NESCAC

[Can Opener]

Back in the '80s and '90s, Middlebury used to regularly play Dartmouth and often beat them. Midd prevailed in three straight games in '91, '92 and '93 before Dartmouth won in '94. That was the end of the series. No potential reward for Dartmouth (other than a manageable commute) to offset the risk of more losses to a D3 team. It's too bad that more of these local rivalry games aren't scheduled between D1 and D3 teams. Who wouldn't like to see Tufts play Harvard on a Tuesday night in April? Maybe you pull in HC and Bates for a double header at Harvard Stadium. Many of the guys know each other and it would be a fun take for local HS players and fans. I totally agree that the top NESCAC squads don't have a chance against the top 10 D1 schools, but history has shown that the top of the NESCAC is often better than the bottom half of D1. There is precedent for this in the 1A and 1AA football programs scheduling one game per year against each other.

[pcowlax]

Totally agree. Tufts has scrimmaged Harvard in pre-season several times during their recent glory years and acquitted themselves well (not winning as far as I know but playing competitive matches and what can you really say about winning vs losing a scrimmage anyway). I would love to see local D3v D1 regular season games but it is a tough sell to the D1 team based on how teams are selected for the tourney. There are really only a few that work anyway, Tufts-Harvard works as long as Harvard is struggling and Tufts flying, if either changes it is not close. Midd-Dartmouth works. Not going to see Wes-Yale at this point and in the era of Yale that would be a slaughter but sure for Fairfield, Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart, Hartford. Similarly obviously not seeing Salisbury vs any of the big boys in the state of Maryland but maybe UMBC. York or Calibrini vs Drexel? Amherst could probably not hang with UMass I would not think but wouldn’t be a slaughter. Williams a short ride over to Albany but that would not be competitive.

[Laxxal22]

Middlebury also used to play UVM. Last game was 98 in Burlington, with the Panthers winning in the neighborhood of 19-8. UVM beat either Hofstra or Towson that year (memory is fuzzy), and had close games with both, so it's not like they were awful. The number of D1 teams, and the roster sizes, were much smaller back then so the D1-D3 gap may have been smaller. But now there are so many more high school kids playing with the athleticism & skill to play college ball, perhaps the gap is smaller now. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Farfromgeneva]

Not sure if your referring to scrimmages but you know 1994 was the last year interdivisional play was allowed correct? So it wasn’t Dartmouth not wanting to lose to a D3 team, note Hobart was forced to choose and moved up starting in 1995

[Laxxal22]

Not sure if your referring to scrimmages but you know 1994 was the last year interdivisional play was allowed correct? So it wasn’t Dartmouth not wanting to lose to a D3 team, note Hobart was forced to choose and moved up starting in 1995

You sure about that? As I mentioned, Midd played UVM until 98. W&L played VMI as a regular season game through 2004. Wondering if Hobart moved up because the NCAA forced their hand, or because Cornell and Cuse were going to discontinue their series because the Statesmen were DIII?

[Farfromgeneva]

I’m sure. Maybe Hobart transitioned before the rule fully was implemented and if that’s the case it would still stand to reason that other D1 programs would want to also prepare their forward schedules but Cornell and syracuse never has any interest in dropping Bart. In fact it was interesting to see who they dropped like UMass when they moved to the Big East and there was never a question about keeping Hobart on the schedule.

But I know for sure the NCAA forced their hand. Then of course wouldn’t allow us to give scholarships since we didn’t make the decision when Hopkins did in 1980 or 81

[Laxxal22]

The 10-year gap between Hobart's move up and the last D1-D3 regular season game (that I could find using Google for 5 minutes) is enormous, but maybe the Statesmen were being held to a different standard as they'd dominated D3 for a decade.

[swf]

Hobart's last game in D 3 was the 1994 NC loss to Salisbury.

It would be great to see the rules tweaked to allow Hobart one or two D 3 games per season and maybe also the Ivys which don't give athletic scholarships. Hobart/Tufts or Amherst/Harvard would generate real fan interest which is lacking in college lax.

Down south Navy/Salisbury would generate some interest. And I'll bet Coach Caravana at Denison could book an interesting D 1 opponent.

[oldtimelax]

OWU played D1 Ohio State, Michigan State and Butler through the 1996 season....

[PicLax]

I think it would be fantastic to see some DI /DIII matchups. Would help grow the game. Particularly since top level DIII and mid-level DI players and teams very close in talent these days. Yale, UPenn and Cornell obviously could beat the NESCAC teams, but I think Amherst/Tufts/Wesleyan/Williams would be great and potentially surprising games vs current Brown/Dartmouth/Princeton/Harvard. Similarly, Salisbury vs Navy/UMBC would be interesting.

[oldlaxjunkie]

I agree that it would be fun to watch some of these matchups but and its a BIG BUT, why would a DI team schedule a game against a DIII team? What do they have to gain? Answer, nothing, way much more to lose. That being said, I would love to see the matchups.

[River Donkey]

OWU played D1 Ohio State, Michigan State and Butler through the 1996 season....

And beat them consistently. Don’t forget ND on that list.

[oldlaxjunkie]

I played DII lax in college along time ago. I remember playing the likes of Yale, Villanova, Army, Siena, Binghamton, Notre Dame, St Johns, Michigan, Hofstra, Hobart ( DIII at the time but excellent), Harvard, UMASS, UPENN to name a lot... AND we did beat a lot of them as well. the good old days.

[Nosey Ned]

The landscape is so vastly different now that history is completely irrelevant.

In fact with all due respect, this discussion is silly. It's the kind of chatter that disgruntled dad's have when they think their kid was short changed in the recruiting process. The reality is top 20 D3 lacrosse is awesome and doesn’t need validation by any discussion of how they’d stack up against D1.

The problem is, for the vast majority of young players (and parents), it's D1 or bust. The travel programs feed this mania for the money! That mindset is so wrong on MANY levels. IMHO if your good enough to get a look from a top D1 program but aren't good enough to get the offer, you're infinitely better off going top D3 then settling for middling D1. You'll play, you'll get more money, play in more meaningful games and have a great college experience.... Lax as well as a semester abroad and have a social life to boot. Not to mention, when all is said and done you'll have, in all likelyhood a better degree that will allow you to accomplish even bigger goals after college!

[Oliver156]

Speaking of recruiting, does anyone have any info on NESCAC commits for the 2020 class? A very complete list of 2019 NESCAC commits was posted on this forum last year at about this time. Not many are listed on the Inside Lacrosse website. Wondering if NESCAC commitments are any slower as some of the D1's were/are slower because of the recruiting rule change?

[Can Opener]

The landscape is so vastly different now that history is completely irrelevant.

In fact with all due respect, this discussion is silly. It's the kind of chatter that disgruntled dad's have when they think their kid was short changed in the recruiting process. The reality is top 20 D3 lacrosse is awesome and doesn’t need validation by any discussion of how they’d stack up against D1.

The problem is, for the vast majority of young players (and parents), it's D1 or bust. The travel programs feed this mania for the money! That mindset is so wrong on MANY levels. IMHO if your good enough to get a look from a top D1 program but aren't good enough to get the offer, you're infinitely better off going top D3 then settling for middling D1. You'll play, you'll get more money, play in more meaningful games and have a great college experience.... Lax as well as a semester abroad and have a social life to boot. Not to mention, when all is said and done you'll have, in all likelyhood a better degree that will allow you to accomplish even bigger goals after college!

Oh my, Nosey. Not sure why we need to take swipes at dads and club coaches to make a point on which I’m confident we all agree: DIII lacrosse is an excellent experience for thousands of athletes. Is there anyone out there who would prefer to have their son play for DI St. Bonaventure or Cleveland State over DIII Williams or Wesleyan? There are 73 DI men’s programs and 248 DIII men’s programs. I will bet you a cold beer that only a very small percentage of those athletes, their dads and their club coaches are disappointed with the DIII outcome. Besides, without disgruntled dads and pushy club coaches, would we even have a FanLax forum?!?!

[Laxxal22]

Speaking of recruiting, does anyone have any info on NESCAC commits for the 2020 class? A very complete list of 2019 NESCAC commits was posted on this forum last year at about this time. Not many are listed on the Inside Lacrosse website. Wondering if NESCAC commitments are any slower as some of the D1's were/are slower because of the recruiting rule change?

Here's what I've got from spending 45ish minutes on Twitter. Info for some teams was obviously easier to find than for others. As fan of the ISL - and to a lesser degree NE West 1 and MA publics - Amherst, Bowdoin, Middlebury, and Tufts got some very strong players.

Amherst
Ryan Rahbany - D/Rivers School - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOVa5c_4eqA
Will Mohr - M/Shawnee East (KS) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... dxUqQ75x5E
Jake Bennet - A/Princeton Country Day - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcM0Nqw96CI
Chris Tsetsekos - Fogo/Haverford School - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_cRxh8PELs
John Fitzhenry - Lsm/Oregon East - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac-B0acOFYI
Cory Capri - A/John Glenn - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-5JGF4vyIw
Lou Adams - St. Andrew’s
Ethan Gatto - A-M/Roslyn - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbZirwORC04
Paul Richardson - M/Springfield Township - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CGGWbcaTw8

Bates
Alexi Hunt - M/Concord Carlisle -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64TH2Fos25Q
Max Patterson - Cape Elizabeth
Alex Horowitz - A/Loyola(CA) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qgAkX7nQsI
Jack Daoust - M/Xaverian - (2018 highlights) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFiwmQSCfsE
Jake Johnson - M/Lakeside - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfrS8kXsH_A

Bowdoin
Oliver Bernstein - M/Noble & Greenough - (2018 highlights) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_wwVpxJqqk
Noah Robb - D/St. Mark’s - https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_cont ... xlSKFV94qc
Aidan Phile - D/Deerfield - https://www.hudl.com/video/3/10074668/5 ... 0d94ae51d5
Jeremiah Rose - D/Roxbury Latin - (Also playing football) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xClZPHOw-hY
Liam Tasker - M/Middlesex - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvBnO16__e8

Colby
Noah Brooks - M/Williston Northampton - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpAC44XvBlk
Jack Bowen - A/Concord Carlisle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lc75K_iDNpw

Conn College
Nick Ingemni - A-M/Governor’s Academy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckS6ID1lwPU
Henry Cabot - D/Pingree - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcvl-zM75JI
Michael Curran - D/BC High - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_XXwKAT8P8
Carson Blackshaw - M/Lawrence Academy (PG at Loomis Chaffee) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG5uLBZYjco
Sam Rocket - D/Deerfield (2018 highlights) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF18kYWTxjU
Reese Hornstein - Fogo/St. Mark’s - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmNKlMzqr04
Jack Matuszewski - D/Bishop Guertin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aaXcoZq2cY
Ren DeBartolomeis - A/Glen Ridge - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwr1sE_aOf0

Hamilton
Nick Taylor - LSM/Noble & Greenough - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGKeB_yXKns
Carter Hampson - D/Deerfield - (2018 highlights) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdVY2Wyec38
Chriss Morse - A/Phillips Andover - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fXsCh7TrhI

Middlebury
Jake Peluso - M/Tabor - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGIw5WoJelc
Cole Nye - M/MIddlesex - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am36vuLN7Nw
Peter Steinle - A/Loomis Chaffee - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWro0VHueSs
Gray Thomas - A-M/Cohasset - (2018 highlights) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olf_CT_ERbo
Brendan Easter - M/Glen Ridge - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtTmIkzyGok
Everett Easterby - Lsm-D/Kinkaid School - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwCRN_pWiek

Trinity
Spencer Beakey - G/Dexter Southfield - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHf0VPjkylM
Teddy Komjathy - M/Fogo/Wellesley - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbYtYigCjWo
Seamus Johnson - D/Duxbury
Ian Jackson - M/Portsmouth Abbey - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaXlmNe4dqs
Mike Regan - Lsm-D/Chelmsford - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGMZR8opbts
Dylan Auerbach - Fogo/St. Joseph (2018 highlights) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msurbQEyZDU

Tufts
Liam Nestor - M/Phillips Andover - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXVu3ylEryM
Shane McAusland - D/Loyola(CA) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBaL3sbKNh4
Connor Browne - Lsm/Liganore (MD) (2018 highlights) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D71z2Fs7Y_w
Joey Waldbaum - D/Kent Denver (2018 highlights) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOEsuhcgCNI
Matt Rebuck - M/Milton Academy (PG not sure where) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfMLBeGBzqw

Wesleyan
Kevin Talbot - Fogo/Williston Northampton - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21RgbKswTGY
CK Giancola - M/Trinity Pawling - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKHbQhJA65s
Grant Conte - A/Glen Ridge - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YwrKVi1_Vg
Jack Devlin - D/Westminster - (2018 highlights) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCzvWo7-Uh4
Henry Ticknor - D/Madison - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5eACwfdE7A
Noah Lin - G/Montgomery

Williams
Cal Caputo - A/Princeton Day - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3YxMyvTpEc

[Oliver156]

Agreed - very helpful list. The fogo committed to Amherst is on Inside Lacrosse's top 100 list (must have had lots of D1 options). A few of the Jersey boys (Princeton Day, Glen Ridge, Montgomery) are very strong -- a couple on the NJ.com top 50 player list for Jersey, state/conference honors, attended Maverick Showtime, etc. One of the Wesleyan kids was committed as a freshman to Cornell (whatever that means).

[lilax]

Found some more on Instagram and Inside Lacrosse

Amherst (9 Commits)
Ryan Rahbany - D/Rivers School - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOVa5c_4eqA
Will Mohr - M/Shawnee East (KS) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2iUfSi-AY4
Jake Bennet - A/Princeton Country Day - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcM0Nqw96CI
Chris Tsetsekos - Fogo/Haverford School - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_cRxh8PELs
John Fitzhenry - Lsm/Oregon East - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac-B0acOFYI
Cory Capri - A/John Glenn - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-5JGF4vyIw
Lou Adams - St. Andrew’s
Ethan Gatto - A-M/Roslyn - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbZirwORC04
Paul Richardson - M/Springfield Township - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CGGWbcaTw8

Bates (7 Commits)
Alexi Hunt - M/Concord Carlisle -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64TH2Fos25Q
Max Patterson - Cape Elizabeth
Alex Horowitz - A/Loyola(CA) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qgAkX7nQsI
Jack Daoust - M/Xaverian - (2018 highlights) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFiwmQSCfsE
Jake Johnson - M/Lakeside - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfrS8kXsH_A
Spencer Wood G/St. Francis- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYqBsx54Nh0
Ryan Williams D/Avon Old Farms- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKMut2ogNnA

Bowdoin (8 Commits)
Oliver Bernstein - M/Noble & Greenough - (2018 highlights) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_wwVpxJqqk
Noah Robb - D/St. Mark’s - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxlSKFV94qc
Aidan Phile - D/Deerfield - https://www.hudl.com/video/3/10074668/5 ... 0d94ae51d5
Jeremiah Rose - D/Roxbury Latin - (Also playing football) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xClZPHOw-hY
Liam Tasker - M/Middlesex - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvBnO16__e8
Pat Murdock F/O/Berkshire - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBch62g_KFE
Jake Phillips G/Weston - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-L4NKghKYI
Will Byrne A/Berkshire - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1kOuFpilHc

Colby (10 Commits)
Noah Brooks - M/Williston Northampton - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpAC44XvBlk
Jack Bowen - A/Concord Carlisle - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lc75K_iDNpw
Doug McCarthy A/Agoura Hills - https://vimeo.com/344908645
Max Solmssen M/University High - (2018 highlights) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5hxZVRRKdM
Ryan Cornelius D/ Chaminade College- (2018 highlights) - https://vimeo.com/314311766
Grey Warble M/Bronxville - https://vimeo.com/user15684305
Rafa Bru F/O/Belen Jesuit - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGy5cMjgcj4&t=31s
Connor Sotirchos F/O/Glenbrook South - https://vimeo.com/340433959
Kristof Proulx M/Avon Old Farms - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5jEEGh0EQA
Erik Niit M/Dover-Sherborn - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_yha36IPPA&t=57s

Conn (12 Commits)
Nick Ingemni - A-M/Governor’s Academy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckS6ID1lwPU
Henry Cabot - D/Pingree - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcvl-zM75JI
Michael Curran - D/BC High - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_XXwKAT8P8
Carson Blackshaw - M/Lawrence Academy (PG at Loomis Chaffee) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG5uLBZYjco
Sam Rocket - D/Deerfield (2018 highlights) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF18kYWTxjU
Reese Hornstein - Fogo/St. Mark’s - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmNKlMzqr04
Jack Matuszewski - D/Bishop Guertin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aaXcoZq2cY
Ren DeBartolomeis - A/Glen Ridge - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwr1sE_aOf0
Connor McGovern D/Cohasset - https://vimeo.com/345491669
Zach Giugno A/Hamden Hall - https://vimeo.com/301407248
George Brayer D/Piedmont - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiR8mognMNk
Pearson Harrington M/Gilman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LloDNoM_hqs

Hamilton (8 Commits)
Nick Taylor - LSM/Noble & Greenough - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGKeB_yXKns
Carter Hampson - D/Deerfield - (2018 highlights) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdVY2Wyec38
Chriss Morse - A/Phillips Andover - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fXsCh7TrhI
Ben Ackerman G/Tabor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4tG-300Kos
John Oblak M/Lincoln Sudbury
Kyle Manherz D/Lincoln Sudbury
Mike Scoleri F/O/Sayville - https://www.ncsasports.org/mens-lacross ... el-scoleri
Tim Murray M/Bronxville - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1ya5oikD34&t=44s

Middlebury (9 Commits)
Jake Peluso - M/Tabor - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGIw5WoJelc
Cole Nye - M/MIddlesex - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am36vuLN7Nw
Peter Steinle - A/Loomis Chaffee - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWro0VHueSs
Gray Thomas - A-M/Cohasset - (2018 highlights) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olf_CT_ERbo
Brendan Easter - M/Glen Ridge - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtTmIkzyGok
Everett Easterby - Lsm-D/Kinkaid School - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwCRN_pWiek
Evan Park F/O Riverside - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZtMt7ZMdFE
Matt Dailey G/Gonzaga - (2018 highlights) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrt21WVP3MI
Teddy Curran D/Haverford - (2018 highlights) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K7JpV1V2ig

Trinity (11 Commits)
Spencer Beakey - G/Dexter Southfield - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHf0VPjkylM
Teddy Komjathy - M/Fogo/Wellesley - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbYtYigCjWo
Seamus Johnson - D/Duxbury
Ian Jackson - M/Portsmouth Abbey - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaXlmNe4dqs
Mike Regan - Lsm-D/Chelmsford - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGMZR8opbts
Dylan Auerbach - Fogo/St. Joseph (2018 highlights) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msurbQEyZDU
Griffin Lewis D/Holderness (2018 highlights) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysdFFKNcR78
Cooper Yaccino G/New Trier - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP0QPsogTjA
James Hemmer D/New Trier - https://www.hudl.com/video/3/7868428/5d ... 0e30549da9
Will Rhodes D/Westlake - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5fdg-fQldQ
Dane Crowley F/O Pelham - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9IkMfLSKJY

Tufts (7 Commits)
Liam Nestor - M/Phillips Andover - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXVu3ylEryM
Shane McAusland - D/Loyola(CA) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBaL3sbKNh4
Connor Browne - Lsm/Liganore (MD) (2018 highlights) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D71z2Fs7Y_w
Joey Waldbaum - D/Kent Denver (2018 highlights) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOEsuhcgCNI
Matt Rebuck - M/Milton Academy (PG Westminster) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfMLBeGBzqw
Jack Stockdale LSM/Brewster Academy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYMKlSaIlG0
Connor Garzone G/Chaminade -

Wesleyan (7 Commits)
Kevin Talbot - Fogo/Williston Northampton - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21RgbKswTGY
CK Giancola - M/Trinity Pawling - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKHbQhJA65s
Grant Conte - A/Glen Ridge - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YwrKVi1_Vg
Jack Devlin - D/Westminster - (2018 highlights) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCzvWo7-Uh4
Henry Ticknor - D/Madison - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5eACwfdE7A
Noah Lin - G/Montgomery
Alex Moynihan M/Cold Spring Harbor - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkNYOOh8ksg

Williams (4 Commits)
Finlay MacKnight A/Episcopal - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc8zVbQ7uBY
Noah Dewbry F/O/Darien -
Ben Wilen A/Walter Payton Prep - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRnVjtEQ0Og
Bjorn Davidson M/SSSAS - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNELwiwOeZI

[Nosey Ned]

The landscape is so vastly different now that history is completely irrelevant.

In fact with all due respect, this discussion is silly. It's the kind of chatter that disgruntled dad's have when they think their kid was short changed in the recruiting process. The reality is top 20 D3 lacrosse is awesome and doesn’t need validation by any discussion of how they’d stack up against D1.

The problem is, for the vast majority of young players (and parents), it's D1 or bust. The travel programs feed this mania for the money! That mindset is so wrong on MANY levels. IMHO if your good enough to get a look from a top D1 program but aren't good enough to get the offer, you're infinitely better off going top D3 then settling for middling D1. You'll play, you'll get more money, play in more meaningful games and have a great college experience.... Lax as well as a semester abroad and have a social life to boot. Not to mention, when all is said and done you'll have, in all likelyhood a better degree that will allow you to accomplish even bigger goals after college!

Oh my, Nosey. Not sure why we need to take swipes at dads and club coaches to make a point on which I’m confident we all agree: DIII lacrosse is an excellent experience for thousands of athletes. Is there anyone out there who would prefer to have their son play for DI St. Bonaventure or Cleveland State over DIII Williams or Wesleyan? There are 73 DI men’s programs and 248 DIII men’s programs. I will bet you a cold beer that only a very small percentage of those athletes, their dads and their club coaches are disappointed with the DIII outcome. Besides, without disgruntled dads and pushy club coaches, would we even have a FanLax forum?!?!

Haha .... love the dads and club coaches! Was probably little too critical and may have over shadowed my point. Which is, I don’t think players (and coaches and dads guiding them) go in to the recruiting process with the excitement for top end D3 that they should. Players seem to come to it and “settle” for D3 at the back end of the process when the D1 dreams are fading. Top end D3 should be more of a goal at the beginning ... not a consolation prize.

Now as I was called out on behalf of dads and club coaches ... be prepared to hear some blow back from St Bonnie and Clev. St fans! It’s all good