely being considered.
November 23rd, 2010 at 12:03 PM ^
Yes, I agree it's just under consideration. The email I had received this morning was written in a way to indicate it was a done deal, which it is certainly not yet.
The 2013 timetable is actually what I had heard prior to this morning as a target. I think the hardest part will be raising enough money to fund the initial scholarships by that date. The team already operates close to a varsity level in terms of facilities, etc, so the fundraising would be the biggest hurdle.
When U of D Mercy announced a varsity team they went D1 2 years after the announcement, and they had no team to start with. Michigan has a lot in place already thanks to all the great work JP has done.
November 23rd, 2010 at 10:55 AM ^
That's great news, but how would it affect UM's compliance with Title IX. Would another program have to be dropped, or would they just bring women's Lax up to the varsity level?
November 23rd, 2010 at 11:35 AM ^
Women's would go too.
November 23rd, 2010 at 11:19 AM ^
that Men LAX program is going to move to D1 because they have been too dominant in their own league for a while. The only question is when.
November 23rd, 2010 at 11:51 AM ^
Or were the only kids who played lacrosse growing up were the ones who were too small to play football and couldn't skate...
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:01 PM ^
It's just you.
November 23rd, 2010 at 7:12 PM ^
say what's up.
November 23rd, 2010 at 10:12 PM ^
Steve Nash too. He was supposed to be a great lacrosse player and I'm not just saying that because he's Canadian....
November 23rd, 2010 at 12:12 PM ^
Yep -- just a rumor, per a follow-up email. Sorry for stirring up the pot, but the e-mail I received had me pretty psyched. Welcome to me to the world of the internet rumor!
November 23rd, 2010 at 1:15 PM ^
Does that portend to their elevation to varsity status, I would assume?
Either way, awesome and well-deserved.
November 24th, 2010 at 5:13 PM ^
Men's rowing had been pushing for varsity status for a while, but I heard that LAX would be the next men's sport to be made a varsity sport, and a large part of that was there was a particularly well-heeled LAX family looking to make some donations to help out in the process. Not to suggest that they don't deserve it, though.
November 23rd, 2010 at 7:42 PM ^
i think a mod can edit the title given Dave Brandon said as much in his alumni chat in Toledo.