Good to see the confirmation. This is excitinger than exciting. Can't wait for the schedule, but it probably won't be out til the fall.
Last I heard they have about 3 games left to schedule, so it may be finalized before the fall. The Fall schedule is wrapping up as well, with those games likely taking place in early October. First home game is targetted for October 2nd, after the Minnesota Football game. I've got that whole weekend blocked on the calendar already. It will be good to finally see how we do against some top notch competition.
I think a great thing for their scheduling would be to have the schedule line up so that they have the most possible games on the East Coast, and play the "western" teams at home in the first year. If we can play Hobart, Fairfield, and Loyola away, I think we would get a ton of great exposure. Hobart is a little BFE, but Fairfield is not far from NYC, and Loyola is in Baltimore.
I'm sure we'll be capable of getting good representation from Alumni at both of those locations, and it could really help with getting a foot in the door and to get some exposure early in those major areas.
If they play Hobart away its only a 45 minute drive from my house. I will make sure we get some fans at the game!
I'll make sure to rally the Michigan crowd here in Denver.
As a DU graduate alum I will piss them off and say I'm rooting for DU, but we all know who I will really be going for in the end.
I know they read this blog but they are apparently to scared to join. All of which are in charge of the Michigan alumni assoc. (looking at you SF, TW, DC)
Really good news! Can't Wait!
Can anyone tell me which BIG teams have varsity LAX?
Only Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State. So no, no big ideas about Big Ten lax like we have for hockey.
Ahh but some day, in a bright and beautiful future. Also thanks for info.
With the speed the sport is growing, I wouldn't be shocked if Michigan was the first domino in a long line.
Yeah, the problem at this point is that outside of MSU, no other Big Ten schools have very good club teams even. And outside of Illinois and NW, no other Big Ten school has much of a home-state lax present at this point. Most of the lax played in Big Ten country is in Chicago, Michigan, Ohio and obviously Pennsylvania. Teams like Nebraska and Iowa won't have lax for a while, Wisconsin and Minny might but will be at a disadvantage, same with IU and Purdue.
Basically, the sport will have to grow a lot more (which it certainly will) before it becomes feasible for too many more midwest schools.
I agree. I was speaking more long-term. Michigan's program will help increase high school programs in surrounding states (hopefully) which will lead to more area programs being able to recruit the area.
I thought Wisconsin had a good Club team, at least past tense it did. I'm friends with one of the MSU coaches from about 10 years ago who went on to coach the Badgers (and became a gourmet chef in the interim).
I think the guy you're talking about got fired by both MSU and Wisconsin ultimately (no names here in case I'm thinking of someone else).
Wisconsin had a good club team back in the 80s and early 90s. They just recently joined the MCLA where Michigan was playing and have struggled at the higher level of club lacrosse.
I don't think the strength of the club team makes a huge difference though. That's just part of the reason DB added lacrosse. Big donors and an athletic department that makes money are more important factors.
Also, keep in mind that schools like Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa are that much more removed from the rest of the lacrosse world, and sports like lax don't have the travel money that football and basketball do.
For example, it's about an 8 hour drive from Ann Arbor to Baltimore, or Philly. That's far, but driveable. Wisconsin has to go that far just to get to OSU, one of the closer Big Ten schools, and about double that to get to Baltimore or Philadelphia.
This alone isn't enough to keep a program from forming (see: Denver) but it's likely one of them.
August 9th, 2011 at 12:57 PM ^
Hey everyone, watch me reply to a months-old post. Here I go:
To be fair, Ohio State is hardly (will hardy be) the closest D-1 team to Madison. Marquette will be just an hour or so away, Notre Dame just a handful of hours (3ish?), Ann Arbor and Detroit about 7-8 and Ohio State about 8-9. Bellarmine is shorter at almost exactly 8. Denver and Air Force are going to be a plane trip no matter what, and the East Coast schools would probably be a plane trip as well.
On the other hand, you're underestimating Michigan's distance from the East Coast (10+ hours to Phildelphia, probably the closest true East Coast city), and that's probably a plane trip for them anyway.
From a pure travel standpoint, Wisconsin is barely in a worse situation than Michigan (if at all)
is it pronounced EE-cack?
lol, nope it's just pronounced E-C-A-C
Solid conference and great news for Michigan
I clicked on the ECAC link to see who the other teams where. Very pleased to see Ohio State. I mean, come on. I really don't care what is at stake or what the game is. It's so easy to get fired up over playing against Ohio State, but especially when it's something cool like lacrosse.
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