Source: UConn lacrosse to DI in 2018

[Kolumbo]

Is Lacrosse played mostly on artificial turf or grass? Could be another use for The Rent. Yale, Hartford, Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart, Fairfield, UCONN.

 

[CL82]

What say you Conspiracy Kitty?

Conspiracy Kitty says:
Heck he had me at "Just had a conversation with the coach/director of my kid's club lacrosse program over lunch."

 

[freescooter]

I don't care one way or the other honestly but I doubt it is that big a deal to either league since less than half the members in each actually play lacrosse. 6 b10 teams and 6 in the ACC. Would they like a few more? Probably. Is it a must do to be in either league? I seriously doubt it.

 

[Stinger92860]

I don't care one way or the other honestly but I doubt it is that big a deal to either league since less than half the members in each actually play lacrosse. 6 b10 teams and 6 in the ACC. Would they like a few more? Probably. Is it a must do to be in either league? I seriously doubt it.

Every little bit helps.

 

[dbmill]

While I don't expect it to happen, I'd love to see UConn get involved in men's lacrosse. It seems to be a sport that increasingly gets some attention.

 

[freescooter]

Is Lacrosse played mostly on artificial turf or grass? Could be another use for The Rent. Yale, Hartford, Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart, Fairfield, UCONN.

600-1000 on a good day aren't paying the Rent at the Rent.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I'm curious if 2018 is a firm date or merely an optimistic target. Adding the scholarships (which I imagine will need to be done on a step-up basis) won't be impossible as we are not fully funded on a few women's sports. I believe it is safe to state that between women's indoor track, outdoor track, volleyball, rowing and lacrosse we are at least ten scholarships under the limit.

Where this could become a little hairy is total participation. The day we add men's lacrosse we will increase our total male varsity athletes by 30-35 participants. That will need to be met with an immediate increase in female varsity participants. There is room across many women's sports for non-scholarship participants but increasing non-scholarship participation will require increasing a few recruiting budgets.

The bottom line is money. Men's lacrosse as a varsity, scholarship sport has been on the back burner for quite some time (Hathaway had a knack at keeping things on the back burner) but being able to fund the sport (which will require scholarships for that sport, an equal number of scholarships for existing women's sports, coaches' salaries for men's lacrosse, a recruiting budget for men's lacrosse, an increase in the recruiting budgets for at least a couple women's sports to match total participation) has been the issue. If there is a firm date, either some major donor or donors have committed to covering these costs or something is on the horizon.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Is Lacrosse played mostly on artificial turf or grass? Could be another use for The Rent. Yale, Hartford, Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart, Fairfield, UCONN.

I think UConn is a great fit for Lax as CT is a good recruiting ground for it and neighboring NY State (especially Long Island and upstate) is the top recruiting area with Maryland for talent. That said, 2018 is not that far away to add new practice field, offices, staff, and begin recruiting up from Club to D1. Not to mention where the money would come from, especially with a new hockey arena likely being the #1 priority right now? On the positive side, 2018 sound about right forth e new soccer stadium to be built, which can easily be used as a soccer (fall) and lacrosse (spring) game field.

 

[B1GOSU]

Here are the sports UConn would need to add to have a full-slate of B1G sports:

Men's Lacrosse (6 teams in B1G sponsor sport)
Wrestling (all 14 teams in B1G sponsor sport)
Men's Gymnastics (7 teams in B1G sponsor sport)
Women's Golf (all 14 teams in B1G sponsor sport)
Women's Gymnastics (10 teams in B1G sponsor sport)

 

[UConn990411]

I don't care much about lacrosse, but I'm all for being better than Syracuse at every sport possible.

 

[Northbound]

[

As someone who played MCLA lacrosse for UConn, I can assure you that this is NOT the same thing.

This 1000X this.

Comparing MCLA to D-1 lacrosse is like comparing the intramural hoops team to playing D-I hoops.

 

[Kolumbo]

[

This 1000X this.

Comparing MCLA to D-1 lacrosse is like comparing the intramural hoops team to playing D-I hoops.

Yeah but the difference is, most people who don't watch lacrosse, which is most people, wouldn't know the difference. Lot's of women's basketball teams probably don't measure up to D-1 but they are there nevertheless.

 

[Northbound]

Yeah but the difference is, most people who don't watch lacrosse, which is most people, wouldn't know the difference. Lot's of women's basketball teams probably don't measure up to D-1 but they are there nevertheless.

This is all related to P5 conferences and aligning the university with one. Are you suggesting that women's hoops teams in a P5 conference don't "meausre up"? If so what does "meausre up" mean

My comment isn't about whether non-fans know the difference, it's addressing the factual difference between club lacrosse and division 1 lacrosse.

And mon-fans would figure it out pretty damn quickly when they see scores.

 

[Kolumbo]

This is all related to P5 conferences and aligning the university with one. Are you suggesting that women's hoops teams in a P5 conference don't "meausre up"? If so what does "meausre up" mean

My comment isn't about whether non-fans know the difference, it's addressing the factual difference between club lacrosse and division 1 lacrosse.

And mon-fans would figure it out pretty damn quickly when they see scores.

By measure up, I mean there are many programs which can't compete with the top programs and may in fact lose to other college club teams. I have never played lacrosse so I don't doubt what you are saying. At the same time, it doesn't seem like it takes all that much talent, a bunch of guys twirling a stick around. Seems if you can master the technical skill of throwing and catching a ball, you are good to go.

 

[CallMeBruce]

By measure up, I mean there are many programs which can't compete with the top programs and may in fact lose to other college club teams. I have never played lacrosse so I don't doubt what you are saying. At the same time, it doesn't seem like it takes all that much talent, a bunch of guys twirling a stick around. Seems if you can master the technical skill of throwing and catching a ball, you are good to go.

Nothing better than a reductionist explanation of a sport from someone who even admits to not knowing what he's talking about. If you tried to take UConn's MCLA-level lacrosse team (which is a strong team at the MCLA level) and have them play a D-1 schedule, they'd get annihilated. They simply don't have the athletes to compete.

 

[ZooCougar]

This would be a good move. Frankly, it positions us with our other peers on the east coast. Rutgers, UVA, Penn State, The Carolinas etc. I think Lacrosse could potentially draw as many fans as soccer. Just wondering how the facilty usage would work with the talk of the Men's Soccer season being spread out over the fall and spring.

 

[Kolumbo]

It's a no-brainer especially since the women already play. Now is the ideal time to launch. Calhoun and Auriemma both built their programs into national powers essentially from scratch. Soccer and Field Hockey have championships. High growth sport in a high visibility Athletic Department. Should be very easy to attract a top notch coaching staff with the opportunity and support to build a top program.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

It's a no-brainer especially since the women already play. Now is the ideal time to launch. Calhoun and Auriemma both built their programs into national powers essentially from scratch. Soccer and Field Hockey have championships. High growth sport in a high visibility Athletic Department. Should be very easy to attract a top notch coaching staff with the opportunity and support to build a top program.

UConn women's soccer would have a championship or two also if UConn's peak in the 90's did not coincide with one of the most dominate programs in college sports history - UNC Women's soccer. In twenty years some odd years from 1982 to 2003, the Tar Heels won all but 5 titles ('85, '95, '98, '01, '02). During the same span, UConn women made it to College Cup 7 times falling to UNC in the final 4 times ('84, '90, '97, '03).

 

[businesslawyer]

UConn women's soccer would have a championship or two also if UConn's peak in the 90's did not coincide with one of the most dominate programs in college sports history - UNC Women's soccer. In twenty years some odd years from 1982 to 2003, the Tar Heels won all but 5 titles ('85, '95, '98, '01, '02). During the same span, UConn women made it to College Cup 7 times falling to UNC in the final 4 times ('84, '90, '97, '03).

If "ifs and buts" were candy and nuts, Rutgers would have won something at some point and Syracuse would do as well in March as it does in December and January.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

UConn women's soccer would have a championship or two also if UConn's peak in the 90's did not coincide with one of the most dominate programs in college sports history - UNC Women's soccer. In twenty years some odd years from 1982 to 2003, the Tar Heels won all but 5 titles ('85, '95, '98, '01, '02). During the same span, UConn women made it to College Cup 7 times falling to UNC in the final 4 times ('84, '90, '97, '03).

Hell, if Kristine Lilly stayed home (instead of going to UNC) we would have won at least one title.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Hell, if Kristine Lilly stayed home (instead of going to UNC) we would have won at least one title.

I played a few pick-up games against Sarah Whalen, likely the best women's soccer player UConn ever had. Lucky for me, I was in really good shape back the as I spent a lot of time running all over the pitch trying and failing to keep up with her.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

UConn women's soccer would have a championship or two also if UConn's peak in the 90's did not coincide with one of the most dominate programs in college sports history - UNC Women's soccer. In twenty years some odd years from 1982 to 2003, the Tar Heels won all but 5 titles ('85, '95, '98, '01, '02). During the same span, UConn women made it to College Cup 7 times falling to UNC in the final 4 times ('84, '90, '97, '03).

How did Calhoun build a program from scratch?
We were in the BIg East. The best conference in the country.
Huge TV exsposure playing the likes of Georgetown,Cuse ,St john's and Nova
A fact that helped recruiting
He also inherited, Cliff Robinson,Phil Gamble ,and Tate George,Jeff King,Steve Pikell
Spider Ursery, and Gary Besselink.
Suspension of their star player the year before and academic ineligibility hurt the program significantly and it was down in Perno lastyears and his first.
That's certainly not ment to demean JC, he was a great coach. But the hyperpole just doesn't. fit reality.
He would have never have left Northeastern if he didn't see a huge opportunity
The Big East women on the other hand were among the weakest conferences in the country. Playing in a largely private school league the future was pretty dim.
Geno was an assistant before he came here. He probably took the job as a stepping stone back to the ACC or SEC.

 

[CoastAtlantic]

ACC Men's Lacrosse could use a sixth member.

 

[businesslawyer]

How did Calhoun build a program from scratch?
We were in the BIg East. The best conference in the country.
Huge TV exsposure playing the likes of Georgetown,Cuse ,St john's and Nova
A fact that helped recruiting
He also inherited, Cliff Robinson,Phil Gamble ,and Tate George,Jeff King,Steve Pikell
Spider Ursery, and Gary Besselink.
Suspension of their star player the year before and academic ineligibility hurt the program significantly and it was down in Perno lastyears and his first.
That's certainly not ment to demean JC, he was a great coach. But the hyperpole just doesn't. fit reality.
He would have never have left Northeastern if he didn't see a huge opportunity
The Big East women on the other hand were among the weakest conferences in the country. Playing in a largely private school league the future was pretty dim.
Geno was an assistant before he came here. He probably took the job as a stepping stone back to the ACC or SEC.

And every time you think this Board can't possibly get even dumber ....

Calhoun saw more money and a better opportunity than he had at Northeastern. But the thought that because we had a bunch of players who never accomplished anything in the Big East before or after what Calhoun did wasn't a big deal is beyond stupid. Yes, we were in a good league, but we were the laughingstocks of it.

What does Geno have to do with anything anyway? What he has accomplished is unbelievable. Forget ten championships -- you can argue he is responsible for creating a TV sport. But that has zip to do with Calhoun having achieved as much as any coach in his generation when you give credit to what program they inherited.

 

[The Funster]

Both coaches built legacies in different ways. Calhoun in the Big East was like being in the land of the giants. He had to recruit and play against Boeheim, Carnesecca, Thompson, Massimino, entrenched coaches in successful programs. And while one can say it helped recruiting it was a damn smart way to twist things in his favor when JC told recruits they would get to play against those great programs. But even with that JC had to work to recruit nationally because a lot of local avenues were already shut out. Hell, it was a massive coup just to get Smitty to come. So, had to recruit out of LA and Phoenix and Federal Way instead of plucking well knoiwn local talent. I remember once or twice a month the old channel 20 would have a UConn game on and I'd watch UConn get drilled by any number of the BE teams until Calhoun turned the ship around. Jim Calhoun may have made it look pretty easy but that doesn't mean it was. He didn't have just a 2-3 year run. He stayed and built a dynasty and as he built that dynasty he watched some old dynasties fade away. Don't ever underestimate that. We may have been a regional power but JC built a national power with the legs to go on for quite a while.

Geno's situation was different. There was what, three teams nationally in the women's game that stood out? So there was a huge void that a great coach could step into and Geno was just the guy to do it. What makes Geno even greater is that he captured the state when there was no interest in women's hoops. He coached those kids so good that we learned to admire them and a state that had no athletic identity other than some dusty Ivy league tradition suddenly had a winner thrust into our collective mind set. Geno has been so prolific that I don't even watch that much anymore because it is like watching US Steel squash some strikers back in the day.

I'm not even sure I could say which coach has done a better job. I'd have to say they are equal but different. Different circumstances, different obstacles, two great, great coaching jobs.