The MCLA fall ball season is very different from the NCAA’s, the biggest difference is that there is no limit on practices. MCLA teams are allowed to take on as many teams or have as many practices as they want to have. Now the biggest problem MCLA teams face is burning players out before the season starts, especially freshman.
Two tournaments will be taking place this upcoming weekend in the Midwest. The first will be in Madison, WI. Known as the Madcity Fall Classic, the tourney draws teams from all over the Midwest. Teams from both MCLA divisions and the GLLL with a handful of NCLL teams thrown in to round out the field. The big name teams attending the tournament will be Wisconsin’s MCLA D1 team, Minnesota- Duluth, Michigan’s club team, Ohio St.’s club team, Winona St. (GLLL), and UW- Eau Claire(GLLL). The tournament is being broken up in to an A and B division with almost all the MCLA D1 teams and the NCLL teams in the A division. While the rest of the teams, mostly GLLL teams, are going to be playing in the B division.
The other tournament also happens to be taking place in Wisconsin. The Lakefront Classic is being held in Kenosha, WI right on lake Michigan. Hosted by Carthage College, they will be taking on MCLA D2 defending Champions St. Thomas and GRLC power Illinois in a jamboree style tournament. Carthage and St. Thomas have met for the last number of years during the fall, and these games have usually been decent test for the younger parts of the teams and for the guys on the teams trying to find a niche in the upcoming seasons.
Another Tournament taking place in the Midwest is Headstrong Minnesota’s Faceoff Against Blood Cancer Invitational. This tournament will have the Minnesota Gopher’s take on a number of Minnesota’s elite men’s teams. The first game will be between the Gophers and MN Lakers, who are the most well known men’s team in Minnesota. The Lakers, as they’re known, have a number of former NCAA D1 players and other top lacrosse players who are now living in Minnesota.
The fall season is always exciting in lacrosse. This weekend will see a number of good games that normally we are not indulged with. Should be a fun weekend.
