2023 FanLax Forum Poll

[njbill]

I’m new to this, but shouldn’t we be waiting until the results of this weekend’s games before filling out our polls?

[Dr. Tact]

I’m new to this, but shouldn’t we be waiting until the results of this weekend’s games before filling out our polls?

I was too excited....my rankings will stay the same

[Matnum PI]

Here we go...

[Lax101]

I am utterly shocked that 4 of 8 people have UNC as the best team in the country. On what basis can you do so when they lost close to 70 percent of their starting line-up, much of which were off the charts USA talent. Hate to break it to you but this UNC team will not get past Stony Brook this year if paths cross again in the playoffs. I would say SB by at least 3 goals.

[Matnum PI]

I am utterly shocked that 4 of 8 people have UNC as the best team in the country... I would say SB by at least 3 goals.

I dunno. UNC knows how to reload...

[Dr. Tact]

I am utterly shocked that 4 of 8 people have UNC as the best team in the country. On what basis can you do so when they lost close to 70 percent of their starting line-up, much of which were off the charts USA talent. Hate to break it to you but this UNC team will not get past Stony Brook this year if paths cross again in the playoffs. I would say SB by at least 3 goals.

I subscribe to the champion being #1 until they are knocked off.....In reality, my ranking was knowing that the women that are moving from the bench into significant roles are exceptional players (i.e. Reilly Casey from BI here in NoVa). UNC's scout team was better, last year, than all but the best teams in the country (SBU, BC, MD, etc.) They just have more depth than any other team....yes, they could struggle without that 70% you mention, but I think by May, UNC will be doing fine.

[LaxDad23]

I am utterly shocked that 4 of 8 people have UNC as the best team in the country. On what basis can you do so when they lost close to 70 percent of their starting line-up, much of which were off the charts USA talent. Hate to break it to you but this UNC team will not get past Stony Brook this year if paths cross again in the playoffs. I would say SB by at least 3 goals.

I subscribe to the champion being #1 until they are knocked off.....In reality, my ranking was knowing that the women that are moving from the bench into significant roles are exceptional players (i.e. Reilly Casey from BI here in NoVa). UNC's scout team was better, last year, than all but the best teams in the country (SBU, BC, MD, etc.) They just have more depth than any other team....yes, they could struggle without that 70% you mention, but I think by May, UNC will be doing fine.

I am with the good Dr. on this one. Same philosophy with respect to previous number 1. Plus, they seemed to easily pull away from JMU in the second half. I will wait to see how SB's opener goes this Friday against Michigan.

[LaxDad23]

Last year's weekly Top 10 from the IWLCA rankings. Anyone who was in the top 10 at some point. There are some wild rides on this chart. Not so much for the top 5, though.

2022 WLax Top 10 IWLCA Weekly Ranking.jpg (163.83 KiB) Viewed 914 times

[Womenslaxxfan]

That’s good stuff laxdad. Shows how hard it is to pick the teams outside the top 5. My top 5 in order prior to the start of the season were bc, Maryland, northwestern, Florida and Syracuse.

First week didn’t show anything surprising for those 5, as it’s pretty hard to distinguish between 3 and 5 and the game was a one goal game win at the dome, which is the best home field advantage in acc lacrosse!

Bc looks pretty tough to me. It’s true they lost 8, but belle smith is my pre season tewaarton pick and they return basically everyone else. And unlike cuse and northwestern, the bc defense looks to be stout.

And I think this is the year florida breaks through. And luckily we are going to find out a lot about Florida, Maryland, Syracuse and unc this weekend!

As always, injuries will play a big part in who ends up on top….

[GratefulRed]

I am utterly shocked that 4 of 8 people have UNC as the best team in the country. On what basis can you do so when they lost close to 70 percent of their starting line-up, much of which were off the charts USA talent. Hate to break it to you but this UNC team will not get past Stony Brook this year if paths cross again in the playoffs. I would say SB by at least 3 goals.

I subscribe to the champion being #1 until they are knocked off.....In reality, my ranking was knowing that the women that are moving from the bench into significant roles are exceptional players (i.e. Reilly Casey from BI here in NoVa). UNC's scout team was better, last year, than all but the best teams in the country (SBU, BC, MD, etc.) They just have more depth than any other team....yes, they could struggle without that 70% you mention, but I think by May, UNC will be doing fine.

I am with the good Dr. on this one. Same philosophy with respect to previous number 1. Plus, they seemed to easily pull away from JMU in the second half. I will wait to see how SB's opener goes this Friday against Michigan.

I hear you Lax101 but I think UNC may be OK. What a luxury to be able to play so many freshman at once and let them gel right out of the gate. I think this group would struggle against top defenses but they still have plenty of depth/experience to fall back on. Defense was decent and goalie looked good but the back end still a question mark.

[Lax101]

Im not saying UNC is not talented or will not get better as the year goes on. If you had to wager a years salary on a game between them and MD who would you pick. Same for a game vs BC or Cuse. If you say you would wager on UNC then they should be your pick for #1. IMO, it has nothing to do with how they finished last year.

[njbill]

I am in the camp of each year is a new year. How teams finished the prior year is relevant, but not dispositive. Also relevant are graduation losses, transfers out, transfers in, incoming freshmen, and coaching changes. Maybe even conference changes, if applicable.

You roll all of those things together and throw darts at the board to come up with preseason rankings.

I think North Carolina is a somewhat extreme example of the last year/this year debate. Of course they were correctly ranked number one at the end of the season last year. But they have lost so much talent (I wonder if any team has ever lost more) that I simply don’t think it is accurate to slot them in as the preseason number one. If by their play this season they prove entitlement to the number one spot, so be it.

Just my two cents.

[GratefulRed]

Im not saying UNC is not talented or will not get better as the year goes on. If you had to wager a years salary on a game between them and MD who would you pick. Same for a game vs BC or Cuse. If you say you would wager on UNC then they should be your pick for #1. IMO, it has nothing to do with how they finished last year.

101 you are on your game today. I would bet BC and UMD today. Interesting to me that the coaches take UNC--do you think they use your criteria?

[Lax101]

I think coaches and the various lax publications/groups are lazy and fail to use common sense and lax knowledge. They do not consider the players who won for UNC last year and the players who are left this year. MD and BC have more returning talent. It really can not be debated. Just look at the list of preseason AA's for each team. Its almost as disappointing as when coaches and lax publications hand out AA awards to players as middies that never cross the restraining line all year and play a minute of defense just because their team bio says they are a middie. In the process they slight true middies who bust their butt all over the field.

[Bart]

Its almost as disappointing as when coaches and lax publications hand out AA awards to players as middies that never cross the restraining line all year and play a minute of defense just because their team bio says they are a middie. In the process they slight true middies who bust their butt all over the field.

Can't agree more. It is also a disappointment that often the "best" lacrosse player is often the best goal scorer and does not participate in half the game.

[Matnum PI]

Bunch of games today. Obvious outcomes for most (barring upsets) and... Still a bunch of games.

Boston College UMass
Boston U Stonehill
Bryant Holy Cross
Bucknell UMBC
Clemson Furman
Davidson Duke
Delaware Lafayette
Elon Queens
George Mason Longwood
Georgetown Towson
Iona LIU
Lehigh Saint Joseph's
Merrimack UMass Lowell
Monmouth Rutgers
North Carolina Liberty
Quinnipiac Sacred Heart
St. Bonaventure Canisius
Stanford California
UConn Fairfield
VCU Old Dominion
Virginia Tech James Madison
Wagner Drexel
William & Mary Richmond
Winthrop Kennesaw State

[Justalaxdad]

Bunch of games today. Obvious outcomes for most (barring upsets) and... Still a bunch of games.

Boston College UMass
Boston U Stonehill
Bryant Holy Cross
Bucknell UMBC
Clemson Furman
Davidson Duke
Delaware Lafayette
Elon Queens
George Mason Longwood
Georgetown Towson
Iona LIU
Lehigh Saint Joseph's
Merrimack UMass Lowell
Monmouth Rutgers
North Carolina Liberty
Quinnipiac Sacred Heart
St. Bonaventure Canisius
Stanford California
UConn Fairfield
VCU Old Dominion
Virginia Tech James Madison
Wagner Drexel
William & Mary Richmond
Winthrop Kennesaw State

VT/JMU and Davidson/Duke could be sneaky good games...you never know.

[Dr. Tact]

VT/JMU and Davidson/Duke could be sneaky good games...you never know.

I agree on the VT/JMU

[Can Opener]

I am in the camp of each year is a new year. How teams finished the prior year is relevant, but not dispositive. Also relevant are graduation losses, transfers out, transfers in, incoming freshmen, and coaching changes. Maybe even conference changes, if applicable.

You roll all of those things together and throw darts at the board to come up with preseason rankings.

I think North Carolina is a somewhat extreme example of the last year/this year debate. Of course they were correctly ranked number one at the end of the season last year. But they have lost so much talent (I wonder if any team has ever lost more) that I simply don’t think it is accurate to slot them in as the preseason number one. If by their play this season they prove entitlement to the number one spot, so be it.

Just my two cents.

Agree 100%

[njbill]

Uh oh. The end of the world is near.