Rounding up the links. Tons of recruiting this week, but we’ll get started with college. As always, you can tweet or e-mail me any news tips, college commitments, etc.
College
The biggest news in the state in the past couple weeks has been the decision to add women’s lacrosse at Central Michigan. Big for growth of the game – both as a catalyst and a result.
Training highlights from Michigan’s offseason program:
Michigan junior midfielder Jeff Chu gives a (less video-tastic) look inside the U-M program’s preparation for the 2013 season, and goalie Mike D’Alessio is the latest member of the U-M signing class to be profiled.
Davenport and Grand Valley played a benefit game for the family of GVSU senior defenseman Jake Seiler, whose house recently burned down. The result is secondary to the cause in events like this, but the Lakers emerged with a 16-14 victory. Photos from the event on the Grand Valley Flickr page.
Detroit’s Jordan Houtby is a third-team preseason All-American, according to Inside Lacrosse. The senior LSM is a two-time all-MAAC performer.
The CAC to the ‘CAC blog on the Lacrosse All-Stars network points to Adrian as a Division-3 team on the rise. The Bulldogs have lost just five games in the past two years combined, and are building a force in the Midwest.
Highlights from Aquinas’s 2012 season.
Mike Costello breaks down Alma’s 2013 schedule.
Recruiting
Cranbrook sophomore defenseman Michael Langdon committed to Notre Dame:
A member of 3D New England, he was an All-Star selection at Denver Shootout and FL3 in 3D, also attending The Crimson Summer Classic and Jake Reed’s Nike Blue Chip. As a freshman, he was a first team All-State pick. Also a starter on the varsity soccer squad
Cranbrook finished 15-7 last year, and young talent like Langdon will help the Cranes continue to improve under the tutelage of coach Mat Wilson.
Press release on the UDM men’s nine fall signees. Four attackmen, two midfielders, two defensemen, and a goalie. Three from in-state and two from UDM pipeline St. Catharine’s, Ont.
Novi defenseman Scott Schramm, a 3rd-team all-stater as a junior in the spring, committed to Detroit. He’s a senior who didn’t sign during the early signing period.
Ann Arbor Skyline senior defenseman Eric Guldberg committed to Hope. To my knowledge, he’s the first NCAA player out of Skyline high school, no?
Salt Lake City Skyline senior Miklain Huntsman signed with the Detroit women.
Kennett (Pa.) senior Sophie duPhily signed with Michigan.
Strath Haven (Pa.) junior defender Lily Kovach committed to the Michigan women’s program.
Are you ready for 8,000 sophomore commits to Michigan? I think you’re ready for 8,000 sophomore commits to Michigan.
Governor’s Academy (Mass.) 2015 midfielder Teddy Betancourt has committed to Michigan.
The Duxbury (Mass.) native plays club for Laxachusetts, earning All-Star performances at Maverik Showtime and Fab Frosh Showcase, also attending Jake Reed’s Nike Blue Chip, Philly Showcase, Baltimore Summer Kickoff and Crab Feast. In football, he is a starter at defensive back on back-to-back undefeated teams. He strongly considered Fairfield and Ohio State.
Pingry School (N.J.) 2015 attackman JC Sorenson committed to Michigan:
I was also seriously considering Dartmouth, Harvard, UNC, Duke, Georgetown and Yale. This fall, I visited Dartmouth, UNC, Duke and Georgetown – and of course, Michigan.
That’s a pretty impressive list of schools for Michigan to beat out, and an indication that future is bright in Ann Arbor (though maybe not for a few years down the road). More at the link.
Greenwich (Conn.) 2015 Decker Curran is also Michigan-bound:
“Decker has a tremendous shot both spotting up and on the run,” [Greenwich coach Scott] Bulkley said. “He is a tenacious rider and creates scoring situations with his consistent hustle. I love how hard he plays.”
Villanova, Penn State, and Bucknell were also in the running.
Haverford School (Pa.) 2015 attackman Brandon Shima has also committed to Michigan. Freshman LSM Paxton Moore is also a Haverford product.
Boca Raton (Fla.) St. Andrews 2015 defenseman Jake Bargas committed to Michigan. His older brother Jordan was a member of the Michigan club team, but missed out on the inaugural Division-1 year due to career-ending knee injuries.
Youth
The third of Michigan’s four winter coaching clinics takes place tonight in Ann Arbor. I’ll be there, any local coaches heading in to the clinic?
The MHSLCA coaching clinic takes place Sunday at Okemos High School, and the Michigan Youth Lacrosse Association meeting is also Sunday, at All-American Lacrosse.
The Wolverine Warriors winter clinics are fast approaching. Registration can be found here.
True Lacrosse’s winter leagues in Ann Arbor begin Jan. 12.
Stacey’s School of Lax will host a mini-sticks tournament for boys and girls 3rd grade through high school Dec. 27 at the Northville Parks and Rec Hillside gym. More info on Stacey’s website. The city of Northville’s youth programs for the spring are announced and awaiting your signup.
There are just a couple days left to register for the D-Town 7v7 Holiday Classic.
The True Lacrosse Davenport camp this summer will feature pro lacrosse players Kevin Laveille and Jordan MacIntosh.
Division-1 Realignment
I can’t escape it! I have a dedicated links post for realignment yesterday, and more keeps happening.
Quinnipiac, Monmouth, and Wagner are (reportedly) MAAC-bound. The original source isn’t huge on context, but Dick Weiss is a college basketball writer for the New York Daily News. Are those all-sports moves? Quinnipiac and Wagner have been playing in the NEC, and Monmouth is a new team that didn’t (yet) have a conference home, but was an all-sports member of the NEC as well. That leaves the NEC with just four programs if the moves apply to lacrosse.
The Big East basketball schools (also known as Big East non-football schools) have informed the league that they’re planning to get out of it. That means Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John’s, and Villanova (Seton Hall and DePaul don’t have lacrosse programs) will be searching for (or creating) a new home on the lacrosse side of things. It doesn’t change much for those five – they were the only remaining Big East teams playing the sport, so the Big East by any other name… is still looking for a sixth member.
Etc.
Mike Costello presents his year-end “Laxie Awards.” UDM, U-M, and Brother Rice are among the programs with honorees. Naturally all the winners are from Michigan.
Based on a random tweet from the head coach at Western Reserve Academy, is sounds like TempoFreeLax.com was mentioned at this weekend’s IMLCA Convention. Can anyone who was there provide more details?
As always, thanks for visiting. Any news tips can find their way to the various inboxes.
A ton of sophomore commits to Michigan. I recognize that sophomore commitments are the norm these days, but how can a college truly evaluate how a 15 year old will turn out in 3 years against college competition? This isn’t a knock on UM recruiting, JP has to do what the top programs are doing, but isn’t it a sad comment on the current state of lax that you have to lock up a kid’s commitment before he is even old enough to drive?
More awards for UDM. 4 Titans will be named pre-season 1st team all MAAC.