While the news isn’t officially official yet – Maryland will be announced as a member of the Big Ten at 3 p.m., but Rutgers is still on the clock – the addition of two lacrosse-playing schools to the Big Ten is obviously a huge boost for those three already-existing lacrosse programs in the league.
Though Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State don’t play in the same conference as-is (the Wolverines and Buckeyes play in the ECAC, Penn State in the CAA), this move makes it more likely that a Big Ten lacrosse conference is on the way. That could be at the expense of – what had been to date my preference – a reconfigured GWLL, or there are myriad other possibilities there.
My hunch is that we’ll eventually see a six-team Big Ten, with the rest of the Western lacrosse world joining together in a solidified conference. It’s certainly a mixed bag for the Marquette, Detroit, and Bellarmines of the world. This makes it just a little tougher to be one of the little guys out West (I don’t think Denver, which has established itself as a power in recent years, gives half a hoot about who’s in its conference) to be viable.
Athletic Director David Brandon and Coach John Paul
For the three Big Ten schools, and particularly new kid on the block Michigan, it’s an unmitigated positive. Sayeth head Wolverine John Paul:
“The Big Ten is the best conference in college sports. From a men’s lacrosse perspective any expansion that has the potential to improve our footprint in lacrosse and alumni hotbeds is a good thing. I’m glad Commissioner Delany is continuing to explore ways to keep the conference moving forward.”
Michigan wasn’t going to not play games in the Atlantic region, but this means a certain trip to the East Coast every single year, whether it’s for a conference game or simply a Big Ten agreement.
It will be interesting to see the ripple effects that these moves make, especially once both announcements are official.
Any chance the Big Ten does what the ACC had been doing and roll as a non-autobid conference until we get a sixth member? These teams will be playing each other anyway, and Rutgers and Maryland is kind of high and dry in the meantime. Plus, Maryland almost always gets an at-large bid anyway, so the autobid thing might not be an issue.
No way. The Big Ten programs aren’t established enough in the mainstream (aside from obviously Maryland) to pass up the opportunity for an automatic bid that would come with staying in other leagues.
Which Big Ten teams? Rutgers and Maryland won’t have a league to win, so they’ll be in favor of it, and Michigan doesn’t have a shot to win their league in the foreseeable future anyway. I could see PSU and OSU feeling that way, I suppose. But they win their leagues so rarely that giving up an autobid for a couple years for the league’s best interest seems possible to me.
The winner of this five team Big Ten lax conference would almost certainly get an at-large anyway.
But there’s no incentive to change the status quo. Sure, it might be nice to be in a conference with the other Big Ten teams, but there has to be some tangible benefit to justify moving.
I guess my question is – do all teams need to agree? Because there is certainly incentive for Rutgers and Maryland since they’ll be conference-less, and likely for Michigan as well since they’ll be able to fill their schedule with Big Ten teams and teams of their choice, rather than playing teams like Hobart, Bellarmine and Fairfield.
Hopefully another Big Ten teams steps up so this is a moot point.
WolvinLA, Rutgers (now-Big Ten) and Hobart (ECAC) are virtually interchangable in terms of caliber of play…and Fairfield (ECAC) is actually a pretty solid mid-range opponent.
Also, with the (relatively) big money (and high stakes recruiting) in D1 lacrosse these days, no one is going to “give up an automatic bid for a couple of years for a (proposed) league’s best interests”.
OK – so any idea what Maryland and Rutgers do for a lacrosse league in between?
Given that no additional Big Ten program appears to be on the imminent horizon, they’ll be looking for long-term conference homes, I think. Maybe CAA for Maryland, or they also have the name that would allow them to play an independent schedule.
As for Rutgers… they’re going to struggle to find a good home. Maybe something like the MAAC would take them, but if they’re going to go there, they might as well strike out as an independent themselves, schedule the other 4 Big Ten programs every year (I’m willing to wager all five programs play a full round-robin, even if they don’t form an official conference), and hope for the best with the remaining 10 or so games.
Of course, the rest of the Big East will be out of luck if they boot Rutgers, down to five teams themselves. Maybe they’d (temporarily, at least) allow either or both of the new Big Ten programs to play in their lacrosse league, simply for the sake of survival? The Big East isn’t exactly in position to be bossing anyone around.
I like it. I think this will help encourage other B1G schools to pick lacrosse up. I can’t wait to see more lacrosse on BTN in the springtime. Getting to watch Maryland games on BTN sounds good to me. Have to wait until 2015 though.
Is this a positive for Michigan recruiting?
Will this help Michigan State come to their senses?
Clark: see my comment on realignment armageddon. From my perch in Maryland where I live, I know this will be a big boost for Michigan lax recruiting. I look forward to the day (some years in the future) when I can go to College Park, MD and see John Paul’s group knock off the Terps. When that happens, I’ll be wearing my UM lax shirt in the stands.
An awesome thought. I can’t wait to see Maryland playing in the Big House. How about NCAA quarterfinals in the Big House?
So the ACC lets Maryland continue to play as a conference member until 2015 They probably don’t need an AQ. But it would behoove them to help make the B1G better because eventually there will be 6 teams and a Big Ten Lacrosse conference.
I have to believe more change is fast on the way. Two years ago there were 2 Big Ten Lacrosse teams. Within 5 years there will be 5 teams. I think something will happen to have 6 teams by 2015. Fun to think who. Current B1G that takes on Lacrosse or do we steal another like Virginia or do we find another big Midwestern school not on the B1G to take on Lacrosse. Cincinnati anyone?
Tim: there’s an interesting article in today’s Washington Post on the third page of the sports section about what Maryland’s move to the B1G means for the Maryland lacrosse program. It has a quote from Coach Paul in the article. I’d be interested in your thoughts on the article.