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I gave Fannolax a chance to get this party started but he chose to start and "Ivy League 2020" thread insted so here goes:

I agree with CollegeCrosse's way too early 2020 assessment that the Bulldogs should be regarded as a title contender next season. Yale loses superb 1st midfield starters Tigh, Sessa and stalwart captain Daniggelis, All Ivy LSDM Mooney, EMO sniper Rooney, highly regarded SSDM B. Mackie whose promising career was disrupted by an ACL blowout but nevertheless hung in with the program for his final two years, head spiritmaster and one time starting goalie Crance, as well as 4 year backups Pula, Sullivan, Duran and Bliebtreu. The 2019 team and program owe a great debt of thanks to all the members of this most successful senior class is the history of Yale lacrosse for accomplishing what they did. The players who return have plenty of work to do to even come close to the level of success achieved by this year's graduating group, but there are plenty of pieces remaining in place to imagine that happening. Returning attackmen Morrill, Gaudet and Brandau are likely to once again be one of the most formidable attack units in the country. Starters Fake, Hynes, Weitzel and Starr as well as back-up DeMuth all return at the defensive end which should enable them to up their efficiency and execution. 2nd line middies Cotler, Tevlin and Cropp all look capable of stepping into the 1st middie roles vacated by graduation though I wouldn't be surprised if one of the three might be left on the second line to give it more punch, and SSDMs Eschbach, Renz and Ocken, as well as LSDM Ward all return as well. Add All Universe FOGO Ierlan and backup Neumann to this returning array, and I feel justified in my highly optimistic outlook for the coming season.

Obvioulsy there is a ton of work to do, and unforeseen changes are likely to occur between now and then. Coaches Baxter and Stimmel look to be and should be highly sought after by programs looking for a new head coach. Some unsung or lightly used players on the roster are apt to improve their status with their summer work and a whole new class of capable looking recruits will get integrated into the culture once fall rolls around. A very interesting and satisfying time to be a fan of Yale lacrosse.

Nice preview. Look forward to seeing Yale back in contention next year.

Interested to see what Gatto contributes next year, he was a tremendous athlete in high school, didn't get much run as a freshman this year but there was quite a logjam ahead oh him at mid.

Calourie, you provided a terrific overview to get the ball rolling better than I could have. Yes, it has been an interesting and satisfying time to be a fan of Yale lacrosse; I fully expect this to continue into 2020. Kuttin could get more middie playing time next year. I wonder if Bragg might take Rooney's spot as 4th attackman on the EMO squad. I know pretty much nothing about the incoming recruits; but Brandau, Fake and Starr have shown that first-years can play big roles for Shay. I hope to catch some Yale fall ball in October.

http://www.yalebulldogs.com/sports/m-la ... 0530tmsw3s

Jackson Morrill named captain for 2020. Was thrilled with how he performed without Ben Reeves this year. Makes up for a lack of jump off the page athleticism with a real knack and IQ for the game. Nothing like a little extra incentive to get even better.

Looking forward to the 2020 edition of Yale men's lacrosse. Post-season 2019 team awards
http://www.yalebulldogs.com/sports/m-la ... 0528pcg6z2

DAN CASMAN AWARD: Awarded to the underclassman who has contributed most to team spirit and morale: Brian Tevlin

WALTER T. COLLINS AWARD '23: Awarded annually to a player who by his overall ability and play has been selected as the best offensive lacrosse player of the season: Jackson Morrill

RICHARD CORRIGAN AWARD: Presented annually to that member of the varsity lacrosse team who has shown the most improvement over the course of one season: Luke Eschbach and Chris Hladczuk

DONALD J. REAPE MEMORIAL AWARD: Presented annually by Donald J. Reape to that upperclassman who best exemplifies the character, spirit, dedication, hard work, and enthusiasm that his son Don gave to Yale Lacrosse: Joseph Sessa

WINTHROP A. SMITH AWARD: Presented by DeForest W. Smith '61, Winthrop S. Smith '59, and Donford M. Smith - Middlebury '60 to that member of the lacrosse team whose superior conditioning and team play has served as an inspiration to his teammates : John Daniggelis

L. C. STOWELL AWARD: Presented annually to the most valuable player on the varsity squad: TD Ierlan

CHRISTIAN PRINCE MEMORIAL AWARD: Awarded annually to a player who by his overall ability and play has been selected as the best defensive lacrosse player of the season: Chris Fake

BRAD GANO MEMORIAL AWARD: Awarded annually to a varsity player who has exhibited the most mental and physical toughness: Joseph Sessa.

Congratulations to all award winners. Regarding the Most Improved Players, I confess that Chris Hladczuk had escaped my notice. As a sophomore attackman, he notched assists against Dartmouth and Quinnipiac. Looking at the names above, it's clear that a lot of talent should be returning in 2020. Congratulations to Jackson Morrill on being named 2020 team captain. Hopefully other seniors will also step up and provide additional leadership. A lot of hard work, a lot of hard work....

Reports have Andrew Baxter as Fairfield U's next Head Coach. I wonder if this signals the resumption of the annual early-March game between Yale and Fairfield after a one-year hiatus... and Shay almost surely needs to find a new assistant.
https://www.collegecrosse.com/2019/6/5/ ... e-ncaa-lax

Some pretty good defensive coordinators already in the Northeast/New England area...don't have to look much further than UMass, Providence, Army, Vermont, BU

Fairfield put out a statement this AM saying their search is still open. I can only hope that the Yale athletics program has reached into their pockets and convinced Coach Baxter to stay. I try to limit my expectations but I thought that 2019 season might be down as the team adjusted in year 1AB (after Ben) and 2020 would be a big year looking at who Yale returns. Coach Baxter is such a huge part of what happens. I'd hate to see him go.

Can't wait to see this team in fall ball!

JAFO wrote: ↑Thu Jun 06, 2019 12:57 pm Fairfield put out a statement this AM saying their search is still open. I can only hope that the Yale athletics program has reached into their pockets and convinced Coach Baxter to stay. I try to limit my expectations but I thought that 2019 season might be down as the team adjusted in year 1AB (after Ben) and 2020 would be a big year looking at who Yale returns. Coach Baxter is such a huge part of what happens. I'd hate to see him go.

Can't wait to see this team in fall ball!

I heard the Fairfield U job will pay up for a head coach. What’s available for assistants is less certain.

As for pay, I have no inside knowledge, but Yale lacrosse's generous endowment would seem to extend to the assistant coaches. The fact that the Bulldogs held onto top assistants after winning a national championship says something, and surprised me a bit; makes me wonder if Stimmel and Baxter have a burning desire to head up a program, or are very happy as assistants.

New Haven Register reporter reporting that Chris Gray has submitted application for admission to Yale. Welcome to Transfer U....

I find the "Chris Gray application to Yale" news really interesting given all the returnees the Bulldogs have at attack. Perhaps the young man is really serious about his academic future? Is willing to play some midfield? Has something to do with the Shay-Polley connection? Who knows? certainly not I. Terrific player wherever he ends up. Would love to see him as an Eli, but will be extremely skeptical unless/ until it happens.

Yale’s willingness to admit high profile male athletic transfers is what’s surprising to me. Given Yale’s admission rate on transfers is about 2.5% and only about 30 get in each year I thought TD was a truly unique circumstance. Sounds like it’s not. Yale seems to be prioritizing male athletics in a way that far surpasses the rest of the Ivies. This isn’t your father’s Yale.... It’s more like your great great grand father’s Yale....

calourie wrote: ↑Sat Jun 08, 2019 8:27 am I find the "Chris Gray application to Yale" news really interesting given all the returnees the Bulldogs have at attack. Perhaps the young man is really serious about his academic future? Is willing to play some midfield? Has something to do with the Shay-Polley connection? Who knows? certainly not I. Terrific player wherever he ends up. Would love to see him as an Eli, but will be extremely skeptical unless/ until it happens.

Not only are all three starters returning, don't forget you have Lucas Cotler and Kyle Zawadski waiting their turns, too...

I doubt the endowment had anything to do with coach’s salary. Maybe but I doubt it. Typically assistants get paid from the proceeds of camps etc.

Yale is not the only school to have placed on emphasis on sports. Penn and Princeton come to mind.

I am fairly certain Shea has touched his bases. If he hasn’t thetecis the potential for upsetting team chemistry.

thetruth wrote: ↑Sat Jun 08, 2019 8:43 am Yale’s willingness to admit high profile male athletic transfers is what’s surprising to me. Given Yale’s admission rate on transfers is about 2.5% and only about 30 get in each year I thought TD was a truly unique circumstance. Sounds like it’s not. Yale seems to be prioritizing male athletics in a way that far surpasses the rest of the Ivies. This isn’t your father’s Yale.... It’s more like your great great grand father’s Yale....

Yale has admitted transfers to the football team. Patrick Witt transferred from Nebraska and started at quarterback for Yale; Tyler Varga transferred from University of Western Ontario, played running back for Yale and spent a year in the NFL.

Calourie's points are well-taken: with Morrill, Gaudet and Brandau returning at attack, it's not clear where Gray would play, or who would get displaced.

OCanada wrote: ↑Sat Jun 08, 2019 8:57 am Yale is not the only school to have placed on emphasis on sports. Penn and Princeton come to mind.

Over the past 5 years, Princeton has more team Ivy titles than anyone and only Harvard is close. Both of those schools have done that without utilizing athletic transfers and have had as much if not more success on the women’s side as they have had on the men’s side. As it relates to men’s team titles over that period Yale is near the top while their women’s teams have not had nearly the same success. Yale has won 6 team collegiate national championships in the past 6 years, by far the most in the Ivies. All of them have been men’s teams. Columbia and Princeton are the only other Ivies that have won team collegiate titles in that period, Columbia in fencing twice which is coed and Princeton in women’s field hockey. Other than fencing in the mid-80s, Yale has never won a national collegiate championship in women’s team sports in their 318 year history. As you can tell I have daughters...

Well, in Yale's 318 year history, it has been coed for about 50 years.

FannOLax wrote: ↑Sat Jun 08, 2019 9:27 am

thetruth wrote: ↑Sat Jun 08, 2019 8:43 am Yale’s willingness to admit high profile male athletic transfers is what’s surprising to me. Given Yale’s admission rate on transfers is about 2.5% and only about 30 get in each year I thought TD was a truly unique circumstance. Sounds like it’s not. Yale seems to be prioritizing male athletics in a way that far surpasses the rest of the Ivies. This isn’t your father’s Yale.... It’s more like your great great grand father’s Yale....

Yale has admitted transfers to the football team. Patrick Witt transferred from Nebraska and started at quarterback for Yale; Tyler Varga transferred from University of Western Ontario, played running back for Yale and spent a year in the NFL.

Calourie's points are well-taken: with Morrill, Gaudet and Brandau returning at attack, it's not clear where Gray would play, or who would get displaced.

Also had Bo Hines who was a very good wide receiver come in from NC State. I was just referring to TD being a special circumstance for lacrosse.