NCAC 2025

[Prepschoolkid]

@Nosey Ned want to know what excites me... the pedigree of programs some of these kids are coming from. A couple Prep School Kids haha.

I see so far that we have NMH, Proctor, Exeter. hoping there is more to come.

[Nonhotbed]

New member here, glad to have found this space. Super impressive group coming in at Denison and the commits for next year are looking to be of the same caliber.

[Nothinbutthelax]

LYN visits Denison 3/8 after hosting Gettysburg and Salisbury.

[oldtimelax]

Looks like OWU will be participating once again at the Fall Ball Charity event, 'Lax For Life' at Mercyhurst University (Erie, PA) on October 19th. The four-way scrimmage with also include RIT and Chatham.

[WhiteCarrera]

FWIW - Wabash has 38 players in their fall team picture. Always some attrition, and possible two-sport guys not in the pic, but more progress any way you look at it.

[oldtimelax]

FWIW - Wabash has 38 players in their fall team picture. Always some attrition, and possible two-sport guys not in the pic, but more progress any way you look at it.

White....nice 'step-up' 2025 schedule for Wabash...some easy early games to get their offense going and then Ill. Wesleyan, Ohio Northern and Va. Wesleyan (ODAC)....also three Wesleyans in one year!

https://sports.wabash.edu/sports/mens-lacrosse/schedule

[FannOLax]

FWIW - Wabash has 38 players in their fall team picture. Always some attrition, and possible two-sport guys not in the pic, but more progress any way you look at it.

White....nice 'step-up' 2025 schedule for Wabash...some easy early games to get their offense going and then Ill. Wesleyan, Ohio Northern and Va. Wesleyan (ODAC)....also three Wesleyans in one year!

https://sports.wabash.edu/sports/mens-lacrosse/schedule

Yes, that is a nice step-up schedule... too bad that Hiram is still there instead of John Carroll. This past season Hiram had (I think) 19 players on its roster, so part of me wonders if the Terriers will be able to field a 2025 team. On the other hand, that is Wabash's scheduled Senior Day opponent, so for the sake of those seniors I guess we should hope Hiram scrapes together a squad.

Oh, and FWIW Kentucky Wesleyan does NOT have men's or women's lacrosse.

[WhiteCarrera]

Well, it was founded by a group of protestant ministers, but I'm not sure who thinks February 2nd scrimmages in Iowa is a good idea. Remember when heads used to break below about 40 degrees? All this early season lacrosse can be blamed on scientific advances in polymers.

[ctlaxdad]

Dad question here: What will it take for OWU to get back to the tourney? How close are they to at least winning the NCAC. I like the freshman class but they all look good in fall. LOL

[oldtimelax]

Dad question here: What will it take for OWU to get back to the tourney? How close are they to at least winning the NCAC. I like the freshman class but they all look good in fall. LOL

Denison is still the favorite, since they have dominated the NCAC since 2018. But they are losing the most talent in graduation. Looking at the All-NCAC teams, the Big Red graduated six -- first teamers Fisher(A), Crowley(D), Vance (M), Sload (DM), and second/third teamers O'Neill(LSM) and Kay(A). Returning are five -- Quinson (A), Pellegrino (D), MacLean(FO), Albert (G), and Larson (FO). Kenyon loses three -- Donaldson-Reed(D), Sikora (LSM) and Fulton (DM), but returns five -- Nelson (FO), Chintala (A), Heath (M), McCarren (M), and Hall (G).

OWU loses one -- Shaw (DM), but returns eight -- first teamers Beckstom (A), Ross (M), Silver (D), Fresolone (LSM), and George (G) and 2nd/3rd teamers G. Smith (M), Wolter (D) and Geier (A). All three schools look like they have some quality incoming first year players from top schools, though their classes are slightly smaller than 2024. OWU also has some key players returning who lost some major playing time due to injuries -- Seigenthaler (A) and Weber (D). Also returning are top scorers like Amacher, Hunt, and Wiseman -- all former All-NCAC picks. They also bring back all of their coaching staff which was selected the NCAC Staff of The Year in 2024. Denison turned over two assistant coaches, Kenyon, one.

2025 should be very competitive between Denison, OWU and Kenyon. This might be the closest they have been to each other talent-wise, in quite some time.

[Nosey Ned]

Dad question here: What will it take for OWU to get back to the tourney? How close are they to at least winning the NCAC. I like the freshman class but they all look good in fall. LOL

The short answer is win the conference AQ. That’s really the only sure fire way for any NCAC team - Denison included - to go to the NCAAs. At large bids for this conference are few and far between. Kenyon earned an at large in ‘22 I think and OWUs last trip to the national tournament was in ‘18 I think, via an at large bid (arguably the last year they had a real talented team). That’s because Denison has won 8 straight NCAC AQs and 9 of the 11 contested. This success has allowed them to parlay that national recognition into quality recruit classes. Meaning every year Denison graduates a number of All NCAC players but just continues to reload and keep rolling the following year - even through a head coaching transition that I think is still “a work in progress”. I don’t expect any different this year. That said, it does appear OWUs ready to return to seriously challenge the Big Red finally again after a prolonged absence from even the conference championship game. Kenyon has tripped them up the last 3 years in the conference semifinals. So one could argue they need to conquer Kenyon before they can think about Denison and the NCAAs, but I think this year they will finally take that step and return to the conference championship game.

The conference and Denison are better served when the Bishops have a nationally recognized squad- let’s hope this is the year they finally get back to that position. If they don’t, I think the Bishop faithful will be very disappointed.

Any thoughts from this thread on why OWU has been so sub-par historically speaking this last many years? I think only 2 NCAA appearances in the last 10 years. Clearly the NCAC AQ has not served them well but is that the whole story?

[oldtimelax]

Ned....this topic could be covered in volumes but the Denison-OWU rivalry goes back fifty years and there have been multiple years where OWU was dominant (mid 70's, 80's, 90's) and then periods where Denison (last 20 years) was the top dog. Before 1974, Denison had a 20-3 edge in what was anything but a rivalry. That year, legendary coach Tommy Thomson lost his first game to the Bishops, 16-14. Overall, Denison leads the series in wins, 60-48-1. Since ‘74, Ohio Wesleyan holds a 45-40 won-lost advantage.

Right now, Denison is on a long run. Most alumni believed Plantholt had the program on the right track beginning with an outstanding 18-1 season in 2015 and were hoping the 2018 season (OWU beat Salisbury and then Denison 2 out of 3 and gave Gettysburg a tough game in the NCAAs) was the start of the Bishops being back on the national stage on a regular basis.

COVID really affected OWU as an institution far worse than some of the wealthier NCAC schools like Denison, Oberlin and Kenyon -- both financially and with student retention. The comeback story is that alumni have rallied, we have a new President and the school is back, but there were some rough years. OWU did get a win over Denison in one of the two games in that strange '21 season where the conference was split East-West. You are correct that Kenyon has beaten the Bishops in the last three NCAC playoff games. Their program came out of COVID stronger than the Bishops.

Coach Plantholt has done a great job recruiting and the Bishops have a young, talented team. Word is they are going to be playing some major programs this Spring. Stay Tuned.

[wawalover]

Oberlin brought in Soph FO Transfer after losing both their FO last year. Evan Sardina(Vassar, 20/31) Went 9/11 vs RPI should start + be an all league guy for the Yeomen.

[ctlaxdad]

Coach Plantholt confirmed Salisbury is on the schedule this year. Seems covid really hurt OWU rebuilding with Northeast players until 2024/25 HS classes.

[FannOLax]

Coach Plantholt confirmed Salisbury is on the schedule this year. Seems covid really hurt OWU rebuilding with Northeast players until 2024/25 HS classes.

I think that playing the best is how a team improves and attracts good recruits. These two have a long history, with OWU winning in 2015 and 2018. I think it's terrific for the Bishops, although I'm not especially confident that OWU can keep it close.