The Big Ten is looking to kick off the season with a bang. After the 2013 announcement by the Big Ten that the conference would feature select men’s and women’s lacrosse beginning in the 2014-15 season, the sights have been set by each team for an outstanding season. Here’s what’s to come for the inaugural season.
Maryland
The Terrapins are ready to break into the Big 10. Their season kicks off Wednesday, February 4th for a backyard brawl against Towson. This game will be an exciting start to Maryland’s season. Maryland’s team dynamic will soon be changing, as they have added former UVA player, Greg Danseglio (D). Danseglio is a talented defenseman who had 54 ground balls last season with UVA, and has played in every single game of his career. Maryland could certainly use this talent to take their team to the next level entering Big Ten play, and they are hoping Danseglio will take them to the next level.
Johns Hopkins
The Blue Jays are hoping to have a great season as their first in the Big Ten. They are excited to play long time rival, Maryland, for the pair’s 112 matchup in history. The two teams have been fiercely going head to head since the beginning. This matchup will be interesting, as the match will take place as both team’s last conference game, on April 26th. This strong rivalry will make the stakes for the two teams even higher, as they are fighting for the conference title.
Ohio State
The Scarlet and Grey are excited for their impressive schedule this season. They open Big Ten play against Penn State. The Buckeyes have improved tremendously over the past few seasons, and with this jump into the Big Ten, they certainly deserve to be ranked against these other cutting-edge teams. Their talented returning starters include Senior Midfielder David Planning and Senior Midfielder Jesse King. The inexperience in goal is going to be a challenging factor for the Buckeyes, as they have only three goalies on the roster, all of who have not seen consistent playing time.
Penn State
The Blue and White are back and ready to compete with a high intensity during the inaugural season of Big Ten play. The Lions begin their conference play against Ohio State on March 29, which is sure to be an exciting rivalry match, especially after the Nittany Lions are back on their home turf after a month on the road. State has gained 12 outstanding freshmen for this season, and it will be interesting to see how the newcomers fit in with the more experienced players, such as Michael Richards, JP Burnside, and TJ Sanders. After an exciting 2013-14 season, Penn State is looking to have a stellar season that ends in the Big Ten Tournament in April.
Rutgers
The Scarlet Knights’ first Big Ten conference match will be at Johns Hopkins in late March. Captains Scott Bieda and Brian Goss are two of the standouts on the team. Bieda leads the team from Attack and Goss leads from the Midfield. RU Senior Joseph Nardella was also named preseason all American. Overall, Rutgers looks like they will have an edge in terms of quickness and experience with their returning players.
Michigan
The Big Blue are ready to enter into the Big Ten. Led by senior captains, Mack Gembis, David McCormack, Will Meter, and Thomas Orr, the team is hoping to bring an edge of experience to their new conference. Gembis was named the team’s defensive MVP last year. McCormack contributed 46 points during his junior season, while remaining a big Ten Scholar. Meter, although limited by an injury last season, still boasts of a starting position during both his freshman and sophomore season. Lastly, Orr earned the highest GPA on the team, while playing in 35 games of his collegiate career. The team is exceptionally well rounded in terms of skills and this will certainly be an asset to Michigan’s dynamic. The Wolverines open their Big Ten Play March 29th against Maryland.
