M Lacrosse ranked for 1st time in program history

Submitted by L'Carpetron Do… on

In the latest Maverik Men's Lacrosse Division 1 Media Poll, Michigan is ranked for the first time ever.  Our boys come in ranked #20, after going 7-1 to open the season.  

Michigan is coming off its first victory over a ranked opponent after they beat #10 Penn last Saturday. They were not ranked after last weekend, but they got some help as a few teams at the back of the Top 20 rankings fell out. 

In an email to alumni last week Coach John Paul, said that despite the victory he was glad they weren't ranked because he wants the team to stay hungry.  They'll have to defend their new ranking when they take on a feisty UMBC team that beat Stony Brook this weekend. That game is at the Big House on Saturday at 1PM.  

It's been a topsy-turvy season in the college lacrosse world this year.  Ohio State whomped #1 Denver yesterday opening the door for your new #1: Rutgers. I shit you not. The Scarlet Knights are 8-0 and beat Princeton last week and are on fire.  All B1G teams are ranked now - Penn State is #3, Ohio State is #4, Maryland is #10 and Hopkins is #17.  The rest of the season could be pretty wild. Schedule is gonna get hard as hell for Michigan.  But who gives a damn - LET'S DO IT!! GO BLUE!!!

L'Carpetron Do…

March 20th, 2017 at 12:36 PM ^

Traditionally they've been pretty decent (they actually recruited me a little in HS - went to M instead). But, I don't think they've ever been #1 before though - probably unprecedented heights for them. I'm waiting for them - and Ohio State and Penn State for that matter - to come back to earth a little in the next few weeks.  They've always had good soccer programs too.

L'Carpetron Do…

March 20th, 2017 at 1:13 PM ^

There are 71 teams in D-1 now I believe.  Over the last 6-7 years a bunch of schools have added programs, most notably Marquette, BU and Richmond.  Hampton joined last year and Cleveland State this year.  But, that seems to have slowed down.  Don't see any new programs on the horizon.  I'm waiting for some big schools to drop but that might not happen for a while. 

 

L'Carpetron Do…

March 20th, 2017 at 1:21 PM ^

Actually I just did some lazy internet research and found that there were some heavy rumors last summer about Utah adding a team. But there's been no announcement. That would be a huge shoe to drop in the westward expansion of the sport. It could encourage other Pac-12 teams to join and maybe even BYU. But this sort of thing has always been a subject of hot, crazy rumors though.  But you gotta imagine some other schools will pick it up and soon.

L'Carpetron Do…

March 21st, 2017 at 9:23 AM ^

Yeah there doesn't appear to be any right now.  I was reading up on that Utah rumor and it sounded pretty legit - to the point that former Virginia coach Dom Starsia was being considered for the head coach position.  Apparently a handful of east coast players have even transferred there already. 

Supposedly 'multiple sources' said they would start play in 2019 or 2020. But -after all these stories swirled about in June/July 2016,  there was no announcement, which seems pretty weird.  On the negative side, the radio silence could mean that the plan is dead. The optimist in me wonders if maybe they're waiting to announce because maybe another Pac-12 team is coming with them.  But who the hell knows?

mlax27

March 20th, 2017 at 1:10 PM ^

A nice accomplishment and another first achieved this year.  Hats off to JP and the assistants on a job well done.  I've been impressed with the progress the defense has made this year.  That was the big item that had yet to develop last year.  

The Big10 schedule will be brutal though, which is a good thing.  Possibly the top conference in the country this year.  I've been really impressed with Rutgers and watching the OSU game yesterday they were completely shutting down Denver.   Having PSU, OSU and Rutgers all in the big house this year works out well for us.  

ElBictors

March 20th, 2017 at 3:41 PM ^

Go Pios & Go Blue!!!

Awwwww, someone butt hurt?! Lmao.

My son played Jr Pioneers Hockey and plays for the U10 CO Defending state champs lax. And both my Mom and sister have DU degrees.

Love where M LAX is headed!

mtzlblk

March 21st, 2017 at 8:53 AM ^

So glad to see them coming around. 

Still wish they would televise more games so I could watch more in California. My son plays here in SF and getting him hooked on another M team would be sublime. 

Hopefully this can keep fueling the engine to drive them to being a permanently relevant/top team every year.