ChopMan23 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 09, 2024 12:44 am
DeepPocket wrote: ↑Thu Feb 08, 2024 9:09 pm
MVPiccoli wrote: ↑Thu Feb 08, 2024 8:51 pm
StevieUAlum has been gracious on other topics. I like him. A list is a list. I think the 3-4 estimate is pretty spot on.
I DISLIKE Eastern and Stevenson for different reasons, but respect both, and frankly I'm jealous y'all get to watch your boys play in 2025 and beyond, but I digress.
Actually focused my attention on this thread because Widener was on my mind. That program, and university, man, if anyone stands to gain from Cabrini's loss, I think it's the Pride (should have stuck with Pioneers you administrative goons, I'm off topic again). So much local talent looking for the right DIII fit. No offense to Eastern or the other local spots, but those are not the place for young, less educationally inclined (in HS!), savages. I wonder how, or if, they can figure it out. Rob Chambers is no Colfer IMO. Lockard was lazy. They haven't had a real one in the head man spot since Jamie Steele, again IMO. Sleeping giant.
On Widener, I agree with most of this. I’ve noted on this forum in recent years that Widener plays a more scrappy, workman style brand. Often out talented by Eastern, but never out worked, as they competed with their different styles for that third MAC spot.
Clearly Chambers has the current players buying in, as we see them staying for grad years. I don’t know the reason why we didn’t see him make a few portal moves this year, and with just 6 incoming freshmen. Perhaps if they can do some damage returning all of last year’s top 10 scorers, they can make themselves more attractive to both commits and transfers alike …
I think Widener would be a better program in a different location. Chester PA is not an easy sell.
Respectfully, I think one must first understand the Philly/DelCo/SJ area, and the local students who are choosing schools in that region. Look at the hometowns on the roster. These are not families who have never been to or heard about Chester, coming from far and wide for a campus tour. In that area by and large everyone knows someone in town who personally went, or whose kid went to Widener, got a good degree within their budget,
had a good experience, and got a decent job.
Would being in a more rural or aesthetically pleasing area better help with drawing in students from other regions? Sure, and that would help their lacrosse program if they were; already getting a healthy share of the local talent, more nationally competitive to garner
talented players from far away, and ready to take the next step in the lacrosse realm. But they’re not there yet. They need to capitalize on the region where they’re already known, liked and actively recruiting before anything else IMO. (See other MAC teams in beautiful settings with players from as far away as California that are far less competitive than Widener).
In that vein, I absolutely see Widener being able to gain ground in the local recruiting landscape with Cabrini out of the picture. They were recruiting the better lacrosse players from the same geographic region and demographic pool. Those players’ restrictions/limitations (ie; desire to stay close, academics, finances, playing ability) will still exist going forward, though now with out a local top 20 lacrosse school like Cabrini fitting the bill to take the upper echelon. (Stockton also stands to gain quite a bit FWIW)
MAC - The SEC of DIII lacrosse.