LAX recruit chooses M over tOSU
January 17th, 2012 at 12:54 PM ^
welcome to the family.
January 17th, 2012 at 1:18 PM ^
Yes, welcome. Did he already enroll, or is he too late for this year? Didn't he graduate in 2011? Anyone have info?
January 17th, 2012 at 5:39 PM ^
I don't think lacrosse players typically enroll early like football players.
They want to finish out high school and play in their senior season.
Football player's seasons are done before they move one, lax players would miss out.
January 17th, 2012 at 1:02 PM ^
He's a neighbor of mine and a great, great kid. The article says his coach threatened to not talk to him again if he chose Michigan but trust me, he was kidding. And I love how he credits the academics at M being the deciding factor.
January 17th, 2012 at 1:11 PM ^
Just curious, as I know nothing about lacrosse, what are the chances that the Big Ten adds lacrosse and we get to see some lacrosse on BTN?
January 17th, 2012 at 1:21 PM ^
That's a good question. It made me wonder why they wouldn't broadcast lacrosse games anyway. They're still Big Ten schools. Couldn't the B1G Network still broadcast a game occasionally?
January 17th, 2012 at 1:28 PM ^
I think, based on some things DB has said about lacrosse being a spectator sport and wanting to grow our brand through that exposure, that a Big Ten lacrosse league is a long-term goal. That would ultimately provide content for the BTN.
However, I don't think a timeline has been set for that long-term goal, as we'll need more Big Ten schools to pick up the sport first to hit the minimum 6 schools/conference limit. Similar to hockey (although less prohibitively expensive because you just need a field versus ice rink), there are significant barriers to adding a men's program, namely scholarships for both the men's program and an equal amount of women's scholly's to hit Title IX requirements.
I do expect you'll see OSU/PSU/M matches occasionally on the BTN in the semi-near future, though. Michigan didn't sign any television rights over to our lacrosse conference, so the only thing stopping PSU/OSU/M from playing on BTN is the BTN getting enough interest from fans to show it (which, after seeing how many women's basketball games they played this past weekend, doesn't seem like it should be a problem haha).
January 17th, 2012 at 1:35 PM ^
Are there any other Big Ten schools that you know of that have club lacrosse teams that could easily make the jump if the Big Ten wanted to setup a conference in lacrosse? I see that there are only the 3 that you mentioned with D-I teams right now, but I would have a hard time believing that no other Big Ten schools have at least club level lacrosse.
January 17th, 2012 at 1:48 PM ^
Eight B1G teams participate in the MCLA - the exceptions are the three that are in NCAA DI, plus Northwestern. But don't get your hopes up. The MCLA has programs ranging from pseudo-varsity, like Michigan's, to seat-of-their-pants club teams with the emphasis on club. Michigan made the jump, but Michigan was uniquely prepared to do so. For the other B1G teams, some of them probably would be best served to simply start from scratch rather than trying to upgrade their club and its infrastructure.
In short, the concept of "easily making the jump" doesn't exist. Michigan was one of the pinnacle, elite MCLA teams and will be starting this year near the bottom of the DI pecking order.
I mentioned it below, but if there's a school most likely to join DI from the B1G, it'd be Northwestern - the one non-MCLA member - because they have the infrastructure already. But this is anything but inevitable, and much more unlikely than likely.
January 17th, 2012 at 2:11 PM ^
January 17th, 2012 at 5:43 PM ^
At the rate lacrosse is growing, things could change in the not-so-distant future. Obviously we won't see NW and IU with D-1 lax teams in the next few years, but the rate the sport is growing is incredible.
Hopefully soon, a school won't need an "east coast pull" to field a lacrosse team.
January 17th, 2012 at 1:55 PM ^
MSU used to have a varsity team but dropped it.
Lacrosse people (I'm an outsider, I just read about it) seem to think they would have the "easiest" time adding it, but I wouldn't call adding two full men's and women's program costs easy to add.
The biggest barrier is adding millions of dollars of scholarships, travel, and support for what is a relatively-low revenue sport (at least in the midwest right now) and a women's team that will likely be low-revenue.
Plenty of schools have club lacrosse, that's really not an issue. Supporting these teams with the necessary resources to be successful isn't easy, though.
EDIT: Wahoo beat me to it.
January 17th, 2012 at 5:25 PM ^
Not trying to start bashing the women's games, but good lord would I rather watch some M lacrosse games on BTN!!!
January 17th, 2012 at 3:18 PM ^
Michigan's lacrosse games will be streamed online here: http://www.lacrosseplayground.com/twelve-top-25-teams-highlight-laxxtvs-inaugural-broadcast-season/
Also, if you live in Michigan, be sure to check out the link I posted to the game against Detroit Mercy. It'll be at a great venue and I'd love to get more people into the sport.
January 17th, 2012 at 3:39 PM ^
I'd expect we would see a few matches involving Michigan, osu, and PSU. We did see some ice hockey games on occasion involving B1G schools, even before the B1G Ice Hockey conference was announced (IIRC)
January 17th, 2012 at 1:23 PM ^
I think we need at least one more team in the Big 10 for some teams to break off and for a Big10. For years, the ACC only had four teams but they were power house lax teams (Duke, Virginia, UNC and Maryland). The three current Big 10 schools that have lacrosse are Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan and we aren't the power house we need to be. State used to have one but they dropped it for various reasons. It would be good to see Wisconsin and State add programs and see what kind of momentum we could create.
January 17th, 2012 at 1:38 PM ^
I doubt the Big Ten will form a lax conference until it has six teams. Wait, scratch that - I guarantee it won't. It needs the autobid. The ACC doesn't.
If there's a Big Ten school most likely to add lax in the next five years, it's Northwestern, thanks to their powerhouse women's team. But nobody's ever said anything even remotely resembling official about that, and it's probably not on the burner. Since three teams would need to add the sport (two if the Big Ten can wrangle Notre Dame) and given the hurdles in doing so, I would say Big Ten lax is at least ten years into the future. Certainly not worth holding one's breath for.
January 17th, 2012 at 1:29 PM ^
Wisconsin will add a baseball team before they add lacrosse I would think
Edit: That was supposed to be in reply to jokenjin btw
January 17th, 2012 at 2:28 PM ^
Is he related to Taco?
January 17th, 2012 at 3:04 PM ^
Know where to go to school for a first class education.....
January 17th, 2012 at 3:04 PM ^
commits to Ohio State. Rivals now ranks Ohio State's class 3rd.
January 17th, 2012 at 3:13 PM ^
You do understand that this thread is talking about lacrosse (LAX)??? There are a hundred other threads to discuss football.
January 17th, 2012 at 3:15 PM ^
I love lacrosse, it's an awesome sport. Started playing this year and it has quickly grown over my love of football.
If interested, be sure to check out the game against Detroit Mercy at Ultimate Soccer on February 12th. Here's a link (it is to Mercy's page, but it has all the info, directions, and ticket info. http://www2.detroittitans.com/news/2012/1/12/MLAX_0112121101.aspx
January 17th, 2012 at 3:17 PM ^
Is there any team that we don't have that other schools have as a varsity sport?
January 17th, 2012 at 3:22 PM ^
January 17th, 2012 at 3:36 PM ^
for instance, osu has 19 men's and 20 women's varsity sports, compared to 13 and 15 for Michigan, respectively (including LAX for both). osu has men's and women's fencing, pistol, rifle, and spirit program (cheerleading?); men's volleyball; and women's ice hockey and synchronized swimming.
As mentioned, there are also many men's water polo programs. And did you know that there are also varsity men's skiing and women's bowling programs??? True story.
Given our men's ice hockey legacy, a women's varsity team would be pretty cool. Wisco and Minny have two of the top women's programs.
January 17th, 2012 at 3:44 PM ^
I like how theres a buckeye sign in the background of the picture. Kindof an F you to osu.
January 17th, 2012 at 3:51 PM ^
his coach is a Buckeye but his last name is Blue. Serves him right.
January 17th, 2012 at 5:51 PM ^
The Hill Academy has a very serious lacrosse program - kids from there are getting a hybrid of field and box skills - Brodie Merrill is a huge box and field star, one of the best long-stick middies ever (still plays at an all-world level) This kid is coming here prepared to play - great pickup.
January 18th, 2012 at 12:26 PM ^
What you wrote:
The Hill Academy has a very serious lacrosse program - kids from there are getting a hybrid of field and box skills - Brodie Merrill is a huge box and field star, one of the best long-stick middies ever (still plays at an all-world level) This kid is coming here prepared to play - great pickup.
What I understood:
The Hill Academy has a very serious lacrosse program - gobbledygook. This kid is coming here prepared to play - great pickup.
January 17th, 2012 at 7:33 PM ^
Better than lacrosse (& I like lacrosse). Should start that up as well.
For those who dont know:
hurling, sport of gods
January 17th, 2012 at 7:55 PM ^
I'm really excited that we're building up our lacrosse program, and think it's a cool sport that I hope becomes more popular in general. But I realized what a newbie I was when I thought the headline was about Los Angeles International Airport.