ODAC 2023

[OSVAlacrosse]

There was an older thread on the subject of how top D3 teams would fare v. D1 which I think is an interesting topic. With more parody in D1 and more talent in the middle, I do not think top ODAC teams like LYN and W&L are going to be consistently completive with the teams in the 40-50 range as that would currently include Penn State, SU, or dare I say even JHU. However with the addition of new teams they could compete with the lower 15? Sure and win these games. A better question is what conferences could these teams compete in? Could they compete for a title in the MAAC? what conference could they compete with? It is always fair and fun fall discussion.

As for ODAC lacrosse, who are the impact freshman. Someone had mentioned SSDM, if the youngest of the Young brothers can reach his potential at HSU, I think he could make an impact. He grew up playing with strong players in the backyard who are at CNU and Richmond. I still think the ODAC in general needs to focus more in state. I did not see that many ODAC coaches on the sidelines of the top club in Virginia this summer and there are still a few players left in the 2023 class. Meanwhile some of these players went to Tufts, Cabrini, Wesleyan, the local teams could be a bigger draw.

Who does Tufts have committed in the 2023 class from VA/DMV? I don’t see anyone from there listed for them. Just curious.

Did I say Tufts? I must have misspelled Bowdoin pretty much the same schools in my book.

Sir, they are two different schools, very different, I know your joking but this post may offend people. Show some respect

May offend people? Which people? The highly rated academic "little Ivy" with a top lacrosse program or the highly rated academic "little Ivy" with a top lacrosse program? I think both teams had the same regular season record last year. Both consistent top 5-10 lacrosse schools in D3. They are so different? I mistakenly listed the wrong school for a Virginia player and someone asked about it and I corrected it. Another VA player committed to Wesleyan which is another NESCAC school similar to Tufts. The point is that ODAC schools, namely W&L should be more in the picture for this type of player from VA. I have no ties to either Bowdoin or Tufts but I did not see a lot of ODAC interest with many local players I know and that is the point of this thread.

[InsiderRoll]

There was an older thread on the subject of how top D3 teams would fare v. D1 which I think is an interesting topic. With more parody in D1 and more talent in the middle, I do not think top ODAC teams like LYN and W&L are going to be consistently completive with the teams in the 40-50 range as that would currently include Penn State, SU, or dare I say even JHU. However with the addition of new teams they could compete with the lower 15? Sure and win these games. A better question is what conferences could these teams compete in? Could they compete for a title in the MAAC? what conference could they compete with? It is always fair and fun fall discussion.

As for ODAC lacrosse, who are the impact freshman. Someone had mentioned SSDM, if the youngest of the Young brothers can reach his potential at HSU, I think he could make an impact. He grew up playing with strong players in the backyard who are at CNU and Richmond. I still think the ODAC in general needs to focus more in state. I did not see that many ODAC coaches on the sidelines of the top club in Virginia this summer and there are still a few players left in the 2023 class. Meanwhile some of these players went to Tufts, Cabrini, Wesleyan, the local teams could be a bigger draw.

Who does Tufts have committed in the 2023 class from VA/DMV? I don’t see anyone from there listed for them. Just curious.

Did I say Tufts? I must have misspelled Bowdoin pretty much the same schools in my book.

Sir, they are two different schools, very different, I know your joking but this post may offend people. Show some respect

May offend people? Which people? The highly rated academic "little Ivy" with a top lacrosse program or the highly rated academic "little Ivy" with a top lacrosse program? I think both teams had the same regular season record last year. Both consistent top 5-10 lacrosse schools in D3. They are so different? I mistakenly listed the wrong school for a Virginia player and someone asked about it and I corrected it. Another VA player committed to Wesleyan which is another NESCAC school similar to Tufts. The point is that ODAC schools, namely W&L should be more in the picture for this type of player from VA. I have no ties to either Bowdoin or Tufts but I did not see a lot of ODAC interest with many local players I know and that is the point of this thread.

Did it ever occur to you that W&L was in the mix for him? Maybe they passed, why assume they didn’t recruit him or lost a recruiting battle. Maybe he really wanted to go away for school. Perhaps the admissions department from one school didn’t like his profile and the other did…

Getting into W&L, Tufts, Bowdoin, Wesleyan, etc is very challenging. It’s not as if one admissions department likes you that they all will - plus your level of support needed must line up with the coaches evaluation. There’s also the financial aid package at each of them and how it lines up with each family, they aren’t always equal.

Lastly, and I know I’ve explained it before, but number of applicants per region is extremely relevant at these elite liberal arts colleges. For example, St. Albans probably hs 50-60 applicants to W&L per year - but only 6-7 to Bowdoin a year. That means the profile from St. Albans to W&L is harder than St. Albans to Bowdoin, so it means more support that W&L would need to use for the same player, it may even mean that a player is inadmissible at W&L but admissible at Bowdoin despite the similar caliber school. The inverse would be true of say Roxbury Latin in Mass.

Things aren’t as clear cut as you make them out to be. Not every kid in a class takes up the same amount of academic support or even financial aid. These schools have to balance all of this out and weigh it against the needs of their roster. Then there’s timing… perhaps W&L made an offer to their top player and the player in question was number 2. That player gets an offer from Bowdoin and wants W&L…. Does he wait for W&L and risk losing his Bowdoin offer? Does W&L pull an offer from their #1 and risk losing him? Recruiting is tricky business and it really gets over simplified on this forum.

[DeepPocket]

Feelings when W&L doesn’t get the guy…

Did it ever occur to you that W&L was in the mix for him? Maybe they passed, why assume they didn’t recruit him or lost a recruiting battle. Maybe he really wanted to go away for school. Perhaps the admissions department from one school didn’t like his profile and the other did…

Getting into W&L, Tufts, Bowdoin, Wesleyan, etc is very challenging. It’s not as if one admissions department likes you that they all will - plus your level of support needed must line up with the coaches evaluation. There’s also the financial aid package at each of them and how it lines up with each family, they aren’t always equal.

Lastly, and I know I’ve explained it before, but number of applicants per region is extremely relevant at these elite liberal arts colleges. For example, St. Albans probably hs 50-60 applicants to W&L per year - but only 6-7 to Bowdoin a year. That means the profile from St. Albans to W&L is harder than St. Albans to Bowdoin, so it means more support that W&L would need to use for the same player, it may even mean that a player is inadmissible at W&L but admissible at Bowdoin despite the similar caliber school. The inverse would be true of say Roxbury Latin in Mass.

Things aren’t as clear cut as you make them out to be. Not every kid in a class takes up the same amount of academic support or even financial aid. These schools have to balance all of this out and weigh it against the needs of their roster. Then there’s timing… perhaps W&L made an offer to their top player and the player in question was number 2. That player gets an offer from Bowdoin and wants W&L…. Does he wait for W&L and risk losing his Bowdoin offer? Does W&L pull an offer from their #1 and risk losing him? Recruiting is tricky business and it really gets over simplified on this forum.

Feelings when another team doesn’t get the guy…

Haha great point. It’s also very possible he was recruited hard by both and ultimately chose Salisbury.

[ConcordetoODAC]

Love it when fireworks go off on this board, miss the old LaxPower threads.
If you get offended easily, not the board for you. Homers are going to write about their kid's school and how great they are, everyone else sucks and every now and again, we'll get a thread with some actual data that matches the opinion. And it's only September, wait until the season actually starts

[DeepPocket]

Lots of in-depth recruiting insight being tossed around. Just a neutral observer throwing in some context to it. No dog in this fight.

[Njlaxx11]

imagine thinking tufts is the same as bowdoin.

[OSVAlacrosse]

imagine thinking tufts is the same as bowdoin.

Well I am glad my slightly snarky clarification about NESCAC schools added some life to the thread in September. For some reason I was thinking a player committed to Tufts when it was Bowdoin. I guess I would have been equally offensive if I had mentioned that another player my son played with at a showcase committed to Duke when it was really UVA (too soon?)

To Insider Roll, I really do not have a dog in the NESCAC fight. I know some kids who play in VA and coached some locally. ODAC schools used to look at a lot of these kids and they used to go there, some still do. However, my super scientific and anecdotal research consisted of asking a few parents on the sideline "what schools is your son looking at?" For one of the top club teams in the state, the answer was not ODAC or W&L and did not see a lot of those coaches on the sidelines and I looked. Some of these players did end up committing to similar Northern schools, some are still very talented but have not committed yet, I am not sure why there was not more of a push to those players. Same applies to a top HS in VA as well that I conducted the exact same study. Then again, Insider Roll provided an excellent answer, and I guess it makes sense to look out of state first based on regional application goals. VA parents will drive hours to see a game and NE and NY parents will drive hours to see games in VA (all good)

[HooDat]

Wait, Tufts and Bowdoin aren't the same school?

Amherst and Williams are though right?

right?....

[Bert Macklin]

Im going to be honest fall ball hasn't even started yet and I am itching for regular season ODAC play already. I think this will be awesome year for the ODAC. Seeing schedules there are great out of season games and I think each top team has a strong case to win the ODAC and then make the tournament. I could maybe even see a route in which we put 4 teams in the tournament this year. Call me crazy but, three teams happening last year was insane and unlikely. I know that W&L, and Noke thought their chances were dead after the semi-final loses and HSC had a glimmer but, knew in the back of their heads it wasn't going to happen.

[thescottharris]

HSC loses Clagett and Duffy but talent does return on O. Morgan back to lead defense but did I count only 40 on their roster? That seems light…

Freshmen aren't listed

[thescottharris]

Avertt in the ODAC now?

Just saw the announcement that ODAC is bringing back Westling. Avertt appears to have a strong program. Wonder how much that played into the decision.

Averett is on H-S & Shenandoah's schedule for 2023, but not Lynchburg. Are they full members this year?

Yes

[Nothinbutthelax]

Thanks for the roster clarification. Makes sense.

Read Ray Sr. induction into Cortland HOF. So many great coaches and teachers from Cortland have shaped the lacrosse landscape. HSC, and ODAC, fortunate to have one of the finest makers of men. The team traveling up for fall ball event will be special for the Rolstan’s. Cheers

[allthingsODAC]

Work with a couple of guys who played at Cortland and they know im a big ODAC guy. Said HSC vs Cortland was a great game. Refs let them play and HSC came out on top. Seems like the Tigers may have something cooking down in Farmville. My goodness I can't wait for the season

[InsiderRoll]

Work with a couple of guys who played at Cortland and they know im a big ODAC guy. Said HSC vs Cortland was a great game. Refs let them play and HSC came out on top. Seems like the Tigers may have something cooking down in Farmville. My goodness I can't wait for the season

Cortland hasn’t made it past the first round of the NCAAs in a decade. Not sure that’s the accomplishment you think it is.

[Ol'Southlacrosse]

Work with a couple of guys who played at Cortland and they know im a big ODAC guy. Said HSC vs Cortland was a great game. Refs let them play and HSC came out on top. Seems like the Tigers may have something cooking down in Farmville. My goodness I can't wait for the season

Cortland hasn’t made it past the first round of the NCAAs in a decade. Not sure that’s the accomplishment you think it is.

Cortland, while not what they once were, is still a solid team. If I'm not mistaken they beat Roanoke last year. I think the ODAC will be interesting this year and that HSC has a solid chance as does Noke and LYN. W&L to me seems down

[Leonard Washington]

Cortland hasn’t made it past the first round of the NCAAs in a decade. Not sure that’s the accomplishment you think it is.

Some would say it's semantics, but Cortland hasn't lost in the "first round" in quite a while. The have been eliminated in their first NCAA playoff game a few times over the past decade, then again, for context, look at the teams that have eliminated them.

Fall ball or not, the competition level was ratcheted up and was great for both teams. ODAC looks like a solid 4 team race (Hampden Sydney, Lynchburg, Roanoke and Washington & Lee). Can Bridgewater or Randolph Macon pull off an upset or two is the question?

[InsiderRoll]

Cortland hasn’t made it past the first round of the NCAAs in a decade. Not sure that’s the accomplishment you think it is.

Some would say it's semantics, but Cortland hasn't lost in the "first round" in quite a while. The have been eliminated in their first NCAA playoff game a few times over the past decade, then again, for context, look at the teams that have eliminated them.

Fall ball or not, the competition level was ratcheted up and was great for both teams. ODAC looks like a solid 4 team race (Hampden Sydney, Lynchburg, Roanoke and Washington & Lee). Can Bridgewater or Randolph Macon pull off an upset or two is the question?

You are correct it is semantics. And it’s more like 6 years. The correct statement would be that Cortland has not won and NCAA game in 6 years.

In regards to the ODAC. All signs point to a similar year as last. It’s very hard to say who will be great this year, about the only given is that Roanoke will score a lot of goals.

Lynchburg, HSC, and W&L all graduate a lot.

Lynchburg loses both Kenney and Lewis, their midfield will be very good. They will be well coached. However their defense was very average last year and goaltending was abysmal. All signs point to a down year by Lynchburg standards. They look like a 15-20 caliber team at best.

HSC loses Clagett and Duffy. Two players that combined for nearly 45% of the teams offensive production. They will look different on offense. FOs will likely remain a weak point and the defense should be strong, goaltending is an unknown. Hard to lock them in a contender.

W&L loses key components of a great defense. The goaltending is an unknown. The offense was terrible last year, expect them to improve on that end. Of the 3 programs, W&L returns the most points. The defense will need to rebuild, but should be well coached. People love to bash this program, and the ceiling is certainly higher there. But they recruit fairly well still and aren’t going to backslide much worse then they did last year… which was undefeated in regular season ODAC. Finishing in May should be a focus.

I think it will be an exciting and interesting year. I expect to see a bit of a youth movement with some of these programs. My hunch is that some of the leagues better players for 2023 are at this time complete unknowns. There will be young first time starters at many of these traditionally strong programs.

With all that said. I don’t think there is a single team in the ODAC that looks like a top 15 program nationally on paper. Although Lynchburg will get ranked as one.

[InsiderRoll]

In regards to fallball.

HSC playing Cortland
Roanoke is not playing anyone
W&L is playing VMI and Lenoir-Rhyne
Lynchburg is playing York and Dickinson

All pretty competitive scrimmages, I’ll be curious to hear how W&L and Lynchburg’s go. Cortland is probably the weakest opponent of all of them. All of these games should be pretty tight.

[Leonard Washington]

With all that said. I don’t think there is a single team in the ODAC that looks like a top 15 program nationally on paper. Although Lynchburg will get ranked as one.

It's great that these things arent played on paper or Salisbury, York, RIT, Cabrini one outlier and insert your 3 NESCAC schools would be the only teams competing for D III greatness....Oh wait

Good thing W&L gets love on this thread as opposed to.... Anyway; aside from the 5th years and possible transfers, it'll be interesting to see how much time (if any) McCarthy gets on attack for the Hornets. Rust cant do it by himself.

[W&LLover]

With fall ball being in full swing, I thought I would make my return to the infamous ODAC forum. Need to get this forum back to the greatness that it once was. In terms of my analysis for the 2023 season:

W&L needs to do some reworking after losing some key components to their offense. Last year's loss in the semis to HSC still sits very heavy in my heart. Hopefully they can make some changes, so they do not look as dismal as last year.

LYN will be good per usual, but with all they key players that have graduated, will they be able to remain top dog in the ODAC? How many 5th years do they have coming back? Seems like that is the only way they can figure out how to maintain #1 in the ODAC...don't know who would ever want to do a 5th year at lynchburg anyways...

HSC lost their two key guys on offense, but they could be able to bounce back. Nick Thompson who was out all year last season with a torn ACL seems to be like their go-to midfielder. only starters on defense that are not returning are Hitt at close and Miller at SSDM. Perry will still be in cage so they could be a contender.

NOKE is still trash in a trash town

RMC who even are you?

Really looking forward to the season, but more so to the excitement that comes from this forum. Always the best one on this website.