CNU 2024

[BigMoose9]

CNU absolutely dismantling UMW right now. Lots of starters out for CNU which is a bit puzzling. Cabbanis, Adams, and Hanway are all out. They all played and seemed healthy on Saturday.

Either way the Captains are starting to hit their stride. UMW clearly isn’t a great team, but a 12-0 lead heading into the half is more on par with the CNU team’s we have seen in the past compared to what we have seen this year so far. One of the best things about this game today is that most of the points have come from young guys. Program will stay in good hands.

Caught a bit of the UMW game last week and glad to see someone caught the same thing I did - a lot of starters out with no real reason to unless you really needed to rest guys up for Stockton/Colorado College... word around the rumor mill was the core of the team finally stood up to the geriatric group of 5th years and put them in their place, and MT took their side. This is obviously coming from sources outside of the team, but it echoes some of the sentiments that more knowledgeable posters have been talking about all season.

To add on, the defense looks like they play united in front of that fire hydrant of a goalie, #57. Even if they give up a goal, they seem to break the huddle a bit quicker than when #24 is in. Lot of palms up from Hanway on some routine shots, but that's neither here nor there.

I'll be interested to see who steps up for the Captains on Saturday when they face their final ODAC foe - W&L. They're lucky the Gennies are having to make the trip down to Bad News because Lexington has been a bear of an away atmosphere this season. They're also lucky that W&L will be coming off a fiery game tomorrow night. The faceoff dot will have the spotlight in my opinion due to this one having the potential to be such a high scoring affair. Both teams have 3 players over 50 pts on the year with a significant drop off afterwards. Going to be a firefight!! Good luck to the Captains, we'll see if they can pull it together and win the ODAC regular season

I tuned in to the UMW game last Wednesday and am confused where people were getting from that there are younger guys taking spots of the 5th years. Besides the goalie it seems like they have been rolling out the same group of main guys, but seem to be rotating in younger guys more often on the second line and are quicker to sub them in once it is clear they are going to win. Only other people I noticed who didn’t play were 13 and the fogo Cabaniss. Looks like Auslander has been out the last 4 games so I am assuming he is hurt. 13 had 4 goals on Saturday and Cabaniss seemed to have a lot of success this weekend so it seems like those guys are still in their starting spots.

Should be a good game against W&L Saturday, I think the game could go either way. The game has seeding implications for the NCAA tournament as the winner would likely host the first weekend. I think W&L could still host even if they lose as long as they win their conference. With a win on Saturday, it would be the 3rd straight year that CNU has swept their ODAC opponents.

[Bananas4Lax3]

If his name wasnt Mikey Thompson from Virginia would we still deem him as this incredible coach? To bench the AA goalie who sure hasnt played well for a freshmen and then that freshmen look that bad against CC is a tough look. That is an easy way to lose the trust of your seniors and leaders.

[LacrosseGuy804]

If his name wasnt Mikey Thompson from Virginia would we still deem him as this incredible coach? To bench the AA goalie who sure hasnt played well for a freshmen and then that freshmen look that bad against CC is a tough look. That is an easy way to lose the trust of your seniors and leaders.

I will take a coach like MT over someone posting on a forum that has no understanding about the circumstances of those substitutions. I doubt MT will take the time to provide an explanation to you. Anyone who watched the game saw that MT made exactly the right decision at exactly the right time.

[EasternShoreLaxGuy]

Yeah I assumed MT was just trying to get more quality minutes for young guys knowing that he's turning over the entire starting lineup six weeks from now. And maybe also a thought in the back of his mind that he could find a spark from a different face to change things up in the big games to come against W&L, SU and NCAA's.

I think it’s more of an attempt to not have to turn over the roster 2 weeks from now. Colorado college, Mary Washington, kean, and Stockton are all very similar teams and CC was with them in the third qtr.. Add some playoff atmosphere/emotion and I could see SU playing someone besides cnu in the conference final. If cook isn’t on this team they are equivalent to Stevenson imo. Not a knock on Stevenson, more so just saying they are a decent team with possibly too much hype because of their history

[Laxguy703]

Yeah I assumed MT was just trying to get more quality minutes for young guys knowing that he's turning over the entire starting lineup six weeks from now. And maybe also a thought in the back of his mind that he could find a spark from a different face to change things up in the big games to come against W&L, SU and NCAA's.

I think it’s more of an attempt to not have to turn over the roster 2 weeks from now. Colorado college, Mary Washington, kean, and Stockton are all very similar teams and CC was with them in the third qtr.. Add some playoff atmosphere/emotion and I could see SU playing someone besides cnu in the conference final. If cook isn’t on this team they are equivalent to Stevenson imo. Not a knock on Stevenson, more so just saying they are a decent team with possibly too much hype because of their history

I can’t tell if this is bait since I don’t think I’ve ever seen you say one positive thing about CNU but I’ll take it… CNU and Salisbury will be playing in the conference finals. You either hate CNU or just don’t know anything about lacrosse if you truly think any other team in the CLC is even remotely capable of beating CNU. I would gladly bet you a hefty amount of money if you truly believe that take.

[choochooCharlie]

Yeah I assumed MT was just trying to get more quality minutes for young guys knowing that he's turning over the entire starting lineup six weeks from now. And maybe also a thought in the back of his mind that he could find a spark from a different face to change things up in the big games to come against W&L, SU and NCAA's.

I think it’s more of an attempt to not have to turn over the roster 2 weeks from now. Colorado college, Mary Washington, kean, and Stockton are all very similar teams and CC was with them in the third qtr.. Add some playoff atmosphere/emotion and I could see SU playing someone besides cnu in the conference final. If cook isn’t on this team they are equivalent to Stevenson imo. Not a knock on Stevenson, more so just saying they are a decent team with possibly too much hype because of their history

I can’t tell if this is bait since I don’t think I’ve ever seen you say one positive thing about CNU but I’ll take it… CNU and Salisbury will be playing in the conference finals. You either hate CNU or just don’t know anything about lacrosse if you truly think any other team in the CLC is even remotely capable of beating CNU. I would gladly bet you a hefty amount of money if you truly believe that take.

Don’t take the bait

[HotbedD3]

If his name wasnt Mikey Thompson from Virginia would we still deem him as this incredible coach? To bench the AA goalie who sure hasnt played well for a freshmen and then that freshmen look that bad against CC is a tough look. That is an easy way to lose the trust of your seniors and leaders.

I will take a coach like MT over someone posting on a forum that has no understanding about the circumstances of those substitutions. I doubt MT will take the time to provide an explanation to you. Anyone who watched the game saw that MT made exactly the right decision at exactly the right time.

Wipe your mouth when you're done there... I watched the game and saw MT smack the panic button so hard it may have just fixed Hanway's 5th year daze and cleared his vision enough to save a few right at his stick. CC didn't know how to react when they were able to see any portion of the net

[LacrosseGuy804]

If his name wasnt Mikey Thompson from Virginia would we still deem him as this incredible coach? To bench the AA goalie who sure hasnt played well for a freshmen and then that freshmen look that bad against CC is a tough look. That is an easy way to lose the trust of your seniors and leaders.

I will take a coach like MT over someone posting on a forum that has no understanding about the circumstances of those substitutions. I doubt MT will take the time to provide an explanation to you. Anyone who watched the game saw that MT made exactly the right decision at exactly the right time.

Wipe your mouth when you're done there... I watched the game and saw MT smack the panic button so hard it may have just fixed Hanway's 5th year daze and cleared his vision enough to save a few right at his stick. CC didn't know how to react when they were able to see any portion of the net

When the goalie isn’t saving any shots sent his way, you make a change. Simple as that. The CC shots weren’t changing, Hanway was just making the stops. But you keep spewing your ignorance.

[LacrosseGuy804]

If his name wasnt Mikey Thompson from Virginia would we still deem him as this incredible coach? To bench the AA goalie who sure hasnt played well for a freshmen and then that freshmen look that bad against CC is a tough look. That is an easy way to lose the trust of your seniors and leaders.

I will take a coach like MT over someone posting on a forum that has no understanding about the circumstances of those substitutions. I doubt MT will take the time to provide an explanation to you. Anyone who watched the game saw that MT made exactly the right decision at exactly the right time.

Wipe your mouth when you're done there... I watched the game and saw MT smack the panic button so hard it may have just fixed Hanway's 5th year daze and cleared his vision enough to save a few right at his stick. CC didn't know how to react when they were able to see any portion of the net

When the goalie isn’t saving any shots sent his way, you make a change. Simple as that. The CC shots weren’t changing, Hanway was just making the stops. But you keep spewing your ignorance.

By the way, wondering whether you should be posting on a forum with adults. Your crudeness makes me think you’re a child. But you keep being you.

[LacrosseGuy804]

If his name wasnt Mikey Thompson from Virginia would we still deem him as this incredible coach? To bench the AA goalie who sure hasnt played well for a freshmen and then that freshmen look that bad against CC is a tough look. That is an easy way to lose the trust of your seniors and leaders.

I will take a coach like MT over someone posting on a forum that has no understanding about the circumstances of those substitutions. I doubt MT will take the time to provide an explanation to you. Anyone who watched the game saw that MT made exactly the right decision at exactly the right time.

Wipe your mouth when you're done there... I watched the game and saw MT smack the panic button so hard it may have just fixed Hanway's 5th year daze and cleared his vision enough to save a few right at his stick. CC didn't know how to react when they were able to see any portion of the net

When the goalie isn’t saving any shots sent his way, you make a change. Simple as that. The CC shots weren’t changing, Hanway was just making the stops. But you keep spewing your ignorance.

By the way, wondering whether you should be posting on a forum with adults. Your crudeness makes me think you’re a child. But you keep being you.

[aroundtheoutside]

From MT's bio on the CNU site: "Incredibly, since 1990, no Division III men’s lacrosse team has gone from its inaugural season to the national semifinals quicker than the Captains did after Thompson helped Christopher Newport reach the Final Four in only the program’s 15th year of existence."

Go back and look at how competitive CNU was before MT showed up. I do think consistently competing for a NC is a different ballgame that MT is going to have to figure out, but it's completely and utterly asinine to question his quality as a coach. The way he's built this program in the past decade is nothing short of extraordinary.

[aroundtheoutside]

Yeah I assumed MT was just trying to get more quality minutes for young guys knowing that he's turning over the entire starting lineup six weeks from now. And maybe also a thought in the back of his mind that he could find a spark from a different face to change things up in the big games to come against W&L, SU and NCAA's.

I think it’s more of an attempt to not have to turn over the roster 2 weeks from now. Colorado college, Mary Washington, kean, and Stockton are all very similar teams and CC was with them in the third qtr.. Add some playoff atmosphere/emotion and I could see SU playing someone besides cnu in the conference final. If cook isn’t on this team they are equivalent to Stevenson imo. Not a knock on Stevenson, more so just saying they are a decent team with possibly too much hype because of their history

Don't feed the trolls, friends

[Bananas4Lax3]

Look at the resources, costs and advantages they have had as a program.How many 5th or 6th year players? Yet 1-7 vs Salisbury since 2020 and the one win came in the least meaningful game of the year....

[ChopMan23]

Look at the resources, costs and advantages they have had as a program.How many 5th or 6th year players? Yet 1-7 vs Salisbury since 2020 and the one win came in the least meaningful game of the year....

What does that even mean? Honest question, what program has a winning record since the 2000s vs Salisbury? Salisbury's two best players in the last two years played 6 yrs of college lax, so I don't get bringing up 5th & 6th years into this either. Its quite impressive how quickly they became a steady top 10 team, MT gets a lot of credit for that.

[Leonard Washington]

What does that even mean? Honest question, what program has a winning record since the 2000s vs Salisbury?

Wesleyan

[ChopMan23]

What does that even mean? Honest question, what program has a winning record since the 2000s vs Salisbury?

Wesleyan

Haha, true that!

[Laxattackjack]

i really feel like salisbury has one more year after this to take advantage of the 5th and 6th year kids, then they will fall back to the rest of the pack (like they were prior to the covid extension). D3 has grown so much in the past 10 years and other schools are recruiting top talent kids just as much as Salisbury has been.
i think this will lead to Berkman retiring in the next few years and the dynasty will be over.

[Motorman]

i really feel like salisbury has one more year after this to take advantage of the 5th and 6th year kids, then they will fall back to the rest of the pack (like they were prior to the covid extension). D3 has grown so much in the past 10 years and other schools are recruiting top talent kids just as much as Salisbury has been.
i think this will lead to Berkman retiring in the next few years and the dynasty will be over.

I think most people overlook the fact even when Salisbury doesn’t win a National Title they are usually in final 4. 5th and 6th players will end but redshirt 5th years will still exist along with the transfer portal. Salisbury players come to be in a winning program, few leave even though the could join high level D1 programs.

[laxdad1434]

i really feel like salisbury has one more year after this to take advantage of the 5th and 6th year kids, then they will fall back to the rest of the pack (like they were prior to the covid extension). D3 has grown so much in the past 10 years and other schools are recruiting top talent kids just as much as Salisbury has been.
i think this will lead to Berkman retiring in the next few years and the dynasty will be over.

Huh? They were winning National Championships long before the portal or 6 year players. If anything, they’ll only get better.

[Laxattackjack]

i really feel like salisbury has one more year after this to take advantage of the 5th and 6th year kids, then they will fall back to the rest of the pack (like they were prior to the covid extension). D3 has grown so much in the past 10 years and other schools are recruiting top talent kids just as much as Salisbury has been.
i think this will lead to Berkman retiring in the next few years and the dynasty will be over.

I think most people overlook the fact even when Salisbury doesn’t win a National Title they are usually in final 4. 5th and 6th players will end but redshirt 5th years will still exist along with the transfer portal. Salisbury players come to be in a winning program, few leave even though the could join high level D1 programs.

not suggesting salisbury won’t be great. i am saying that they will fall back into the pack with the next group behind them now.
10 years ago, the top players went D1. salisbury got some of them, and few D1 caliber players made it to the next level D3.
the last 5-10 years, many more D3 teams are getting D1 caliber players.
it will be harder for salisbury to continue to recruit the best of the best. each year the D3 competition gets better