FanLax Forum Poll

D3 Mens Lacrosse
MrLax2U
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Re: FanLax Forum Poll

Post by MrLax2U »

A side note... it was in that 2017 game that the current record for goals scored in a single NCAA Tournament game (all levels) was set by Denison's #2, Spencer Butler ... he had 11 that game.
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SpartanLaxFanatic
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Re: FanLax Forum Poll

Post by SpartanLaxFanatic »

Illinois Wesleyan being talked about as a potential Final 4 team is crazy talk. I can appreciate the style of play that they promote as a program and the enjoyment you can get watching their games. However, some of the national media love for them is a bit odd IMO.

Last 3 years, they've taken one big swing at top 10(ish) team in D3 in their OOC:
2018: 14-24 to CNU
2019: 6-22 to Salisbury
2020: 8-20 to Ursinus

Until they amp up their OOC a bit and actually have a competitive game against a Top 20 program let's take it easy with all the IWU love.
UpperCorner

Re: FanLax Forum Poll

Post by UpperCorner »

Illinois Wesleyan being talked about as a potential Final 4 team is crazy talk. I can appreciate the style of play that they promote as a program and the enjoyment you can get watching their games. However, some of the national media love for them is a bit odd IMO.

Last 3 years, they've taken one big swing at top 10(ish) team in D3 in their OOC:
2018: 14-24 to CNU
2019: 6-22 to Salisbury
2020: 8-20 to Ursinus

Until they amp up their OOC a bit and actually have a competitive game against a Top 20 program let's take it easy with all the IWU love.
IWU lost to Southwestern who got smoked by Colorado College who got smoked 19-3 by Salisbury... I know... any given Sunday, #GrowtheGame, but we're pretty far down the food chain here... would like to see two separate polls... one full of potential AQ's as this seems to be and one that is actually realistic about the quality of play.

That being said - this thread is actually making me watch some mid-west games that I never would have... they're getting there...
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FanLax Computer
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Re: FanLax Forum Poll

Post by FanLax Computer »

Illinois Wesleyan's Best Win is over Southern Virginia. For their next Best Wins, there's a pretty big drop-off. Rhodes, etc. IW only has one loss but that loss is to #94 Southwestern. so, when I run the numbers, IW is ranked... beep.. boop... beep... beep... boop...

#36. Not likely to be playing in the Final Four. And, for any sane human being, shouldn't be in their FanLax Forum Poll Top 25.
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ah23
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Re: FanLax Forum Poll

Post by ah23 »

Expanding off what SpartanLaxFanatic mentioned, their results against good OOC teams in the last five years or so tell the story.
  • 2020: Ursinus - L 20-8; outshot 53-37, 22 turnovers
  • 2019: Salisbury - L 22-6; outshot 65-29, 22 turnovers
  • 2018: CNU - L 24-14; outshot 48-38, 20 turnovers
  • 2018: Denison - L 25-9; outshot 56-38, won the TO battle 18 to 15
  • 2017: Conn College (sub-.500, #8 in the NESCAC) - L 13-10; outshot 43-33 despite winning turnover battle 30 to 18
  • 2017: Denison - L 25-11; outshot 61-28, 29 turnovers
IWU is a fun team and a fairly successful program. However, their game evaporates against good teams; the same play style that is "fun and high octane" against Elmhurst results in uncomplicated slides, a ton of free turnovers, and plenty of easy saves that turn into transition opportunities for talented opponents. Taking the first shot available on every possession or trying to jump every singe clear works against their usual competition, but it simply does not work at all once the Titans dip their toe into the deep end of the pool.

Don't want to rag too much on IWU. They've made the sweet sixteen (thank the NCAA handing so many cupcakes AQ bids) and they're not even a decade old. They are doing fine. They just aren't anywhere close to contending nationally, and they have a ways to go before they appear in the top 25 for reasons other than voter charity. They simply need to get better talent and they need to play smarter lacrosse.
richard
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Re: FanLax Forum Poll

Post by richard »

I don't think that the original post mentioning IWU and the final four was about it happening this year. but was more about how long down the road it might be a possibility. It did not take the very long to beat OWU three out of four times and they have been happy to take on some tough customers. The final four is a stretch for many teams. Being competitive for the top twenty is easily in IWUs reach.
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Matnum PI
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Re: FanLax Forum Poll

Post by Matnum PI »

richard wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 1:39 pm Being competitive for the top twenty is easily in IWUs reach.
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Dr. Pretorious
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Re: FanLax Forum Poll

Post by Dr. Pretorious »

Being within reach of cracking the top 20 is still a long ways away from any realistic Final Four talk.
Big gap between 16-20 and 1-4.
Whiskeydog
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Re: FanLax Forum Poll

Post by Whiskeydog »

“Big gap between 16-20 and 1-4.”.....never more true than 2021.
SouthernLaxGenius
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Re: FanLax Forum Poll

Post by SouthernLaxGenius »

So are we saying OWU isn't a good team, has less talent and have someone running the program that can't coach?

It's funny how we put an emphasis on certain points of the narrative and give little to no credence to others.

Different note/team, Stockton is a team that should be getting a little more attention, IMO
MrLax2U
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Re: FanLax Forum Poll

Post by MrLax2U »

Stockton is a team that should be getting a little more attention, IMO
You're right on Stockton. Good recruiting area, good schedule (play the Gulls) and nice location.
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Matnum PI
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Re: FanLax Forum Poll

Post by Matnum PI »

Stockton is a good team that badly needs a better schedule. They beat #31 Kean pretty handily and then they played a bunch of teams that are ranked #100 or lower and destroyed them. The total of their last three games is 89-3. they got crushed by Salisbury so maybe they don't need to schedule more games against Top-top teams but what about Top 20 teams. heck, try some Top 10s.
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Matnum PI
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Re: FanLax Forum Poll

Post by Matnum PI »

close to the Jersey shore. Didn't know. that is a nice area.
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SouthernLaxGenius
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Re: FanLax Forum Poll

Post by SouthernLaxGenius »

Matnum PI wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 5:55 pm Stockton is a good team that badly needs a better schedule. They beat #31 Kean pretty handily and then they played a bunch of teams that are ranked #100 or lower and destroyed them. The total of their last three games is 89-3. they got crushed by Salisbury so maybe they don't need to schedule more games against Top-top teams but what about Top 20 teams. heck, try some Top 10s.
They have been trying to schedule

2021 Salisbury(Only game OOC)

2020 (Etown, McDaniel, Messiah, #6 Ursinus, WAC...then Covid Shut Down)

2019 (Etown, Haverford, Platty, SVU, WAC)

2018 (Conn College, Etown, Haverford, McDaniel, WAC...Beat Muhlenburg in the ECAC)
LaxFan#2019
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Re: FanLax Forum Poll

Post by LaxFan#2019 »

UpperCorner wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 12:20 pm
Illinois Wesleyan being talked about as a potential Final 4 team is crazy talk. I can appreciate the style of play that they promote as a program and the enjoyment you can get watching their games. However, some of the national media love for them is a bit odd IMO.

Last 3 years, they've taken one big swing at top 10(ish) team in D3 in their OOC:
2018: 14-24 to CNU
2019: 6-22 to Salisbury
2020: 8-20 to Ursinus

Until they amp up their OOC a bit and actually have a competitive game against a Top 20 program let's take it easy with all the IWU love.
IWU lost to Southwestern who got smoked by Colorado College who got smoked 19-3 by Salisbury... I know... any given Sunday, #GrowtheGame, but we're pretty far down the food chain here... would like to see two separate polls... one full of potential AQ's as this seems to be and one that is actually realistic about the quality of play.

That being said - this thread is actually making me watch some mid-west games that I never would have... they're getting there...
Go back and read my comments. Southwestern was a complete fluke. No excuses but having 10 out on disciplinary reasons didn’t do any justice. They attempt to amp up their OOC every year. Budget and travel logistics make it extremely difficult to head east every weekend. I am not defending IWU.....dig deeper before commenting. The game I want to see is Colorado College vs IWU. According to sources, that was on the schedule with 2 other similar level east coast teams for the 2021 season. COVID ruined Colorado Colleges chance of hosting a great Spring Break trip #GrowtheGame
UpperCorner

Re: FanLax Forum Poll

Post by UpperCorner »

The game I want to see is Colorado College vs IWU. According to sources, that was on the schedule with 2 other similar level east coast teams for the 2021 season. COVID ruined Colorado Colleges chance of hosting a great Spring Break trip #GrowtheGame
Would be nice to see more out of region play in D3... I suppose budget constraints, etc may make it difficult to really see solid cross country play like D1... so maybe forums like this do serve a very good purpose to, at the very least, open our eyes to the sport everywhere around the country...
pcowlax
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Re: FanLax Forum Poll

Post by pcowlax »

Colorado College is a very solid program, they have had some good games with NESCAC teams over the years. Man though, it must be a bear to put together their schedule. Do they have any D3 teams in driving distance? They play random D2 teams, have an east coast trip, a Texas trip, scrimmage Air Force or Utah (probably get massacred). Tough to recruit to that, impressive how well they do, imagine a lot of Colorado kids on the roster.
SouthernLaxGenius
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Re: FanLax Forum Poll

Post by SouthernLaxGenius »

pcowlax wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 11:57 pm Colorado College is a very solid program, they have had some good games with NESCAC teams over the years. Man though, it must be a bear to put together their schedule. Do they have any D3 teams in driving distance? They play random D2 teams, have an east coast trip, a Texas trip, scrimmage Air Force or Utah (probably get massacred). Tough to recruit to that, impressive how well they do, imagine a lot of Colorado kids on the roster.

From personal knowledge, the administration out in Colorado Springs continues to support the lacrosse program EXTREMELY well as they know they are pretty much the only game in town (D III wise) in the "west".

Academics are pretty damn good as well (not as easy as you think to get in), hence why they can recruit all over the country (California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Texas, etc) and not just in their own back yard of Colorado (almost 60 kids on the roster and only 7 are from the Rockie state)
Laxaholic123
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Re: FanLax Forum Poll

Post by Laxaholic123 »

Just submitted my forum poll using only teams that made the tournament. Figured those are the only teams that it matters for at this point.
ah23
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Re: FanLax Forum Poll

Post by ah23 »

I assumed the poll was just a regular season thing?
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