A lot happened in lacrosse in 2016, and in case you forgot the biggest stories, or even stories that faded after time, we’re here to get you caught up on everything that happened.
Commissioner Sakiewicz was a big part of bringing legitimacy to Major League Soccer and he’s going to have to a lot of the same magic again if he’s to realize his goal of growing professional box lacrosse. One of the fundamental realities he’s going to have to address with top brass in the league’s front office and in team management is that settling for less and less is simply not an option. Taking a page from the Rush playbook, teams that are continuing to struggle to grow their fan base need to either find markets where they can start drawing in big numbers or maybe they need to get out of the way and let someone else try. – Jim Flannery
This game started typical UNC/Maryland. The Tar Heels came out with four goals in the first 4:10, but then the Terps came back with a vengeance. Scoring four of their own with two of them coming from Dylan Maltz. – Rocco Granato
Remember all of the Dom Starsia craziness from about a month and a half ago? Apparently, it was so fun that lacrosse decided to create an entire new social media blowup with news. Last night, BYU assistant lacrosse coach Jordan Harris tweeted the news of the University of Utah picking up a Division One lacrosse program. 412 Lacrosse and College Crosse both picked up the story, along with ILWT. – Marisa Ingemi
Starsia, 64, is a legendary coach in all of lacrosse. And his firing is a big shock to the college lacrosse world. A titan, whose teams the past few years haven’t been up to typically high standards, will probably be fired due to lackluster seasons. That’s something many people thought would never happen. But it looks like it will come true. – Chris Jastrzembski
Paul Rabil Almost Plays NLL, Then Doesn’t
“Unfortunately at this time, it’s still not going to work,” said Rock GM and owner Jamie Dawick in a press release. “We’ll see what happens going forward, I know there’s interest on his end and obviously there’s interest on our end. The communication lines have been open between him and myself and he’s going to continue to speak of the Toronto Rock off the floor and we’ll see what happens in the future but unfortunately for the 2017 season we’re not going to get a chance to see him on the floor.”
The game itself was the highest scoring championship bout in the 16-year history of the league, and it was fitting for one of the most unpredictable and tight seasons MLL has seen. While it appeared a dynasty was being built in New York, and teams like Rochester and Ohio were developing into potential powerhouses and contenders every year, a team that looked to be heading into its second straight year of futility returned home the victors. – Marisa Ingemi
“The National Lacrosse League competition is the best-kept secret in professional sports entertainment,” commented Sakiewicz in last week’s media conference. I’ve believed this for years. Hopefully the new league management has a plan to start building the league again, after several years that have seen shrinking attendance, folding clubs, and teams moving to smaller and smaller locations. – Jim Flannery
When people talk college lacrosse it’s usually the big universities in division one, Denver, Maryland Notre Dame, etc. But when Memorial Day weekend hits, there is plenty of action in divisions two and three. Such was the case today in Philadelphia. – Rocco Granato
TurfDogs Win Last CLax Game Ever
“We’ve been battling for a lot of games, a lot of years,” he said. “This group of guys comes together, goes to the rink a lot of times when a lot of guys would prefer not to. This is what we put the hard work in for. A lot of people put a lot of effort into this, right from Mat Giles… right down to the latest guy who joined our team, our trainers, our equipment guys. There’s a lot more to this than you see on the floor.”
Championship Weekend is Awesome Again
There was also a special moment on the opposite sideline as just moments after Monday’s heartbreaking defeat to North Carolina, Maryland head coach John Tillman was spotted with five-year old Fionn Crimmins. Crimmins is fighting leukemia and has been an honorary member of the team since October. Although it pained him having lost, perspective was not lost. – Justin LaFleur
The few times that the National Lacrosse League has seen footage of game play on national television or virally on the Internet, it hasn’t often been in appreciation of the play on the field. The NLL has once again reached that point, as the open field hit from Colorado Mammoth goaltender Alex Buque on Calgary transition Karsen Leung has been everywhere. – Marisa Ingemi
Another year, another lacrosse league start up. – Marisa Ingemi
“I am not pinning our 0-5 start on Dan,” said Dawick. “Being in the position we’re in, I felt like making a change was necessary. I appreciate everything Dan has given to this organization as a player and also in the last three seasons in a coaching role. I wish him nothing but the best and he will always be a part of the Toronto Rock.”
It may have been preseason, but don’t tell that to the 12,000 plus fans who packed into the SaskTel Centre on Friday night to watch the Saskatchewan Rush defeat the Calgary Roughnecks 9-6. With moments remaining in the fourth quarter a brawl broke out that included both the team’s goalies. – Marisa Ingemi
Some said that the 2016 draft was a weak one; after the first round and a half, the quality of prospects dropped off. After Monday night’s draft at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre though, it seemed that all teams were happy with the players they picked. – Anna Taylor
