2024 Season Predictions

[ultravisitor]

I agree NU was the best team in 2023. But are you saying the score of the final accurately reflected the talent difference between the Wildcats and Eagles?

Not at all. If I wanted to say that, I would have said it. I said that they didn't LOOK like they deserved to be on the same field as Northwestern. I know I'm not the only person who thought that.

Sadly, those words are true. Bold prediction, BC won't lose to NU by 12 this season.

I think we were all kind of shocked by the way NU shellacked its final three opponents of the season. I definitely expected closer games, and I think it's ultimately more rewarding for everyone--teams and fans--when the games are closer.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

I think we were all kind of shocked by the way NU shellacked its final three opponents of the season.

Can't agree here. I saw what they were and knew they were going to win it all back in March. With the unmatched power they had in Izzy Scane and her great supporting cast, I wasn't shocked when they dragged their last three opponents. I didn't expect the domination of BC, but I knew the title was NU's to lose.

I think it's ultimately more rewarding for everyone--teams and fans--when the games are closer.

I can't say the same. If I'm rooting for a team, I'd much rather it be a relatively easy win. I don't enjoy the stress of close games anymore. I used to mock my parents when they'd get up from watching a tight game because it was too stressful. Now I understand why.

[hmmm]

I think most would agree that the championship weekend 2 years ago at Homewood with the UNC/NU, BC/MD semis and UNC/BC finals was far more exciting and better for the game than the blowouts last year. I'm sure NU fans were more than happy to have 2 easy wins, but the atmosphere for the 3 one goal games at Homewood in 2022 was the best atmosphere for wlax that I've ever seen.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

I think most would agree that the championship weekend 2 years ago at Homewood with the UNC/NU, BC/MD semis and UNC/BC finals was far more exciting and better for the game than the blowouts last year. I'm sure NU fans were more than happy to have 2 easy wins, but the atmosphere for the 3 one goal games at Homewood in 2022 was the best atmosphere for wlax that I've ever seen.

Fully in agreement on the atmosphere. And for close games...as long as I don't have a dog in the fight.

The 2022 Weekend for me--a diehard fan of both Northwestern and Boston College--was not pleasant. Even BC's come-from-behind victory cost me many fingernail bits. But that's perspective coming from an almost official senior citizen.

[ultravisitor]

People forget that with decent refs, Michigan probably wins that second round game. A terrible dangerous shot call took a goal away and with it the momentum. They lost 8-7.

Ah yes. "If only..." is a familiar refrain. Over the course of NU's championship runs, there have been many "if only" situations brought up by their detractors. I guess dumb luck is the reason KAH and her players have won eight national championships.

Here's one for the detractors: "If only NU's opponents had been a bit better..."

And a question for those into predicting: between Michigan and Johns Hopkins, who has a better chance of ending the season in the top ten?

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

a question for those into predicting: between Michigan and Johns Hopkins, who has a better chance of ending the season in the top ten?

That's a great question. Both teams are on the rise. Michigan is obviously reaping the benefits of Nielsen's recruiting as evidenced by Jill Smith and others, whereas Hop also has some great talent and a coach whom I think really has something and knows how to pass it on to his players. I'd love for it to be Johns Hopkins, but I think it will be a coin flip as to which team finishes ahead of the other with a chance at the top 10. If I absolutely had to pick one--I'm going with my heart and hoping Johns Hopkins gets there.

[user1020]

People forget that with decent refs, Michigan probably wins that second round game. A terrible dangerous shot call took a goal away and with it the momentum. They lost 8-7.

Michigan led 6-5 at the time of the yellow card which was whistled with 2:58 left in the 3rd quarter. To say that Michigan "probably wins" the game if they had "decent refs" or if the goal was counted to make it 7-5 with 3 minutes still left in the 3rd quarter, and the entire 4th quarter yet to play is quite a reach. Every team has to deal with bad calls and subpar refs from time to time. I don't accept it as an excuse when teams lose--whether they're one of my favorite teams or not.

Michigan didn’t have enough offense to win that game at all. They have a solid defense and goalie but their offense for most of the year was Jill Smith and Jill Smith only. Michigan did their best to keep it a low scoring game which favored them but they still did not win. UMich needs a more balanced attack and some other weapons around Jill Smith before they are a top 10 team.

[GratefulRed]

Michigan didn’t have enough offense to win that game at all. They have a solid defense and goalie but their offense for most of the year was Jill Smith and Jill Smith only. Michigan did their best to keep it a low scoring game which favored them but they still did not win. UMich needs a more balanced attack and some other weapons around Jill Smith before they are a top 10 team.

Agreed. Saw the UofM v BC game in Darien a couple weeks ago. The Blue were well-coached and solid defensively. Patient and worked for good chances late in the clock, but remains to be seen if they can take the next step offensively. Saw Hopkins v U20 in more of a pick-up scrimmage but they seem a bit more dynamic somehow. Also, loaded with grad and upper class players. I'm leaning Jays.

[MolonLaxe]

a question for those into predicting: between Michigan and Johns Hopkins, who has a better chance of ending the season in the top ten?

That's a great question. Both teams are on the rise. Michigan is obviously reaping the benefits of Nielsen's recruiting as evidenced by Jill Smith and others, whereas Hop also has some great talent and a coach whom I think really has something and knows how to pass it on to his players. I'd love for it to be Johns Hopkins, but I think it will be a coin flip as to which team finishes ahead of the other with a chance at the top 10. If I absolutely had to pick one--I'm going with my heart and hoping Johns Hopkins gets there.

Jill Smith grew up in Michigan and it was, quite honestly, her best option to play for a bigger marquee team. I doubt Hannah picks up the right parts to make it all work better. I think she's a good coach, but she has some gaping holes that will keep her from cracking the top 10 before Hopkins. Losing her assistant Adam to ND a few years back hurt, too.

[HailMaryPass]

Borrowing/copying Kleizaster's great idea from last year.
The questions below are merely suggestions for making predictions. Feel free to make you own, as well.

Who will win the National Championship?

Who will win the ACC Conference Championship?

Who wins the Ivy?

Who are your Final Four?

Who will win the Tewaaraton?

Which teams will make noticeably great strides? (the way Denver did last year, for example.)

Which players will emerge and shine who were heretofore laboring in obscurity?


Or again—any predictions you might care to make—bold or otherwise.

National Champs: Northwestern repeat
ACC Champs: ND vs BC (BC wins)
Final Four: NW, BC, ND, UNC
Tewaaraton - hoping we see more variance in position this year: Kasey Choma, Belle Smith, Molly Laliberty, Izzy Scane, Brooklyn Walker Welch or Emily Nalls make the list ----- Izzy Scane with the win

Teams that will surprise:
- ND has a great year, with Arden Tierney and Olivia Dooley added I think it will give the team the Geirsbach & Aldave effect in UNC22...coach just needs to switch it up on the attack strategy
- Hopkins has a solid year with Doucette back, highlight will be a win against Maryland
- Loyola gets energy after Katie Detwiler's great performance in AU season 3 and come out to have a strong season. Jillian Wilson will be missed though
- Syracuse will find success with their freshman class in the regular season but lose in the quarterfinals

Players:
- BC Andrea Reynolds will become a scoring power
- Florida's Heller twins will shine in the Midfield

[LaxDadMax]

a question for those into predicting: between Michigan and Johns Hopkins, who has a better chance of ending the season in the top ten?

That's a great question. Both teams are on the rise. Michigan is obviously reaping the benefits of Nielsen's recruiting as evidenced by Jill Smith and others, whereas Hop also has some great talent and a coach whom I think really has something and knows how to pass it on to his players. I'd love for it to be Johns Hopkins, but I think it will be a coin flip as to which team finishes ahead of the other with a chance at the top 10. If I absolutely had to pick one--I'm going with my heart and hoping Johns Hopkins gets there.

I actually think they both can. If I had to pick one, I'd go with the Jays because they are better coached and will be better in the cage with Doucette. I think at least one, if not both of them, will finish higher than the Terps.

[Kleizaster]

Michigan has better raw talent than JHU. But like others have mentioned, JHU is better coached and play well as a unit. Michigan still needs to mature a bit. They've established a nice little recruiting pipeline in the state of colorado which is becoming a lax hotbed. But right now JHU

[intheknow247]

Who will win the National Championship? NORTHWESTERN
Who will win the ACC Conference Championship? BOSTON COLLEGE
Who wins the Ivy? WHO CARES
Who are your Final Four? NORTHWESTERN, BC (again), Denver, JMU
Who will win the Tewaaraton? SCANE
Which teams will make noticeably great strides? (the way Denver did last year, for example.) HOPKINS
Which players will emerge and shine who were heretofore laboring in obscurity? DEMMA HALL
Or again—any predictions you might care to make—bold or otherwise.

BOLD PREDICTIONS
CUSE melts down, players are revolting against KT, injuries continue, mass exodus after season
MARYLAND misses NCAA Tournament, CNR can't just rely on thoroughbreds and she chased most of them out of town
HOPKINS makes historic tournament run, another year with TM at helm and a much needed quality goalie, they also beat MD for first time ever
LOYOLA doesn't win PATRIOT
CLEMSON finishes in top half of ACC

[/quote]

[Dr. Tact]

BOLD PREDICTIONS

LOYOLA doesn't win PATRIOT

Please expound on this thought...

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

Who will win the National Championship? NORTHWESTERN
Who will win the ACC Conference Championship? BOSTON COLLEGE
Who wins the Ivy? WHO CARES
Who are your Final Four? NORTHWESTERN, BC (again), Denver, JMU
Who will win the Tewaaraton? SCANE
Which teams will make noticeably great strides? (the way Denver did last year, for example.) HOPKINS
Which players will emerge and shine who were heretofore laboring in obscurity? DEMMA HALL
Or again—any predictions you might care to make—bold or otherwise.

BOLD PREDICTIONS
CUSE melts down, players are revolting against KT, injuries continue, mass exodus after season
MARYLAND misses NCAA Tournament, CNR can't just rely on thoroughbreds and she chased most of them out of town
HOPKINS makes historic tournament run, another year with TM at helm and a much needed quality goalie, they also beat MD for first time ever
LOYOLA doesn't win PATRIOT
CLEMSON finishes in top half of ACC

Outstanding! This was clever and funny and entertaining to read. (Especially for us Wildcats fans. )

[laxer12]

Who will win the National Championship? NORTHWESTERN
Who will win the ACC Conference Championship? BOSTON COLLEGE
Who wins the Ivy? WHO CARES
Who are your Final Four? NORTHWESTERN, BC (again), Denver, JMU
Who will win the Tewaaraton? SCANE
Which teams will make noticeably great strides? (the way Denver did last year, for example.) HOPKINS
Which players will emerge and shine who were heretofore laboring in obscurity? DEMMA HALL
Or again—any predictions you might care to make—bold or otherwise.

BOLD PREDICTIONS
CUSE melts down, players are revolting against KT, injuries continue, mass exodus after season

[/quote]
Yikes. Sounds like you really don't like Syracuse, which is totally fine. What's not fine, however, is your enthusiastic prediction that more Cuse players will suffer season-ending injuries... as if that's something that should happen because SU players and the SU program deserve that. Absolutely disgusting post.

[Relax77]

BOLD PREDICTIONS

LOYOLA doesn't win PATRIOT

Please expound on this thought...

Guessing intheknow is going with Army. I agree as well.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

I should be less and less surprised by the previous overreaction given the present day, where outrage enthusiasts are having their influence and helping to perfect the critical civic duty of finger pointing and shaming. An edgy sense of humor is really just thinly veiled malice. Ulterior motives must be exposed, rooted out and vigorously condemned. Spare no hyperbole to blow all out of proportion what looked to be a flippant attempt at humor/absurdity. It's obvious from the rest of the post.

So, this line... CUSE melts down, players are revolting against KT, injuries continue, mass exodus after season

...is accurately interpreted as this?

What's not fine, however, is your enthusiastic prediction that more Cuse players will suffer season-ending injuries... as if that's something that should happen because SU players and the SU program deserve that.

Huh?!

[MolonLaxe]

I should be less and less surprised by the previous overreaction given the present day, where outrage enthusiasts are having their influence and helping to perfect the critical civic duty of finger pointing and shaming. An edgy sense of humor is really just thinly veiled malice. Ulterior motives must be exposed, rooted out and vigorously condemned. Spare no hyperbole to blow all out of proportion what looked to be a flippant attempt at humor/absurdity. It's obvious from the rest of the post.

So, this line... CUSE melts down, players are revolting against KT, injuries continue, mass exodus after season

...is accurately interpreted as this?

What's not fine, however, is your enthusiastic prediction that more Cuse players will suffer season-ending injuries... as if that's something that should happen because SU players and the SU program deserve that.

Huh?!

Good call out. The OP said injuries continue, not season ending injuries. Definitely needs a Jump to Conclusions mat for that guy.

[Relax77]

I should be less and less surprised by the previous overreaction given the present day, where outrage enthusiasts are having their influence and helping to perfect the critical civic duty of finger pointing and shaming. An edgy sense of humor is really just thinly veiled malice. Ulterior motives must be exposed, rooted out and vigorously condemned. Spare no hyperbole to blow all out of proportion what looked to be a flippant attempt at humor/absurdity. It's obvious from the rest of the post.

So, this line... CUSE melts down, players are revolting against KT, injuries continue, mass exodus after season

...is accurately interpreted as this?

What's not fine, however, is your enthusiastic prediction that more Cuse players will suffer season-ending injuries... as if that's something that should happen because SU players and the SU program deserve that.

Huh?!

Good call out. The OP said injuries continue, not season ending injuries. Definitely needs a Jump to Conclusions mat for that guy.

Also didn’t see a problem with it. And the op certainly didn’t come off enthusiastic about injuries.