Savannah Safchuck is a Class of 2022 Towson lacrosse commit out of Mercy High School in Baltimore, and this is a day in her life.

Savannah Safchuck: A Day in the Life

It all begins at 5 a.m. for Savannah Safchuck. The morning routine includes packing clothes and food for the day, all with athletics in mind. A big container of lettuce and a slightly-smaller container of chicken salad is what she brings along with her to tackle a midday lunch.

Safchuck is a multi-sport athlete – while lacrosse is what she will play in college, she also represents Mercy in field hockey. With a huge semifinal showdown on the billing for that night, Safchuck and her teammates hype themselves for the big game.

The pregame meal is always important. Ahead of the clash, Safchuck chowed down on an amazing home-prepped dish with some rice, cucumber, ginger, and a host of other vegetables to provide her with the proper fuel for the feud.

A group of Mercy students showed up at the semifinal, chanting “RUIN THE BRUINS” with a drum included for added impact. Behind the help from their fellow classmates, Mercy clinched a spot in the final, ringing the victory bell all the way to the ultimate game.

Savannah Safchuck trains very hard to keep herself in excellent condition and to improve on her game. She has been training with Nick Farmer, owner and founder of F1 Performance, for four years, and they’ve grown together tremendously in that time.

Farmer moved to Maryland from Kentucky and didn’t know much about lacrosse until Safchuck asked that he help improve her game. He accepted that challenge, and it helped make him a better trainer.

Enjoy this eight-minute video showcasing a a day in the life of young athlete Savannah Safchuck, and especially enjoy the cameo made by her dogs, Lucy and Myla, with the latter being a brand-new addition to the family!

Spoiler alert: Lucy really enjoys sniffing the camera.

This article was originally published on Red Label Sports.

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Tyson Bell doesn’t know life without dogs.

Both sides of his family have always had multiple, and ever since he was growing up, his family has at least two dogs at home. The family has also always adopted a sibling pair, giving their dogs a blood relative and matching breed as a partner.

Those aren’t the only animals his family has housed, though.

“We’ve always had dogs, we’ve had parrots,” Bell explained. “A couple times we’ve had some squirrels that my sister and my mom have rescued and we’ve taken care of.”

Currently, no squirrels live with the family. But two dogs do: Decker and Dyna.

Their names come from Harley Davidson, which Bell’s father is a big fan of. It translated to dog monikers.

Decker and Dyna are Belgian Shepherds and brother and sister. They help complete the family, and for Bell, they offer something similar to sports.

“They are very smart, and they love affection,” he said. “What I get out of it is like with sports: the stress relief. We just put things aside and focus in on one thing, and with our dogs, it’s the same.”

The two are known for playing with one another, sometimes too aggressively. Recently, Decker took some liberties with Dyna, and now she’s running with a snapped-down ear. It fits her personality, he said.

“She’s such a goofy dog,” Bell said. “She prances around like a horse.”

They are lovers of their routines, he said, and understand his non-verbal language with them.

“Even if they’re outside and you’re inside, if I look at them and nod my head to the door or look towards the door, they’re at the door like that,” he explained.

The differing lifestyle of dogs and other animals to humans is part of what Bell finds fascinating about them. He has always had a love for animals, and when he was living in Calgary and playing for the Calgary Roughnecks, he was a frequent visitor of the Calgary Zoo. He even considered working there for a period.

“It’s a different lifestyle between a human and an animal,” Bell explained. “Things are kind of given to you as a person, but as an animal, you’re out in the wild doing your own thing, trying to survive.”

Bell said he does feel conflicted about zoos, noting the sad side of placing animals in captivity. He also said he has declined many invitations to hunt as it doesn’t feel like something that’s right for him to do.

Still, though, the zoo offers an opportunity to see animals he otherwise would never see in Canada or likely at any point in his life. The education that comes with seeing these species in the flesh is incredibly valuable to him.

“You don’t get to see lions much, especially not around here, which is a good thing,” he said. “There is a sad side to it with the animals being captive and locked up in a cage for the majority of their lives once they get to the zoo, but it’s a unique lifestyle that they live, how they go among things and how they see the world.”

This article was originally published Dec. 23, 2020.

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Jamie Ortega, a four-time All-American who is returning to North Carolina for a fifth season, could break the Division I points and goals records in the 2022 season. But before stepping onto the field for her final campaign, she’s already making history.

Today, the UNC lacrosse star announced her new endorsement deal with Epoch Lacrosse, making her the company’s first female lacrosse athlete partner.

Made possible by new rules passed in July that allow NCAA athletes to profit off of their name, image, and likeness (NIL), Ortega is the first major domino to fall in the college women’s lacrosse game.

“Female athletes have been making huge strides in every sport,” Jamie Ortega said. “I’m happy to be one of them in lacrosse and to be a voice and platform for young generations of girls.”

In addition to sporting products such as Epoch’s Purpose 15 and Dragonfly Elite, Ortega has been working with the company to design her own apparel line, which will feature clothing for leisure and athletics. It’s set to run later this year.

The player said she’s always been interested in fashion, and having the opportunity to grow in a new area that’s previously piqued her curiosity is thrilling. She doesn’t take the responsibility lightly.

“It’s my product line,” Ortega said. “Epoch is helping me with it, but I’m the main on designing it and figuring out what I want exactly. This is who I am, what I’m going to stand for. It’s going to be my brand, so I’m putting a lot of thought and energy into designing this apparel line.

“I never thought I would be making an apparel line, but now here I am,” she continued. “I have ideas coming through me. It’s exciting to see what will unfold.”

Ortega has come a long way from when she picked up her first stick in second grade. She found the game because one of her father’s coworkers suggested he have his daughter play – little did he know what doors he was opening for her.

At that time, there was no NIL, no professional women’s lacrosse, and no big goal to achieve other than having fun. But as Ortega has progressed, so too has lacrosse, and specifically the women’s game.

“Once I figured out my strengths and how good I could be, I didn’t want to stop,” Ortega said. “During freshman year, I was like, ‘Wow, I just want to play this sport forever.’ Seeing a pro league develop and how different but exciting it is, I want to be a part of that. To be a part of something so big and monumental to women’s lacrosse, it’s hard not to want to be a part of it.”

The time for that hasn’t come quite yet, but Ortega’s signature with Epoch brings her one step closer to the ultimate goal: making a living off of lacrosse.

It’s a recent phenomenon that lacrosse players in general can survive financially just through their sport, let alone women playing the game. But that’s been changing, with the growth of the sport and athletes like Kylie Ohlmiller paving the way for how it can be done, Ortega said.

“She set the standard for a lot of us and was the role model in showing that you can be just a professional lacrosse player and make a proper living,” Ortega explained. “Now the next generation is like, ‘She does it, so I feel like I can do that.’ More of us learn from one another. I can be a strong women’s lacrosse player, I can be a female athlete, and I can make a living off of lacrosse and grow my own brand.”

The Tar Heel said she hopes her deal with Epoch and future accomplishments in lacrosse can do the same for girls and women who come after her.

“I want to be a great role model for younger generations of girls,” Ortega explained. “I want to show them that you can go professional, and you can live out your dreams as a female athlete. My biggest goal is to show them that they can do it.”

For Jamie Ortega personally, her deal with Epoch is incredible – it puts her on the professional path early and sets her up to turn lacrosse into a full-time financer. She sees a greater opportunity, though, one that can do more than just help pay bills.

“We look up to Serena Williams, we look up to Mia Hamm,” Ortega said. “If I can be one of those girls who eventually is a role model, then I feel like I’m doing everything I need to do in life.”

This article was originally published on Red Label Sports.

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The Maryland-Johns Hopkins rivalry is one of the greatest in the game, but in the 1980s, the Terps inadvertently led the Jays to three national championships.

The story begins in 1982 in the North Carolina locker room as the Tar Heels celebrated their victory over Hopkins, 7-5, in the national championship game. Bob Scott, the Johns Hopkins Athletics Director, came into the locker room and congratulated Willie Scroggs, the North Carolina head coach, on his success. He then turned to UNC assistant coach Don Zimmerman and made a proposal.

“Zim, we want you to come back to Hopkins,” Scott told the former Hopkins player. “I’d like to have you come up next week to interview.”

It was a difficult decision, Zimmerman said, after spending four years in Chapel Hill and building a network of people in the area. But ultimately, his hometown was calling.

“I wasn’t full-time at North Carolina, so I was doing a bunch of stuff – I was coaching, I was tending bars, I was painting houses, I was working at football and basketball games,” Zimmerman explained. “Those are the things you had to do back then to survive financially. Hopkins came to me with a full-time position. It was my alma mater. I just felt like it was time for me to return to Baltimore.”

And so he did. Zimmerman joined Henry Ciccarone’s staff at Hopkins and served as an assistant on the 1983 team that went to its seventh-straight national championship game, falling to Syracuse, 17-16, in the final contest.

Not long after the season ended, Scott called Zimmerman into his office and told him that Maryland had called with interest in the young coach. The Terps needed a new head coach, and they had their eye on the Hopkins assistant.

Initially, Zimmerman wasn’t interested. He was a Hopkins guy, growing up not far from the campus, going to games as a kid, playing there, and now serving as coach. He couldn’t see himself in College Park.

But after putting more thought into it, the Hopkins assistant realized he should at the very least hear Maryland out. It was quite the opportunity, after all – he had never been a head coach at that point, and to pass up on a shot at one of the most prestigious jobs in the sport without even considering it would have been foolish.

One great interview with Maryland and a second invitation for Zimmerman to come down for a lunch at Towson with several Maryland alumni later, and Scott was concerned he might lose someone valuable. He reminded Zimmerman he was a Hopkins guy through and through and should think about this more.

At the same time, it was an open secret that Ciccarone was considering moving on from coaching to go into business. He had four sons, all enrolled in private school in Baltimore, and coaching didn’t pay then what it does now. Ciccarone even told Zimmerman it was something he was contemplating, the then-assistant said. So, Zimmerman thought he could potentially use this situation to his advantage.

“I said, I’ll tell you what: I will call Maryland and say I’m not interested if you guarantee me that when Ciccarone steps down, I’ll be the next head coach,” Zimmerman said he told Scott. “I saw an opportunity to leverage this a little bit, and Scotty said okay. So, I called Maryland and said I wasn’t interested.”

Fast forward only a handful of months to October 1983. It was a normal day when Zimmerman woke up and headed over to the office, but he could immediately tell something was up once he arrived at work.

“One day, I come into the office, and boy, I walk in and the secretary’s looking at me with this look,” Zimmerman recalled. “Scotty’s door is closed, and Chic’s door is closed. So, I walked back down the hall to my office and said to myself, ‘Something’s going on.’

“All of a sudden, Chic appears at my door and closes it behind him, then goes, ‘I just want you to know that I’ve just stepped down as the head coach, and I told Scotty that I think you should be the guy,” Zimmerman continued. “My first reaction was, ‘Chic, you know, boy, I’m sorry to see you go but I know this is something you’ve been thinking about doing, and I just want to thank you for everything you’ve done for me and the program, and good luck.’ He went, ‘Yep,’ turned around, and walked out.”

Now Zimmerman was alone, trying to process what was happening.

“Oh my lord, this is all happening in a hurry,” he remembered thinking to himself.

Not long after, Scott came to Zimmerman’s office. He told Zimmerman that all that was left was confirmation from the Dean of Students.

“So now I’m sitting in my office, Scotty leaves my office, and my head is spinning,” Zimmerman said.

Five minutes later, Scott took Zimmerman to talk with the Dean of Students, and the coach’s emotions ran wild as the pair traversed campus for their destination. It was there that the job was officially offered to him and where he immediately accepted, setting in motion what would become three more national championships in the Hopkins trophy cabinet.

It’s impossible to know if Zimmerman would have achieved the last level of success had Scott not promised him the Hopkins job and he’d taken his talents south to College Park. But without the Terps pursuing the coach, it’s also impossible to know if the position would have been given to Zimmerman with such ease and haste – the job was never posted publicly, and it’s possible that Chic’s decision to step down when he did was influenced by trust in Zimmerman taking over for him.

But what we do know is that Don Zimmerman turned down the Maryland job for a promise of the Hopkins one, and that altered the futures of both storied programs – Hopkins won titles in 1984, 1985, and 1987 under Zimmerman’s watch, while Maryland failed to reach a title game in that span and didn’t win the ultimate prize at all between 1975 and 2017.

“I have all the respect for Maryland as a lacrosse program,” Zimmerman clarified, explaining that there was never any rubbing it in. “They had to do what they had to do, and I had to do what I had to do. I was flattered by and will always appreciate the interest that Maryland showed me at that time.”

This article was originally published on Fivestar News.

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Labor Day has come and gone, so that means another summer in the history books. Lacrosse was on fire during Summer 2021, with tons of incredible moments and highlights that Eric Bowden was lucky enough to experience and record through his camera lens.

Eric combed through his video vault and uncovered the top 10 highlights of the 2021 lacrosse summer, then unveiled them, 10 through 1, on the Lax All Stars Instagram beginning the day after Labor Day and the unofficial end to the season. On Monday, the countdown concluded, and the No. 1 play of the summer was declared.

We have collected up all 10 of these gems and put them in one place for you to enjoy. From absolute snipes to insane takeaways to jaw-dropping dodges and everything in between, Eric caught it all these last few months. So sit back, relax, and witness some of the best lacrosse plays from the summer on the day that officially marks the start of the 2021 fall season.

Top 10 Lacrosse Summer Highlights 2021

No. 10: Absolutely Nothing Will Stop HIm

No. 9: Terrific Transition

No. 8: The Casual Corner Snipe

No. 7: Going Coast-to-Coast

No. 6: No Thank You

No. 5: The Slip n’ Score

No. 4: Clearance Denied

No. 3: The Diving Backhand

No. 2: And-1, anybody?

No. 1: The Long Pole Goal

So, that was the summer of 2021, but you know well and good there is plenty of lacrosse to come on the horizon. From fall ball, box, the traditional spring season and more, tons of lax is on the docket. High school and college teams are beginning to form for their spring campaigns in 2022. The leaves are starting to change. Autumn is officially in the air.

The cycle continues!

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Jack Coan is finally a student-athlete at Notre Dame, but it’s not for lacrosse.

The quarterback made his debut for the football team in the Irish’s 41-38 overtime victory at Florida State to start off their 2021 campaign, completing 26 of his 35 passes for 366 yards and four touchdowns. Jack Coan is now a solidified part of Notre Dame football, but four years ago, he was on the path to be a solidified part of Notre Dame men’s lacrosse.

As a freshman in high school, Jack Coan committed to Notre Dame for lacrosse. Coming from Sayville, New York, on Long Island, he didn’t think college football was an option for him. But after some tireless work from his high school football coach Rob Hoss, some big-time programs gained interest in the QB. Eventually, Wisconsin, Miami (FL), Northwestern, Rutgers, Syracuse, and West Virginia all wanted him for football.

Ultimately, Jack Coan chose football over lacrosse, and his initial destination was Wisconsin. He started 18 combined games for the Badgers in 2018 and 2019 before a foot injury kept him off the field in 2020. Coan entered the transfer portal in the offseason, and it just so happened that Notre Dame was in the market for a quarterback.

“Growing up, I was actually a Notre Dame fan,” Coan told Mark Skol Jr. of WNDU.com in April. “I was committed here for lacrosse. I think the main reason for that was I wanted to come here and watch some football games. It was pretty cool. I worked out. It came full circle when I was able to come here. Coming out of high school as far as football, I didn’t have an offer here. If I did, it would have been a good chance that I came here.”

Notre Dame football will play next against Toledo on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 3:30 p.m. EST in South Bend. The Irish will take on Wisconsin at Soldier Field in Chicago on Sept. 25, pitting Jack Coan against his former team just weeks into the season.

Now for the other lacrosse news from the week of Aug. 31-Sept. 6, 2021.

Last Week in Lacrosse

The 2021 PLL Championship is set: a pair of upsets in the semifinals means some low seeds will battle for the crown. Chaos took out Atlas, 15-9, while Whipsnakes handled Waterdogs, 14-10, to formulate a rematch of the 2020 title contest. Will the Whips win again and continue their stranglehold on the league, or can the Chaos get revenge and become the second club to claim a PLL crown?

Sean Fox, who won four NCAA Division III national championships as a player at Hobart as another as a coach, died in late August from liposarcoma. He was 59.

Tom Kennedy, who played for the Boston Cannons in the 2018 MLL season, has a shot at making the Detroit Lions’ roster.

Hartford men’s lacrosse announced it will withdraw from America East competition immediately as the team does not have the minimum number of athletes required by the conference to field a squad.

Jonathan Donville was selected No. 1 overall in the 2021 NLL Draft by Panther City. That makes it two years in a row that a Cornell player has been the first name off the board in the NLL Draft.

Chase Scanlan’s accuser has filed a federal lawsuit against Syracuse over how it handled the lacrosse player’s situation in the spring, with Orange AD John Wildhack and former Syracuse men’s lacrosse head coach John Desko also listed as defendants.

Jake Spallina committed to Syracuse, and Eli Petty verbally committed to Virginia – just two of the big recruiting declarations of the last week.

The MCLA changed its rules to now allow NCAA schools with varsity lacrosse programs to also form squads to compete in its divisions.

The Voice of Pelham and Central Niagara did a profile on Jim Weller, a former standout athlete from the area who’s still tearing it up on the lacrosse field in his 60s.

Get Caught Up on LAS Content

Miss out on what we did last week? Here’s a recap of some of our top content from the last seven days.

Arizona Lacrosse: The State of the Sport

Hugo Casey makes his LAS debut by explaining the state of lacrosse in his home state of Arizona, from the youth level to high school and more.

Education Runs Deep at Fivestar Championship Challenge

The Fivestar Championship Challenge brought some of the best coaching minds in the country together to educate some of the top Class of 2023 players for an incredible celebration of the sport.

2023 Lacrosse Recruits Begin the Process, A Coach’s Reflection

With Sept. 1 coming and going, Hope College men’s lacrosse head coach Mike Schanhals reflects on the Class of 2023 beginning its recruiting process.

Charlotte North Player Profile: Records Are Meant to Be Broken

Charlotte North has already had an incredible lacrosse career, and she still has so many years ahead of her. Take a look at what the Boston College star has already done with this player profile.

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The Fivestar Championship Challenge featured some of the best Class of 2023 athletes in the country all in one place, and Eric Bowden was there to capture it all. In the days since the event, the talented videographer has put together a mini doc celebrating the high-level lacrosse the event brought to Columbia, Maryland.

Featuring players like McCabe Millon, Nate Kabiri, Parker Love, Sean Creter, and many more, plus legendary coaches, such as Dave Cottle, Don Zimmerman, John Desko, and tons of others, this mini doc encapsulates the essence of the lacrosse at the 2021 Fivestar Championship Challenge.

Lacrosse Mini Doc: Fivestar Championship Challenge

Want to go behind the scenes at the one of the most elite lacrosse events in the United States? You don’t need a special press pass or a cross-country flight to make it happen – you only need about 10 minutes to watch this video that gives you the inside scoop on what happened at the 2021 Fivestar Championship Challenge.

The high of play was high, the coaching knowledge was off the charts, and the atmosphere was top notch. Some of the best lacrosse of the summer was played in Columbia, Maryland, from Aug. 27-29 to close out the hottest months of the year, and you’ve been granted incredible access into how it all unfolded.

This 10-minute doc includes sit-down interviews with a handful of the athletes who improved their games at the Fivestar Championship Challenge, discussing with them the event, their personal journeys in the sport, and more. The video takes you through each of the three days of the event, from the Friday night practice to the Saturday round-robin games, to Sunday’s semifinals and championship game, with highlights, behind-the-scenes looks, and nuggets of wisdom from the many experienced coaches.

For continued similar content, you should follow Lacrosse All Stars on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Be on the lookout for the top-10 lacrosse highlights of the summer countdown, which will come your way starting the day after Labor Day to signal the end of the season and a look toward the fall.

This post was sponsored by the Fivestar Championship Challenge.

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The Fivestar Championship Challenge in Columbia, Maryland, last weekend showcased tons of the top talent from the Class of 2023 together in one place with some of the top coaches the game has ever seen helping the high schoolers hone their lacrosse skills further.

Following a Friday night evaluation practice, coaches representing the six teams in the Fivestar Championship Challenge drafted their rosters, then went head-to-head on Saturday and Sunday to determine the event’s champion. Each team, all named after SEC schools for no reason other than novelty, played at least five games – four in the round robin on Saturday, and either a semifinal or consolation on Sunday morning – with those who advanced to Sunday’s final earning themselves a sixth contest.

LSU ultimately came out on top at the Fivestar Championship Challenge, winning most of its games in convincing fashion, including its matchup in the final against Alabama. The Crimson Tide outlasted Tennessee in the semifinals to earn their spot in the final contest, while LSU handled Florida on its way to the title game. Georgia and Auburn didn’t qualify for the semifinals, having to settle for a consolation contest against one another Sunday instead.

Coaches at the event included John Desko, Don Zimmerman, Matt Hogan, Mark Millon, Spencer Ford, and Paul Cantabene, among others, as well as the winning coaches of LSU, Dave Slafkosky and Will Dalton.

The Fivestar Championship Challenge’s action was intense and exciting with a healthy mix of laughter and comradery. The coaches pushed their players to give them everything they could, and the players responded in kind. Education, competition, and a celebration of the present and future of lacrosse was abound.

Check out our photo gallery from all the weekend’s action, highlighting the tremendous experience players, coaches, and parents had at the event.

Fivestar Championship Challenge Photo Gallery

All photos courtesy of Fivestar/Eric Bowden/Alex Hergan/Damien Kelly.

This post was sponsored by the Fivestar Championship Challenge.

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Under a blueish gray evening sky amid a hovering humidity, a semi-circle of 100-odd eager pupils formed around Dave Cottle. The congregation honed in on him as he introduced his star-studded cast that would teach these students for the weekend.

With each speech, Cottle declared the qualities of his entourage, including but not limited to their handsome good looks. Hall of Fame honors, championship wins, and decades of experience spanned the set. Those in attendance watched, enthralled with Cottle’s unique descriptions and the greatness before them, then were divided up and sent to show their skills to Cottle’s crop.

“You don’t compete for some of the time,” Cottle told his audience, spinning as he spoke to include all angles. “You compete all of the time.”

And with that, the Fivestar Championship Challenge was on.

From Friday to Sunday in Columbia, Maryland, the Fivestar Championship Challenge hosted most of the brightest young lacrosse talent in America, bringing more than 100 members of the Class of 2023 to one location to receive coaching from some of legends of the game.

To start the event Friday night, players spent a couple of hours in small groups under the tutelage of the Challenge’s many coaches, including John Desko, Don Zimmerman, Mark Millon, and more. Here, they gave the professionals something to think about when they came together later in the night to draft their teams for the upcoming competition.

It had the feel of a tryout, the coaches imparting their wisdom and their draftees absorbing their lessons. There weren’t behind-the-backs, stick tricks, or flash – just fundamentals and education.

“A lot of showcases are showcases; a lot of kids try to showcase their skills and just do what they’re good at instead of being put into positions where they’re forced to develop,” said Matthew Surin, a defender from Scarsdale, New York, who was attending his first Fivestar event. “A lot of these different drills we did, I’ve done before, but not like this. These coaches, you can feel the passion just in the way they speak to their players, kids they’ve never met before. I feel like I can go talk to one of those coaches about stuff that I’ve been wanting to ask my high school coach.”

On Saturday, the six teams played four games each to determine Sunday’s semifinal participants. In the games, coaches yelled instruction, joked with their players and fellow instructors, and exploited plenty of teachable moments. The athletes nodded approvingly, enquired inquisitively, and listened intently to soak up all the knowledge possible.

“All the guys who are here, they’re here for a reason,” McCabe Millon, an attackman from Baltimore. “They’re the best of the best.”

Players came from far and near to get the Fivestar experience, with some not even needing the amenities of the DoubleTree just a few turns away from Blandair Regional Park and others traversing from the edges of the Pacific Ocean to come close to the Atlantic.

Billy Stephens, a goalie from San Diego, trekked more than 2,500 miles to attend the Fivestar Championship Challenge. He was flattered by the invitation, he said, and wanted to give the event his time in return.

As much as Stephens enjoyed the lacrosse on hand, he was especially impressed with what happened off the field at the event.

On the first day before the Friday night practice, all players checked in. TVs in the hotel’s lobby displayed the upcoming schedule, flags and banners displaying the Fivestar name cloaked the walls, and the athletes were brought into the back to collect their helmet, backpack, and uniform. All athletes were given cards with their name on it, then placed in front of a high-quality camera to capture the moment.

Stephens was stunned.

“The way they set up everything at the hotel, it just made it all that much more special,” he said. “Like everyone’s here, everyone’s being brought together. It made everything seem way more professional.”

While the off-field features set the tone, the on-field competition was the focal point. The intensity of the games increased from Saturday to Sunday when the single-elimination format worked to whittle the field down from four to two. After Alabama edged out Tennessee in a tight semifinal, the Crimson Tide met LSU in the championship game, with Quint Kessenich and Cottle, the main face of Fivestar, on the broadcast.

A close first half was opened up in the second, with LSU pulling away after halftime to claim victory. The players streamed onto the field, coaches Will Dalton and Dave Slafkosky were all smiles, and the presentation of Lids hats and shirts were distributed to the champions minutes later. As congratulations and embraces were abound, attackman Christian Tacogue enthusiastically summarized the experience of the weekend to his fellow champion teammates.

“This is the best way to end the summer!”

This post was sponsored by the Fivestar Championship Challenge.

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The first Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse season is in the books, and the inaugural champion of the competition has been crowned: Taylor Cummings is a winner yet again.

Cummings was already one of the most prolific lacrosse players of all time with a ridiculous list of accomplishments, and her legend only grows with this triumph this summer. She finished the Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse competition with 1,943 points, holding onto the top spot by almost 200 points. Caylee Waters (1,753 points), Sam Apuzzo (1,685 points), and Kady Glynn (1,601 points) finished in second through fourth place, respectively.

“I want to thank everyone who made Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse possible,” Cummings said in a press release. “It was an honor to play alongside some of the best players in the world during this incredible five-week season and this gold medal is for all the athletes who helped to take this sport to the next level this year.”

Points in Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse could be earned in a variety of ways, from being part of a team win to scoring goals to earning a top-three player award in a game and more.

All photos, video highlights, and game recaps are courtesy of Athletes Unlimited.

The schedule from this last weekend of contests was as follows:

Friday, Aug. 20
GAME 25: Team Ohlmiller v Team Cummings
GAME 26: Team Glynn v Team Waters

Saturday, Aug. 21
GAME 27: Team Cummings v Team Glynn
GAME 28: Team Ohlmiller v Team Waters

Sunday, Aug. 22
GAME 29: Team Glynn v Team Ohlmiller
GAME 30: Team Waters v Team Cummings

Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse Crowns Taylor Cummings as First Champion

Friday, Aug. 20 – Boyds, Maryland

GAME 25: Team Ohlmiller v Team Cummings

Sam Apuzzo and Taylor Cummings Capitalize

Everyone who has followed Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse’s inaugural season knew the final weekend was going to be electric. But, Team Cummings did its part to confirm those feelings with an emphatic 13-6 victory over Team Ohlmiller at Maureen Hendricks Field at the Maryland SoccerPlex on Friday evening. 

Attacker Sam Apuzzo (Boston College) and midfielder Taylor Cummings (Maryland) combined to score six goals with two assists and 10 draw controls in the victory. Each player had three goals with an assist, while Cummings accounted for 10 draw controls. 

Midfielder Marie McCool (North Carolina) also chipped in a hat trick for Team Cummings, which outshot Team Ohlmiller by a 30-22 margin.

Attacker Kylie Ohlmiller (Stony Brook) led her squad in the defeat with a game-high four goals, while midfielder Ally Kennedy (Stony Brook) contributed a two-goal effort. Goalkeeper Mira Shane (Michigan) posted a season-high eight saves in goal. 

Notes: Apuzzo scored the quickest goal to open a game this season, striking just six seconds into the opening quarter.

GAME 26: Team Glynn v Team Waters

Two-Pointers Traded in Frantic Fourth Quarter

After a slow start in the opening week of the season, the two-point shot has become a vital part of the inaugural Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse season. Friday night’s game between Team Glynn and Team Waters was certainly no exception. 

Attacker Shayna Pirreca (Florida) netted the game-winning goal with a two-point marker in the fourth quarter as Team Glynn held off Team Waters, 10-9, to close out the doubleheader at Maureen Hendricks Field at the Maryland SoccerPlex. 

After midfielder Amanda Johansen (USC) gave Team Waters a 9-8 lead on a two-point goal with 5:28 remaining in regulation, Pirreca answered with a two-point marker of her own two minutes later to reclaim a one-point lead. Team Glynn held off the comeback bid to secure the victory. 

Midfielder Alyssa Parrella (Hofstra) led Team Glynn with two goals and two assists, while attackers Kayla Treanor (Syracuse) and Cortney Fortunato (Notre Dame) each chipped in two markers. 

Johansen paced Team Waters in a losing effort with two goals, including her two-point marker, while attacker Kenzie Kent (Boston College) and midfielder Haley Warden (James Madison) had a goal and an assist apiece.

Goalkeeper Caylee Waters (North Carolina) notched a season-high 12 saves in the loss for Team Waters, which was outshot by a 28-18 margin.

Saturday, Aug. 22 – Boyds, Maryland

GAME 27: Team Cummings v Team Glynn

Sam Apuzzo Goes Off Yet Again

If attacker Sam Apuzzo has been on the field over the last two weeks, a hat trick is all but guaranteed and Saturday’s game against Team Glynn was no exception. 

The former Boston College standout netted a game-high three goals and added two assists as Team Cummings secured an 8-4 victory over Team Glynn in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader at Maureen Hendricks Field at the Maryland SoccerPlex. 

Apuzzo tallied a hat trick for the fifth consecutive game as Team Cummings improved to 2-0 in the final weekend of the inaugural season. She also added three ground balls and a caused turnover in the victory.

Midfielder Marie McCool (North Carolina) and attacker Mollie Stevens (Florida) each added two goals in the victory while goalkeeper Britt Read registered four saves to anchor the defense.

Four different players had a goal in the loss for Team Glynn. Goalkeeper Angie Benson stopped seven shots, setting a season high.

GAME 28: Team Ohlmiller v Team Waters

Katrina Dowd Wins It for Team Ohlmiller

From the scoreboard to the leaderboard, every point in Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse matters and that fact was on full display in Saturday’s contest between Team Ohlmiller and Team Waters at Maureen Hendricks Field at the Maryland SoccerPlex. 

Attacker Katrina Dowd (Northwestern) scored the game-winning goal with just 1:08 remaining in regulation as Team Ohlmiller snuck past Team Waters for a 12-11 victory to close out the penultimate doubleheader of the season. 

In a game that featured five ties and four lead changes, it was Dowd’s third goal of the game that provided the winning margin. She was one of four players in the contest to record a hat trick in addition to contributing an assist. 

Team captain Kylie Ohlmiller (Stony Brook) posted a hat trick with an assist in the victory while midfielder Emily Parros (North Carolina) notched a two-goal, two-assist performance.

Attacker Kenzie (Boston College) led Team Waters in defeat with three goals and two assists while attacker Nicole Levy (Syracuse) chipped in a hat trick of her own. Goalkeeper Caylee Waters (North Carolina) made 11 saves for her squad, which was outshot by a 29-25 count. 

Notes: There was a 21-minute weather delay that delayed the start of the second half.

Sunday, Aug. 23 – Boyds, Maryland

GAME 29: Team Ohlmiller v Team Waters

Alyssa Parrella Captures W for Team Team Glynn in Low-Scoring Affair

If the second game of Sunday’s season-ending Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse doubleheader is serving as the main course, the first game between Team Glynn and Team Ohlmiller was a pretty solid appetizer. 

Midfielder Alyssa Parrella (Hofstra) scored the game-winning goal on a free-position attempt in overtime as Team Glynn survived for a thrilling 7-6 victory over Team Ohlmiller at Maureen Hendricks Field at the Maryland SoccerPlex. 

Playing just the second overtime game of the inaugural season, Team Glynn and Team Ohlmiller engaged in an instant classic for the penultimate game of the season. Team captain Kady Glynn (Loyola Maryland) forced overtime when she stopped a free-position shot by midfielder Ally Kennedy (Stony Brook) with eight seconds remaining before Parrella answered in the extra period on her attempt.

Parrella netted a game-high three goals in the victory for Team Glynn, while four other players added a goal. Glynn made seven saves in the second half and overtime after Angie Benson (Virginia Tech) stopped five shots in the opening half. 

Attacker Kylie Ohlmiller (Stony Brook) posted the lone multi-goal effort in the loss for Team Ohlmiller while goalkeepers Mira Shane (Michigan) and Amber Hill (Syracuse) combined to author 11 saves. 

GAME 30: Team Waters v Team Cummings

Sam Apuzzo Helps Taylor Cummings Clinch Championship

Hollywood couldn’t have written a better script for the final game of the inaugural Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse season on Sunday night at Maureen Hendricks Field at the Maryland SoccerPlex as Team Cummings and Team Waters provided plenty of drama, action and suspense.

In the end, it was attacker Sam Apuzzo (Boston College) who played the role of hero as she led Team Cummings to a 7-5 victory over Team Waters in an exciting finale. 

Apuzzo scored a game-high three goals for her league-leading eighth hat trick of the season. But, her final two goals were the most important. After closing the third quarter with an unassisted goal, Apuzzo’s two-point marker with 3:42 left gave Team Cummings a 5-4 lead it did not relinquish. 

Midfielder Taryn VanThof (Loyola Maryland) closed the gap to 6-5 with 51 seconds left, but attacker Lindsey Ronbeck (Florida) sealed the win with a goal off an assist from midfielder Taylor Cummings (Maryland) with 33 seconds remaining.

Apuzzo was the only player to register a multi-goal game while attacker Michelle Tumolo (Syracuse) posted a pair of assists. 

Goalkeeper Britt Read (Oregon) posted eight saves in the victory for Team Cummings, while team captain Caylee Waters (North Carolina) notched five stops for Team Waters.

Next Season

A second season for Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse was confirmed shortly after the first one ended. The competition will be back in 2022, though the location and dates are to be determined.

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Jack Kaley, an inductee of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and winner of four NCAA Division II men’s lacrosse titles at NYIT, died of cancer Thursday on Long Island. He was 83.

In his 50 years of coaching lacrosse, Jack Kaley crossed paths with many others in the lacrosse community. Tributes to the coach poured in on social media from a wide array of teams, coaches, players, and more who came across Kaley at one point or another.

“At every level and with every team he coached, Jack developed a special bond with athletes,” Rich Donovan, who played for Jack Kaley and coached with him on the German national team, said during a tribute in 2018. “The enthusiasm he brings to the game is what he is always about.”

Jack Kaley began his coaching career in 1964 at Lynbrook High School on Long Island. In 1968, he moved to East Meadow and spent 17 years there with a 227-90 record. He won three-straight Long Island Championships from 1971 to 1973 at the school.

“I wish I could go to work with the same passion he did,” Neil Koenig, a 1968 graduate of East Meadow who played for Kaley, told Michael Ganci of Patch.com in 2011. “Jack helped kids into college. He got me a full tuition scholarship to Fairleigh Dickinson. It’s really what these coaches for the kids outside the game. He just didn’t give up.”

Kaley’s next move was to college as an assistant at St. John’s, then he took his first college head coaching job at New York Tech in 1993. Over the next 17 years, Jack Kaley would build and maintain a powerhouse in NCAA Division II men’s lacrosse. By the time he retired from his position in 2009, Kaley had amassed an 185-33 (.849) mark, setting the record for all-time wins that’s since been surpassed only once, five conference championships, eight NCAA Tournaments, six appearances in the national championship game, and four victories in the ultimate game (1997, 2003, 2005, 2008).

“We called him ‘Hawk,'” Richard Woerner, who played for Kaley at East Meadow, said to Ganci in 2011. “The guy didn’t have the best vision at all, but he would see if you made a mistake from across the field. He would never call anyone out, but he demanded the absolute best from everybody.”

After retiring from NYIT, Jack Kaley kept coaching lacrosse with the German national team and Igloo Lacrosse, a club in Syosset, New York.

“As long as I can keep coaching, I will,” Kaley told Ganci in 2011.

Now for the other lacrosse news from the week of Aug. 17-23, 2021.

Last Week in Lacrosse

The PLL quarterfinals took place in Utah, with the Chaos upsetting the Archers, Atlas marching on over Cannons, and the Whipsnakes breaking Redwoods hearts for the third-straight year.

Nakeie Montgomery of Duke men’s lacrosse is now also of Duke football. With his fifth year of eligibility, the two-time USILA All-American will suit up for the Blue Devils’ football team this fall ahead of the 2022 lacrosse campaign.

Denison men’s lacrosse added two new assistants to its staff: Ryan Rhode and Maiah Bartlett. Bartlett is now considered to have one of the biggest men’s college lacrosse coaching jobs ever held by a woman.

West Genesee High School named Eric Burns as its new varsity boys lacrosse head coach and Shannon Musak as its next varsity girls lacrosse head coach, both successful alums of the school.

On Sept. 16, the KHSAA will determine if it will officially sanction boys and girls lacrosse for the 2022 season. If sanctioned, it would greatly transform lacrosse in Kentucky.

A large alligator got caught in a lacrosse net in Florida, and wacky hijinks ensued.

North Shore Indians played their final game at Harry Jerome Community Recreation Centre in North Vancouver in front of a sell-out crowd, ending the decades the team has played in the venue. The Harry Jerome rec centre will be demolished in December to make way for a new $181-million replacement.

A celebration of life for John Zulberti has been scheduled for Aug. 28 at 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Tyrol Club in Solvay.

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Miss out on what we did last week? Here’s a recap of some of our top content from the last seven days.

Maiah Bartlett Added to Denison Men’s Lacrosse Staff

Learn more about the historic hire of Maiah Bartlett to the Denison men’s lacrosse coaching staff.

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Denison men’s lacrosse head coach Eric Koch added two new assistants to his staff Wednesday: Ryan Rohde and Maiah Bartlett.

The decision to hire Maiah Bartlett is a historic one. While it isn’t the first time a woman has been appointed to coach men’s lacrosse in the NCAA, it is one of the biggest jobs a female coach has been awarded in the men’s collegiate game.

Maiah Bartlett Added to Denison Men’s Lacrosse Staff in Historic Move

It won’t be her first foray into coaching men’s lacrosse, though. Maiah Bartlett’s last post was as head coach of the Luxembourg Men’s National Team, which she held since 2020. She originally joined the national program in 2019 as an associate head coach. While involved with Luxembourg Lacrosse, Bartlett also worked as the head coach of SC 1880 Frankfurt e. V. and was instrumental in growing lacrosse in Frankfurt, tripling the youth participation in the area during her time. She also led the U16 Boys & Girls to the 2019 German Championship, rounding out a handful of the accomplished she achieved in her four years in Germany.

“When I was a senior in college, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in coaching. I had friends and former coaches who had moved for a year or two after college to coach abroad,” Bartlett said in 2018 in an interview with Deutsche Lacrosse News. “However, I never heard of anyone coaching in Germany. When my head coach forwarded all of the graduating seniors the job offer from the program director in Frankfurt, I called my dad and told him I was thinking about applying. He encouraged me to do so but to also keep my options open.

“Once the first interview was over, there was nothing anyone could say to change my mind. I had my heart set on Frankfurt,” she continued. “It was something and someplace different than from what I had, or anyone else I had talked to, ever experienced. Then, when they offered me the men’s position as well, I knew I would never get the opportunity to be the head coach of a men’s program right out of college as a woman so I started packing my bags.”

As a collegiate athlete at NCAA Division III University Mary Washington, Maiah Bartlett was a three-time All-CAC player, three-time IWLCA All-Chesapeake Region player, and served as captain in her senior season in 2017.

“Maiah is going to be an amazing addition to this staff and an incredible resource for our players,” Koch said in a Denison press release. “The more I get to know her the most impressed I am with her knowledge, energy, and passion for the sport. She has a wealth of experience and will bring invaluable perspective as someone who has been a head coach on the international stage.”

Maiah Bartlett has cited her father, Doug, who was the head men’s lacrosse coach at VMI for 21 years, as an inspiration to get into coaching, specifically coaching men. She also credits her mother for instilling in her the courage to pursue these goals.

“My motivation to coach men’s lacrosse came from watching my father’s relentless commitment and dedication to his players at the Virginia Military Institute,” Bartlett told Deutsche Lacrosse News. “From diapers to age 12, I was raised on the sidelines and witnessed new classes come in and learn life lessons as well as the game from my dad. The impact he had on their lives inspired me to follow in his footsteps.

“I would never have the courage to follow this dream if it weren’t for my mom,” she added. “She taught me to be brave and not back down from a challenge. I knew it would be a big challenge coaching men’s lacrosse but she was always supporting me to follow my dreams. The strength from my mom and the wisdom from my dad made me into the coach I am today and it’s what motivated me to break down gender barriers and step into the men’s game.”

Denison went 8-2 (5-1) in the 2021 campaign and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Koch is entering his first season at the helm of the program, replacing Mike Caravana, who stepped down after 28 years in charge of the Big Red.

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Former Amherst College men’s lacrosse head coach Rashad Devoe has filed a discrimination lawsuit against the school, per The Boston Globe.

Devoe was fired as Amherst men’s lacrosse head coach in June with two years left on his deal. After an investigation into Devoe verbally mistreating players who had broken the school’s COVID-19 rules, the coach was let go, but Devoe, who is Black, alleges the dismissal was deeper and he was collateral in Amherst’s “cozy relationship with elitism, discrimination, and racism.”

“Devoe alleges he was also wrongfully terminated for refusing to participate in a school investigation of discrimination and racial profiling against three Black student-athletes at Amherst, a men’s lacrosse player and two men’s basketball players,” Bob Hohler of The Boston Globe wrote Friday. “He says he reported the alleged discrimination but school officials declined to assure him they would protect him and the students from ‘retaliation and continued discrimination.'”

Devoe was hired in May 2020.

Last week, Amherst hired Sean Woods as its next men’s lacrosse head coach, luring him away from Colorado College.

The school remains steadfast in defending its decision to fire Devoe.

“We have reviewed the complaint filed yesterday on behalf of Mr. Rashad Devoe against Amherst College and categorically refute the allegations about the college’s decision and motives in the matter,” Sandy Genelius, Amherst’s chief communications officer, told Hohler. “Amherst highly values and actively promotes diversity, inclusion, and respect. We have a majority minority student body, an increasingly diverse faculty and staff, and a community dedicated to the work of inclusion. Our work is continual and ongoing. We are confident that a full legal review of the complaint will support our position that it is without merit.”

More details, of which there are plenty, can be found in The Boston Globe’s report of the situation.

Now for the other lacrosse news from the week of Aug. 10-16, 2021.

Last Week in Lacrosse

Six Nations Tomahawks senior lacrosse club removed itself from competition and has said it won’t play until the Ontario Lacrosse Association moves to solve years of racial incidents, specifically noting the players’ experiences during games in St. Catharines on July 24 and 25. The Tomahawks did return back to the floor this past weekend.

The Buffalo Bandits will host the NLL Hall of Fame Class of 2021 inductions and the 2021 NLL Entry Draft, to be held on Aug. 27 and 28, respectively.

USA Lacrosse named Marc Riccio as its new CEO.

The 27th annual Ocean City Lacrosse Classic was played, with tons of players and teams from across the continent converging on the Maryland beach town for some oceanside lax.

Kayla Wood spoke with Chicago’s CBS affiliate about Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse and the opportunities it has already opened up.

The Ablany FireWolves have chosen not to fight with Stony Brook over their logo, explaining why the NLL team changed its imagery not long after releasing its initial branding for the relocated franchise.

North Carolina women’s lacrosse added three transfers for the 2022 season: Andie Aldave, Olivia Dirks, and Sam Geiersbach.

New Philadelphia Wings president Marc Zamarin has a strong belief that local Philly fans can and will embrace the Wings and the fast-paced energy that the sport of lacrosse brings.

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Taylor Cummings climbed up to first on the Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse leaderboard as the unique league continued through its fourth week of action showcasing the best players in the world doing what they do best. Dempsey Arsenault fell to sixth from her first-place position from a week ago, now 269 points behind the pace set by Taylor Cummings at 1,507 points. Caylee Waters, Kady Glynn, Kylie Ohlmiller, and Kayla Wood round out the top five, in that order, heading into Week Five.

Points can be earned in a variety of ways, from being part of a team win to scoring goals to earning a top-three player award in a game and more.

All photos, video highlights, and game recaps are courtesy of Athletes Unlimited.

The schedule from this last weekend of contests was as follows:

Saturday, Aug. 14
GAME 21: Team Arsenault v Team Glynn
GAME 22: Team Wood v Team Cummings

Sunday, Aug. 15
GAME 23: Team Cummings v Team Arsenault
GAME 24: Team Wood v Team Glynn

Monday, Aug. 16
GAME 19: Team Arsenault v Team Wood
GAME 20: Team Glynn v Team Cummings

Taylor Cummings Climbs to First in Leaderboard

Saturday, Aug. 14 – Boyds, Maryland

GAME 21: Team Arsenault v Team Glynn

Kayla Treanor Hat Trick Helps Team Glynn Win

Team Glynn may have needed to wait an extra day to get its Week Four action of Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse underway, but it was certainly worth the wait.

Attacker Kayla Treanor (Syracuse) registered a hat trick and goalkeepers Kady Glynn (Loyola Maryland) and Mira Shane (Michigan) combined to make eight saves as Team Glynn held off Team Arsenault by a 9-6 count at Maureen Hendricks Field at the Maryland SoccerPlex on Saturday afternoon.

Treanor, who missed Week Three due to a personal family matter, made an immediate impact in her return to the field with three goals and an assist.

Shane and Glynn, meanwhile, anchored a defensive unit that limited Team Arsenault to just three goals after the intermission. Shane tallied four stops in the first half before giving way to Glynn, who also recorded four saves while conceding just two goals.

Midfielder Grace Gabriel (Marquette) and attacker Cortney Fortunato (Notre Dame) each added two-goal efforts for Team Glynn, while attacker Kenzie Kent (Boston College) struck for a pair of goals in a losing effort for Team Arsenault.

Goalkeeper Britt Read (Oregon) set a league season high by notching 14 saves in the loss, including 10 in the opening half.

GAME 22: Team Wood v Team Cummings

Michelle Tumolo’s Seven-Point Performance Carries Team Wood

Sometimes, it’s not how you start but how you finish. However, that was certainly not the case for Team Wood on Saturday afternoon in its Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse game against Team Cummings on Saturday afternoon.

Team Wood, led by attacker Michelle Tumolo (Syracuse), surged to an early three-point lead in the opening quarter and never looked back en route to posting a 10-8 victory over Team Cummings at Maureen Hendricks Field at the Maryland SoccerPlex.

Tumolo tallied a game-high seven points on the strength of two goals, including a two-point marker in the first quarter, and four assists. Attacker Sam Apuzzo (Boston College) added a three-goal effort for her third hat trick of the season, while midfielder Haley Warden (James Madison) scored twice.

Attacker Nicole Levy (Syracuse) tallied two goals with two assists in the loss for Team Cummings, while midfielder Marie McCool (North Carolina) chipped in two goals, including her second two-pointer of the year.

Team Wood outshot Team Cummings, 32-18, and held an 11-9 advantage in draw controls.

Sunday, Aug. 15 – Boyds, Maryland

GAME 23: Team Cummings v Team Arsenault

Taylor Cummings, Team Cummings Dominate the X in Victory

When a team has every facet of the game working in its favor, there is very little an opponent can do about it.

For Team Cummings, everything was clicking in its Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse game against Team Arsenault on Sunday, which translated to a 16-9 victory at Maureen Hendricks Field at the Maryland SoccerPlex.

Midfielder Emily Parros (North Carolina) led the charge for Team Cummings, scoring four goals with an assist en route to claiming MVP 1 honors. Attacker Kylie Ohlmiller (Stony Brook) tallied a game-high five goals, while attacker Katrina Dowd (Northwestern) chipped in a hat trick with three tallies.

Team captain Taylor Cummings (Maryland) also provided a solid performance, scoring two goals with two assists while matching her season high with 10 draw controls. 
Attacker Kenzie Kent (Boston College) paced Team Arsenault in a losing effort, scoring three goals with two assists. Midfielder Lindsey McKone (Northwestern) added a goal with three assists. 

Team Cummings outshot Team Arsenault by a 31-23 margin and held a commanding 19-8 advantage on draw controls.

Notes: The 19 draw controls by Team Cummings are the most in a single game in the league this season. Ohlmiller recorded her second five-goal game of the season and the fifth by any player this year. Team Cummings’ 16 points equal the single-game high set by Team Arsenault on Aug. 7 against Team Read. There were a combined 16 assists on 22 goals in the game, including 10 by Team Cummings to set a single-game high this season.

GAME 24: Team Wood v Team Glynn

Late Two-Pointer Makes the Difference

Attacker Shayna Pirreca (Florida) has developed a reputation for being able to score from anywhere on the field during the 2021 Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse season. 
Her latest example, a two-pointer with 1:38 remaining in the fourth quarter, elevated Team Glynn past Team Wood, 13-11, in the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader at Maureen Hendricks Field at the Maryland SoccerPlex.

Pirreca, who leads the league with five two-point goals, took a feed from attacker Kayla Treanor (Syracuse) and fired a shot from the wing that snuck past goalkeeper Angie Benson (Virginia Tech) for the game-winning marker.

Treanor led Team Glynn to the victory with two goals and three assists, while midfielder Ally Kennedy (Stony Brook) notched her second hat trick of the season with three goals.

Midfielder Alyssa Parrella (Hofstra) led all players with four goals, while attacker Sam Apuzzo (Boston College) added three goals to register her league-tying fourth hat trick of the season.

Team Glynn had a 16-10 advantage over Team Wood on draw controls, but was outshot by a 25-19 margin.

Monday, Aug. 16 – Boyds, Maryland

GAME 19: Team Arsenault v Team Wood

Izzy McMahon Scores Four in Team Arsenault Triumph

If there were any questions about how Team Arsenault would handle the early start to its Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse game against Team Wood on Monday, they were quickly answered by attacker Izzy McMahon (USC).

McMahon quickly showed her squad was full of morning people, scoring all four of her goals in the first half as Team Arsenault sprinted to a commanding lead en route to a 13-8 victory over Team Wood at Maureen Hendricks Field at the Maryland SoccerPlex.

The win allowed Team Arsenault to salvage one victory in its three Week Four contests, while Team Wood fell for the second time in three outings.

McMahon tallied three of her game-high four goals during a six-goal outburst in the second quarter, which gave Team Arsenault a commanding 9-4 edge at the intermission.

Midfielder Amanda Johansen (USC) netted a pair of two-point goals along with an assist for Team Arsenault, while midfielder Lindsey McKone chipped in three assists. 
Attacker Sam Apuzzo (Boston College) posted a hat trick in the loss for Team Wood to go with six draw controls, while attacker Michelle Tumolo contributed two goals.

Team Wood outshot Team Arsenault by a 36-25 margin as goalkeepers Britt Read and Britt Brown combined to make 15 saves for Team Arsenault.

GAME 20: Team Glynn v Team Cummings

Caylee Waters’ Netminding Aids Taylor Cummings on Leaderboard

Goalkeeper Caylee Waters (North Carolina) has enjoyed some tremendous efforts during the first four weeks of the Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse season, but her performance against Team Glynn on Monday morning might have sealed a spot in a captain’s chair for the final week of the campaign.

Waters made eight saves and conceded just six goals as Team Cummings secured a 10-6 victory over Team Glynn to complete the Week Four schedule at Maureen Hendricks Field at the Maryland SoccerPlex.

Led by Waters, Team Cummings allowed just three goals in the opening three quarters while surging to a 10-3 advantage. Waters tallied five of her eight stops in the first 24 minutes as Team Cummings limited its opponent to just 14 shots.

Midfielder Marie McCool (North Carolina) led the charge offensively for Team Cummings with three goals and two assists, while attacker Kylie Ohlmiller (Stony Brook) added a goal with four assists. 

Team Glynn was paced by midfielder Taylor VanThof (Loyola Maryland), who pocketed a pair of goals. Attacker Kayla Treanor (Syracuse) contributed a goal with an assist.

Team Cummings held a commanding 13-6 advantage in draw controls along with a slim 23-22 edge in shots.

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TD Ierlan was selected by Redwoods LC at No. 4 overall in the first round of the 2021 PLL College Draft, beginning the professional career of the illustrious college player. He has been producing very well throughout his first pro campaign, keeping up with what was expected from him after his performances at Denver, Yale, and Albany in college.

This is TD Ierlan’s player profile.

TD Ierlan Player Profile

TD Ierlan grew up in Victor, New York, which is about 18 miles southeast of Rochester. He first started playing lacrosse in first grade with the Victor Youth Lacrosse Program before becoming a standout for the Victor High School squad years later. In high school, Ierlan was a four-year letter winner and helped Victor claim New York State championships in 2015 and 2016, as well as three Section V titles. He was a US Lacrosse All-American in 2015 and 2016, plus won the All-Greater Rochester Player of the Year honors in both years, too. He concluded his high school career with an 83 percent faceoff win percentage, 661 ground balls, 1,135 total faceoff wins, 35 goals, and 15 assists.

After college, TD Ierlan remained in-state to play for and attend Albany. He was dominant at the X there, too, instantly becoming one of the best faceoff specialists in Division I as a freshman in 2017. He continued to improve as a sophomore, setting single-season NCAA DI records for faceoff percentage (.791), faceoff wins (359), and ground balls (254).

Ierlan transferred to Yale before his junior season and became even more effective for the Bulldogs. As a junior in 2019, he was a Tewaaraton Award Finalist, named to multiple First Team All-American teams, earned Ivy League Player of the Year honors, and more. Ierlan set a single-game NCAA record for most wins without a loss after going 26-of-26 from the X at Harvard in a 22-11 Yale victory April 27, 2019.

He then achieved another milestone against Georgetown in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, winning 31 faceoffs to set the bar for the most-ever faceoff victories in an NCAA Tournament contest. Ierlan’s efforts were instrumental in Yale’s run to the 2019 national championship game.

As it was for everyone, the faceoff specialist’s 2020 season was cut short because of the pandemic. However, Ierlan did get to set the NCAA career record for faceoff wins in a 17-11 triumph over Michigan in Costa Mesa, California, on March 7, 2020, which was the last game Yale played that year. Needing 24 faceoff wins heading into the game to surpass Trevor Baptiste in the record books, Ierlan went 25-of-27 to push his collegiate career total to a never-before-seen 1,159 wins.

When it became clear that the Ivy League would not return to the field in 2021, TD Ierlan transferred again to conclude his college career, this time to Denver. He featured in nine games for the Pios in 2021, going 86-of-118 (72.9 percent) from the X and reaching double-figure faceoff wins in four contests. He left college with 10 different NCAA records to his name.

The Redwoods made TD Ierlan their first-round pick for 2021, and he has lived up to expectations in the PLL so far. With his first professional regular season now behind him, Ierlan has cemented his place among the best faceoff takers in the sport. As a rookie, he is tied atop the league in faceoff win percentage (65 percent), second in total faceoff wins (132), and second in ground balls (79).

His work helped Redwoods secure the No. 4 seed in the 2021 PLL Playoffs, which earned it a date against the No. 5 seeded Whipsnakes on Saturday, Aug. 21 at 6 p.m. EST in Salt Lake City.

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With the PLL back in 2021, the Lax All Stars team is having a competition to see who can do best in a weekly pick ’em for all the league’s games.

Here’s how it will work: all five of our contestants will publicly make their pick ’em selections the Friday before each PLL weekend. The scores will be tallied every Monday, with the updated standings going on social media, then later in this post. This post will contain every prediction from every week, so you can look back and follow how the campaign went for our pickers. The winner will be heralded as the voice of a lacrosse generation; the last-place loser will earn the world’s ridicule until the end of days, or at least until the 2022 season begins.

Our panel of pickers includes Nick Zoroya, Ryan Conwell, Nick “Peaches” Pietras, Jonathan Vance, and Ryan Kuhn, and they’re all hungry to reign supreme as this site’s savant. I, Justin Meyer, shall remain the unbiased official whose job it will be to coordinate, moderate, and rule over this 2021 PLL Pick ‘Em competition with an iron (yet fair) fist.

There will be a punishment for the last-place loser. Whomever is the pitiful bottom feeder will have to film themselves shooting on a lacrosse cage, aiming for the posts and crossbar. Every shot required to hit all three at least once will be worth $1. The last-place loser will be responsible to donate the proceeds generated by his shots to a charity to be determined. For example, if it takes the loser 50 shots to hit all three pipes, they will donate $50 to the charity.

The charity will be chosen through the help of Lax All Stars’ readers! If you know of a charity that you think should get the last-place loser’s donation, please nominate them on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook pages. As the season goes on, we will select a few of the nominated charities and hold a vote on social media for fans to decide the ultimate winner. Then everyone can enjoy watching the last-place loser give money to a worthy cause, as determined by our readers.

It’s the final week of the PLL regular season, and that means we’re very close to declaring a winner and biggest loser. The 2021 title is still very up for grabs, but last place is looking more clear. Peaches needs to get his act together immediately to save himself from the embarrassment.

Let’s get the Lax All Stars 2021 PLL Pick ‘Em underway.

Lax All Stars 2021 PLL Pick ‘Em

Updated Standings

T-1. Vance (17-13)

T-1. Kuhn (17-13)

3. Nick (16-14)

4. Conwell (14-16)

5. Peaches (12-18)

Week 8

Games

Redwoods vs Whipsnakes

Archers vs Chaos

Atlas vs Waterdogs

Cannons vs Chrome

Chaos vs Redwoods

Archers vs Whipsnakes

Picks

Nick: Whipsnakes, Archers, Atlas, Chrome, Redwoods, Archers

Conwell: Redwoods, Archers, Atlas, Chrome, Redwoods, Archers

Vance: Redwoods, Archers, Atlas, Chrome, Redwoods, Whipsnakes

Kuhn: Whipsnakes, Archers, Waterdogs, Cannons, Redwoods, Archers

Peaches: Whipsnakes, Archers, Atlas, Chrome, Redwoods, Whipsnakes

Week 7 Results

Games

Atlas 19 vs Chrome 10

Archers 15 vs Redwoods 12

Waterdogs 11 vs Whipsnakes 6

Chaos 14 vs Chrome 12

Atlas 13 vs Cannons 12

Picks

Week 5 Results

Games

Waterdogs 19 vs Cannons 7

Redwoods 13 vs Whipsnakes 7

Atlas 16 vs Chaos 10

Chrome 6 vs Waterdogs 12

Cannons 13 vs Archers 12

Picks

Week 4 Results

Games

Archers 7 vs Chrome 8

Redwoods 19 vs Waterdogs 16

Cannons 10 vs Chaos 14

Whipsnakes 15 vs Archers 14

Chrome 10 vs Atlas 16

Picks

Week 3 Results

Games

Whipsnakes 12 vs Atlas 11

Redwoods 9 vs Chaos 11

Waterdogs 8 vs Archers 17

Cannons 17 vs Atlas 18

Chrome 16 vs Whipsnakes 6

Picks

Week 2 Results

Games

Chaos 12 vs Waterdogs 14

Whipsnakes 15 vs Cannons 14

Redwoods 9 vs Atlas 12

Chrome 9 vs Waterdogs 14

Chaos 8 vs Archers 12

Picks

Week 1 Results

Games

Cannons 11 vs Redwoods 12

Chaos 7 vs Whipsnakes 13

Atlas 6 vs Archers 18

Cannons 13 vs Waterdogs 7

Redwoods 14 vs Chrome 11

Picks

Good luck to all of our six contestants in this 2021 PLL Pick ‘Em challenge. This will be a true test of your lacrosse knowledge, fortune telling, and trash-talking abilities.

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Athletes Unlimited continued its mission of delivering professional women’s lacrosse to the masses with another full weekend of action featuring the best players in the world sharing a handful of fields. Dempsey Arsenault holds the top spot in the lacrosse leaderboard through three weeks, racking up 1,133 points in nine outings so far. Points can be earned in a variety of ways, from being part of a team win to scoring goals to earning a top-three player award in a game and more.

All photos, video highlights, and game recaps are courtesy of Athletes Unlimited.

The schedule from this last weekend of contests was as follows:

Friday, Aug. 6
GAME 13: Team Arsenault v Team Wood
GAME 14: Team Read v Team Ohlmiller

Saturday, Aug. 7
GAME 15: Team Ohlmiller v Team Wood
GAME 16: Team Read v Team Arsenault

Sunday, Aug. 8
GAME 17: Team Wood v Team Read
GAME 18: Team Ohlmiller v Team Arsenault

Dempsey Arsenault Tops Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse Leaderboard

Friday, Aug. 6 – Boyds, Maryland

GAME 13: Team Arsenault v Team Wood

Kenzie Kent Goes Off for Team Arsenault

Each team in Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse has the help of a facilitator to help with making decisions during each week of the season.

But, Team Arsenault is lucky to have a second facilitator on the field this week in attacker Kenzie Kent (Boston College), who erupted for four goals and four assists in her team’s 9-7 victory over Team Wood to open Week Three’s action at Maureen Hendricks Field at the Maryland SoccerPlex on Friday afternoon.

Kent, who has 12 assists in her last four games, matched her season high with four assists while setting a league season high with her eight-point performance, surpassing the seven points by attacker Kylie Ohlmiller (Stony Brook) against Team Warden last Friday. 

Attacker Sammy Jo Tracy (North Carolina) also registered a hat trick in the victory for Team Arsenault, scoring two of her three goals in the opening quarter. Midfielder Taylor Cummings (Maryland) contributed five ground balls with six draw controls and five caused turnovers.

Team Wood, which lost for the first time in four games this season, was paced by a pair of two-point goals from attacker Shayna Pirreca (Florida) while attacker Alex Aust (Maryland) chipped in a pair of goals.

GAME 14: Team Read v Team Ohlmiller

Sam Apuzzo Delivers Kylie Ohlmiller Another W

Winning was a common feeling for attacker Kylie Ohlmiller (Stony Brook) two weeks ago when she captained her squad to three straight wins.

Attacker Sam Apuzzo (Boston College) made sure the feeling didn’t change the second time around as her three goals paced Team Ohlmiller to a 9-8 victory over Team Read in Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse action at Maureen Hendricks Field at the Maryland SoccerPlex on Friday night. 

In a back-and-forth affair which saw neither team lead by more than two goals, it was a pair of goals by Ohlmiller and attacker Nicole Levy (Syracuse) in the fourth quarter that provided Team Ohlmiller a two-point lead. Attacker Mollie Stevens (Florida) trimmed the deficit to 9-8 with an unassisted marker with 57 seconds remaining, but Team Read was unable to tie the game. 

Apuzzo, Levy and Ohlmiller each registered a multi-goal game for Team Ohlmiller while midfielder Taryn VanThof (Loyola University Maryland) chipped in two assists in the victory.

Attacker Marie McCool (North Carolina) paced Team Read in a losing effort with her second hat trick of the season while attacker Lindsey Ronbeck (Florida) had a goal with an assist.

Saturday, Aug. 7 – Boyds, Maryland

GAME 15: Team Ohlmiller v Team Wood

Defenses Dominate in Game 15

While most people expect offense to shine the most in Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse, it was the defense and goalkeeping that was on display in Team Wood’s 7-5 victory over Team Ohlmiller on Saturday afternoon at Maureen Hendricks Field at the Maryland SoccerPlex.

Goalkeeper Kady Glynn (Loyola Md.) led the charge for Team Wood with a nine-save effort, including five in the second half. Led by Glynn, Team Wood held Team Ohlmiller without a goal for the final 14:28 to secure its first win of the weekend.

Attacker Alex Aust (Maryland) paced Team Wood offensively with three goals, while midfielder Ally Kennedy (Stony Brook) chipped in a goal with two assists. 

Attacker Kylie Ohlmiller (Stony Brook) registered a four-point outing in a losing effort, scoring twice with two assists.

GAME 16: Team Read v Team Arsenault

Team Arsenault and Team Read Showcase Offensive Firepower

Fans who were missing offense in Saturday’s first Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse game at Maureen Hendricks Field at the Maryland SoccerPlex got more than enough in the nightcap between Team Arsenault and Team Read.

Led by hat tricks from midfielders Taylor Cummings (Maryland) and Dempsey Arsenault (Boston College) and attacker Sammy Jo Tracy (North Carolina), Team Arsenault erupted for a league season-high 16 goals en route to a 16-10 victory over Team Read.

The game featured league season highs for combined goals (26) and goals in a single period (10). In addition, a total of five players registered a hat trick as Team Read midfielder Alyssa Parrella (Hofstra) and attacker Mollie Stevens (Florida) joined the trio from Team Arsenault.

Team Arsenault sealed the victory by outscoring Team Read, 5-0, in the third quarter to break open a close game. Arsenault was involved in three of the goals during the frame, scoring twice with an assist.

The game featured a total of 49 shots and 30 draw controls.

Sunday, Aug. 8- Boyds, Maryland

GAME 17: Team Wood v Team Read

Emily Parros Strikes with Six Seconds to Go

After suffering a tough 16-10 loss against Team Arsenault in Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse action last night, Team Read needed to have a short-term memory if it would be victorious against Team Wood in Sunday’s weekend finale for both teams.

Midfielder Emily Parros made that a certainty as her free-position goal with six seconds remaining gave Team Read an 11-10 victory over Team Read at Maureen Hendricks Field at the Maryland SoccerPlex. 

Parros, who finished with her second hat trick against Team Wood this season, broke a 10-all tie when she netted the free-position marker past goalkeeper Kady Glynn (Loyola Md.). 

Attacker Cortney Fortunato (Notre Dame) led all scorers with five goals in the victory for Team Read while contributing an assist. Goalkeeper and team captain Britt Read (Oregon) stopped 10 shots in the victory. 

Midfielder Ally Kennedy (Stony Brook) paced Team Wood in the loss with three goals while midfielder Katie O’Donnell (Penn State) chipped in a pair of markers. 

GAME 18: Team Ohlmiller v Team Arsenault

Dempsey Arsenault Claims Top Spot Despite Loss

Even with new teammates by her side, attacker Kylie Ohlmiller (Stony Brook) has been adept at winning the quarters during her two weeks as an Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse captain. That talent came in handy as she led her squad to an 11-8 victory over Team Arsenault in the final game of the weekend at Maureen Hendricks Field at the Maryland SoccerPlex on Sunday afternoon.

The win allowed Team Ohlmiller to close out Week Three with a 2-1 record while Team Arsenault also posted a 2-1 mark after falling for the first time on the weekend.

Midfielder Amanda Johansen (USC) tallied two goals, including a two-point goal, with an assist, four ground balls, four draw controls and two caused turnovers in the victory for Team Ohlmiller. Ohlmiller added a goal with two assists, while attacker Nicole Levy (Syracuse) added two goals, including a two-pointer.

Team captain Dempsey Arsenault led Team Arsenault in the loss with three goals along with two ground balls and a game-high six draw controls. Attacker Taylor Hensh (Maryland) chipped in two goals for her first multi-goal game of the season.

Team Arsenault outshot Team Ohlmiller by a 24-21 count, but Team Ohlmiller secured 12-of-21 draw controls. 

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John Zulberti made a lasting impact on many in the lacrosse community, and tributes to the legend poured in over the last week since his death Aug. 1. He was 54.

Considered one of the most dominant players ever in Upstate New York lacrosse, John Zulberti had illustrious playing careers at West Genesee High School in Camillus, New York, and at Syracuse, earning All-American honors with the Orange four times, winning the Jack Turnbull Award, and clinching two national championships in 1988 and 1989. His 267 career college points ranks him sixth in Syracuse’s history.

“‘Z’ was a great teammate and captain in ’89 a true leader on the field,” Tom Marechek, Zulberti’s attackman teammate at Syracuse, told Matt Kinnear of Inside Lacrosse on Aug. 2. “I think the best pure feeder I’ve ever seen play the game. He was also a lot of fun to hang out with on the golf course or just having a beer and reminiscing about old Syracuse days.”

It wasn’t just his on-field production that gained him recognition. Zulberti was also notorious for his orange Chuck Taylor’s, which became synonymous with his mystique.

His impact on the game didn’t just stay on the field. Zulberti coached high school and youth lacrosse for more than 30 years, and for nearly a decade, he coached lacrosse in the Atlanta area with Thunder LB3, which has helped consolidate the city’s talent and elevated the sport in the Georgia capital.

“‘Z’ was an unbelievable teacher, mentor and friend to so many kids and families,” Andy Pons, the director of Thunder LB3 club, said to Kinnear. “His energy and bigger-than-life personality made everybody around him a better person, and you instantly bonded to Z-man. John Z will be missed, and the entire lacrosse world is down one guy today. Rest In Peace.”

Though his time on earth was short, the impact of John Zulberti on lacrosse will continue to be felt for years to come.

Now for the other news for the week of Aug. 3-9, 2021.

Last Week in Lacrosse

Brian Holman stepped down from his position as Utah men’s lacrosse head coach, setting in motion the program’s search for its second-ever head coach. Holman held the role for three seasons and led the team through its elevation as a club sport to a Division I competitor.

The Lake Placid Summer Classic was played from Aug. 2-7, returning after COVID-19 caused a one-year hiatus for the summer staple.

Drexel has tabbed Maisha Kelly as the next head coach of its women’s lacrosse program, appointing the former Stony Brook assistant as the team’s ninth all-time head coach.

Penn State announced the addition of Mike Murphy to its men’s lacrosse coaching staff. Murphy has 19 years of college coaching experience and has spent time recently coaching in the PLL as well.

Anne Harrington will serve as the interim head coach of Richmond women’s lacrosse, filling the shoes of Allison Kwolek, for at the time being, after Kwolek left to take the head coaching position at Clemson.

Maryland women’s lacrosse has added five key transfers to its roster in the offseason – Aurora Cordingley (attacker, Johns Hopkins), Abby Bosco (defender, Penn), Clancy Rheude (defender, Albany), Shannon Smith (midfielder, North Carolina), and Natalie Pansini (midfielder, Princeton) – as the Terps look to avoid another early departure from the NCAA Tournament.

Lacrosse is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and reaching more and more parts of the globe with every passing year. Nathaniel Marrero of OrangeObserver.com spoke with one of the people helping to spread the game, Jojo Marasco, about his work in supporting lacrosse in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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Wall Ball Drills That Will Make You Better

Wall ball is one of the most simple ways to improve your game. These are a few wall ball drills you can do to get better at lacrosse.

How Performance Mesh Took Over the World

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Six Lacrosse Recruiting Tips From a College Coach

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PLL vs MLL Champions Comparison: 2019 Whipsnakes vs 2005 Bayhawks

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Building the Ultimate Defender

Which PLL players would you pull which attributes from to create the ultimate defender? Nick Zoroya tried his hand at the exercise.

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In June, Clemson announced it would add women’s lacrosse to its list of athletics, and it made known the program’s first-ever head coach on Monday: Allison Kwolek.

“Clemson offers the unique opportunity to build a program from the ground up and implement my vision and culture from day one,” Allison Kwolek said in a release. “The ACC in the pinnacle of college lacrosse, and it is a tremendous opportunity to begin a program at a school so committed to the success of the student-athlete. The commitment was everywhere I looked on my visit to campus and I am excited to start building the program immediately.”

Clemson lacrosse is expected to begin play in the spring of 2023.

The Tigers will begin their foray into lacrosse with the former Richmond women’s lacrosse head coach, who led the Spiders since 2013. During her tenure in Richmond, Allison Kwolek compiled a 64-16 (.800) record and 27-5 conference mark, plus two conference tournament titles and two regular season conference championships in the last five seasons. Under Kwolek, the Spiders played in two of the last three NCAA Tournaments, excluding the 2020 season in which the team was 7-0 with a win over No. 6 Virginia before COVID-19 ended the campaign early.

“Obviously, I really enjoyed my time at Richmond and appreciate the opportunity to coach there,” Allison Kwolek told John O’Connor of The Richmond Times-Dispatch. “I’m really proud of where the program is and the direction it’s heading in. This opportunity when it came around, obviously to build a program in the ACC, compete at the highest level, was just incredible. It was the right time for my family and I. So thankful that I’m in this position to build a program.”

Allison Kwolek played college lacrosse at William & Mary in the early 2000s, helping led the Tribe to the 2001 NCAA Tournament. She is one of the best lacrosse players in program history and was induced into the William & Mary Hall of Fame in 2020.

After her playing days, Kwolek began a coaching career in 2008 by returning to William & Mary as an assistant, aiding in the Tribe’s top-20 ranking and CAA regular-season title in 2009. She also had assistant coaching stops at Columbia, where she earned a master’s in sports management in 2012, and Dartmouth, where she helped the program to the 2012 Ivy League crown and two NCAA Tournament berths.

In 2016, Allison Kwolek also took an assistant coaching position with the Boston Storm of the United Women’s Lacrosse League. The Storm reached the league’s championship game that season.

“We are delighted to welcome Allison and her family to Clemson,” Clemson Athletic Director Dan Radakovich said in a statement. “Allison brings tremendous knowledge of the game, and proved to be a great fit as we looked to identify our first head coach. The response from the community has been overwhelming for Clemson women’s lacrosse, and we’ll lean on Allison’s expertise and vision to build this program the right way.”

Clemson will become the ninth women’s lacrosse program in the ACC when it begins play, joining Boston College, Duke, Louisville, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Virginia, and Virginia Tech in the league.

Now for the other lacrosse news from the week of July 27-Aug. 2, 2021.

Last Week in Lacrosse

John Zulberti, a two-time NCAA champion in 1988 and 1989 and winner of the Lt. Col. Jack Turnbull Award at Syracuse, died Monday. He was 54.

Ryan Powell was named Christian Brothers Academy boy’s lacrosse head coach, taking over for Ric Beardsley, who stepped down in the middle of last season.

Chris Hogan is heading back to the NFL. He agreed to a deal with the New Orleans Saints to fill the hole left by Michael Thomas’s June ankle surgery, ending Hogan’s short time in the PLL.

The NLL and Tewaaraton Lacrosse League have partnered to host a player showcase, attended by NLL coaches, GMs, and scouts, ahead of the 2021 NLL Entry Draft.

Box lacrosse returned to Ontario after a long pandemic-induced hiatus. Both the Ontario Junior A Lacrosse League and Major Series Lacrosse launched their seasons over the weekend, a welcome sight for box lacrosse lovers everywhere but especially in the province.

Most of the PLL has locked up their playoff spots at this point, with only the final berth up for grabs. Cannons and Chrome will play next weekend, with the winner staying alive and the loser starting its offseason early.

Last week, a deadly car crash on Long Island resulted in five deaths and one in critical condition, with four lacrosse players included in the causalities. Farhan Zahid, 32, of Bay Shore, was the driver of the Uber that was hit head-on in the crash and died. Zahid’s wife set up a GoFundMe to help her family deal with the loss of the father of three. More than $400,000 has already been raised for the Zahid family.

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Hopkins Throws Down Gauntlet Schedule for 2022

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Building the Ultimate Midfielder

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Building Leadership From Within a Lacrosse Team

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How to Convince Your Friends to Play Lacrosse

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Why Jeff Teat Is Making His Case for PLL MVP

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The lacrosse community is mourning the loss of three former Manhasset High School players – Michael Farrell, 20, James Farrell, 25, and Ryan Kiess, 25 – who died in a car crash on Montauk Highway in Quogue, New York, on Saturday night.

The three, along with Kiess’ girlfriend Brianna Maglio, 22, of Garden City, who is hospitalized in critical condition, were taking an Uber to go out that night. Their Uber driver, Farhan Zahid, 32, of Bay Shore, also died at the scene. He leaves behind three children.

At about 11:15 p.m., a Nissan Maxima moving west on the highway hit Zahid’s Toyota Prius going east head-on. Justin Mendez, 22, who was driving the Maxima, was taken to Southampton Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Police said the Maxima speeding may have played a role in the crash, though the investigation is ongoing.

After graduating from Manhasset High School, Kiess played lacrosse at the University of Scranton, where he met Maglio, who also played lacrosse at the school. James Farrell played college lacrosse at Penn and served as captain as a senior in 2018, and his brother Michael Farrell was the captain of the Villanova club men’s lacrosse team.

Lacrosse All Stars extends its condolences to the families and loved ones of the Farrells, Kiess, Zahid, and Mendez, as well as Manhasset lacrosse, and wish for a healthy recovery for Maglio.

Here is other lacrosse news from the week of July 13-19, 2021.

Featured photo courtesy of Penn Athletics.

Last Week in Lacrosse

The European Lacrosse Challenge 2021 was played in Wroclaw, Poland, with the hosts winning first place, defeating Slovakia, 8-4, in the final.

The IOC granted full recognition to World Lacrosse, bringing the sport one step closer to inclusion in the Olympics.

Syracuse women’s lacrosse midfielder Sam Swart and former Johns Hopkins men’s lacrosse midfield Cody Radziewicz gave Sixes rave reviews after playing in USA Lacrosse’s Sixes camp.

Coastal Carolina fired women’s lacrosse head coach Kristen Selvage and has begun the search for the program’s third boss in its history.

Athletes Unlimited’s professional women’s lacrosse league started play, with Team Ohlmiller finishing the weekend 3-0.

Saint Rose announced the hiring of Alex Williams as its next men’s lacrosse head coach. Williams was previously an assistant at Frostburg State.

The Diamondback, the Maryland student newspaper, wrote about the Atlanta pipeline the men’s lacrosse program is building.

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