I like the analysis in the article on Michigan's varsity hopes for lax. The one thing I disagree with is the implication that midwestern teams would have a difficult time recruiting in the East Coast for the top lax talent. That may be true for most midwest schools but not for Michigan. I've lived in Maryland for over 25 years and there is no doubt in my mind that Michigan could recruit here and elsewhere on the East Coast. Michigan, Notre Dame, and Northwestern are the three midwestern schools that attract many students each year from the East Coast for their academic reputation. Every year 50 or more students apply to UM from each of the high schools in my area outside DC and the same is true for the best public schools in the Baltimore areas. Many private schools in Maryland send students every year to Michigan. Many great lax high schoolers on the East Coast would love to go to Michigan if it had a varsity program. This may sound like more UM hubris but it's the truth. And Coach Paul would be great at recruiting these guys. If UM goes varsity, it's a top 20 program in 3 years.
This past weekend has shown that it's high time for Michigan to make lacrosse a varsity sport. First, the UM lax threepeat shows not only is the program is far beyond the club level, but the talent of the recruits that come to Michigan to play club lax makes it clear that they would soon be a force recruiting at the varsity level. Second, Notre Dame beat Princeton, a perennial lax powerhouse, in the first round of the NCAA tournament. If a midwestern school like Notre Dame can build a top tier varsity program, than Michigan could do so easily. Third, Army beat Syracuse, perhaps the best overall team of the past decade. Johns Hopkins got crushed in a first round defeat. The changing of the guard has begun in varsity lacrosse, as it becomes a national sport. Any one who thinks that Michigan could not become a top 20 varsity program in 3 years is clueless about lacrosse. As a varsity program, Michigan could recruit nationally at both public and private high schools with top lacrosse programs. It's national alumni base and following, high academic reputation (which is important to recruit at the private schools), and national draw as a university would enable UM to attract talent from all areas and retain the best players in the midwest. Congrats to Wolverine lax for a threepeat and an insane three year run of success. Now it should be on to the next level.
I grew up on the East Coast playing lacrosse and I live in Maryland now, so I get to see top notch lacrosse on television and in person. There is no doubt in my mind that if UM went varsity, they could recruit a top program. UM is a hugely popular school on the East Coast, and gets tons of applications from public and private high school students. It would be able to attract Maryland, Philly, New Jersey, Boston, and New York players. In addition, it would get the best high school players in the Midwest (who didn't want to go to Notre Dame). It would have an alumni base that would show up in droves for every away game played against the top schools on the East Coast. And with John Paul as coach, they'd have one of the best lacrosse minds in the country.
I live on the East Coast and there is a growing interest in UM lacrosse here. MGoBlog: keep up the fine coverage of Wolverine lacrosse. I check out the UM lax website and MGoBlog after every game. There is no doubt in my mind that, if Michigan went varsity in lax, they'd be in the top 20 of the NCAA within a couple of years.
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I like the analysis in the article on Michigan's varsity hopes for lax. The one thing I disagree with is the implication that midwestern teams would have a difficult time recruiting in the East Coast for the top lax talent. That may be true for most midwest schools but not for Michigan. I've lived in Maryland for over 25 years and there is no doubt in my mind that Michigan could recruit here and elsewhere on the East Coast. Michigan, Notre Dame, and Northwestern are the three midwestern schools that attract many students each year from the East Coast for their academic reputation. Every year 50 or more students apply to UM from each of the high schools in my area outside DC and the same is true for the best public schools in the Baltimore areas. Many private schools in Maryland send students every year to Michigan. Many great lax high schoolers on the East Coast would love to go to Michigan if it had a varsity program. This may sound like more UM hubris but it's the truth. And Coach Paul would be great at recruiting these guys. If UM goes varsity, it's a top 20 program in 3 years.
This past weekend has shown that it's high time for Michigan to make lacrosse a varsity sport. First, the UM lax threepeat shows not only is the program is far beyond the club level, but the talent of the recruits that come to Michigan to play club lax makes it clear that they would soon be a force recruiting at the varsity level. Second, Notre Dame beat Princeton, a perennial lax powerhouse, in the first round of the NCAA tournament. If a midwestern school like Notre Dame can build a top tier varsity program, than Michigan could do so easily. Third, Army beat Syracuse, perhaps the best overall team of the past decade. Johns Hopkins got crushed in a first round defeat. The changing of the guard has begun in varsity lacrosse, as it becomes a national sport. Any one who thinks that Michigan could not become a top 20 varsity program in 3 years is clueless about lacrosse. As a varsity program, Michigan could recruit nationally at both public and private high schools with top lacrosse programs. It's national alumni base and following, high academic reputation (which is important to recruit at the private schools), and national draw as a university would enable UM to attract talent from all areas and retain the best players in the midwest. Congrats to Wolverine lax for a threepeat and an insane three year run of success. Now it should be on to the next level.