College Crosse Prospectus: Vermont Wins; Shillinglaw To Retire After 2017

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD MORNING, College Crosse Nation!! Thanks for making us a part of your day! Happy Friday! Let’s get to those links!

Podcast Alert

It’s part 3 of our 2017 season preview! We take a look at the Big East, Big Ten, and ACC conferences, as well as preview this weekend’s games.

What You Missed

WHAT A THRILLER YESTERDAY! Vermont defeated Furman in come-from-behind fashion in overtime, 13-12!

That game was one of many top America East games to watch this season.

No Ian MacKay for Vermont didn’t stop the Catamounts from getting that W.

You really want to hear Frank Gifford describe how lacrosse works don’t you.

Lacrosse The Nation

Here was the game-winning goal by Vermont’s Braiden Davis:

Final stats:

And Vermont’s recap of the victory.

The 2017 coaching carousel has already begun as Delaware head coach Bob Shillinglaw announced he will retire after 42 years as head coach, 39 of them being at Delaware.

“Anyone who knows me knows that Delaware Lacrosse is my passion,” said Shillinglaw. “Representing the program, the University, and the alums is an honor, and besides my wife and three daughters, it is the most important thing in my life. While at this time this is the best decision for my family, I will continue to give 150 percent this season to provide this year's team and their families with the best experience and remain committed to working hard for the future of Delaware Lacrosse.”

The second longest tenured head coach in the history of collegiate men’s lacrosse and in the annals of Delaware athletics, Shillinglaw built a strong legacy of championship teams, All-American players, and successful alumni over a highlight-filled career.

“Coach Shillinglaw’s contributions and commitment to this University, to Blue Hens Athletics, to the lacrosse program, and to the sport have been truly extraordinary,” said Delaware Director of Athletics and Recreation Services Chrissi Rawak. “His positive impact as a mentor to hundreds of highly successful young men over four decades can’t be overstated. He is Delaware Lacrosse and so many owe him a debt of gratitude for the legacy he has built and the first-class manner in which he guided this program. We are excited for both Bob and his family as he begins this next chapter in his life. Delaware lacrosse will always hold special importance to him and we welcome his continued involvement and commitment to the program and Delaware Athletics as whole.”

No person in the history of college lacrosse has coached more games than Shillinglaw, who has been at the helm of 639 contests over 41 seasons, 129 more than No. 2 Jack Emmer who coached 510 games in 1970-2005. His 41 seasons as a head coach ranks tied for No. 2 all-time in NCAA history, trailing only current MIT head coach Walt Alessi, who begins his 43rd season in 2017. Glenn Thiel served 41 seasons as a head coach in 1970-2010 at Virginia and Penn State. At Delaware, only the late C. Roy "Doc" Rylander, who guided the UD tennis teams for 41 years in 1952-93, served longer.

We had a scrimmage between Fairfield and Sacred Heart yesterday!

Cleveland State’s first ever game is SOLD OUT Definitely because of Dylan Sheridan being a guest on College Crossecast!

We have UMBC’s season preview:

New head coach Ryan Moran isn’t nervous for his debut as UMBC’s new BOSS, pens Edward Lee of the Baltimore Sun.

“I try not to get anxious for games,” he said Thursday. “That’s something I tried to emulate from coach [John] Tillman. I don’t think I did a good job of that when I was coaching at Maryland, but being at Maryland and getting a good view of how he handles himself in games, I’ve tried my best to emulate him, and I think it’s made me a better coach.

"I think the kids sense nerves, and when they sense that the head coach is nervous, they’ll play tight, too. So I try not to show any anxiety. I just look at the play, look at everything objectively, try to make any in-game adjustments that we need to do, take any teaching moments that we can, stay positive, and keep things going. That’s the biggest thing for our staff, being positive with the young men by encouraging them but also correcting them.”

Moran said he will draw on his memories as a player to temper his emotions.

“As the game goes on, much like a player, you settle into it, and you start to objectively observe and digest the game and digest what’s going well for you and what’s not going well for you,” he said. “But I’m not trying to let it be a focal point at all or a distraction to myself, the team or the staff. That’s the last thing I want to create.”

There’s also previews for Air Force, Cleveland State, Jacksonville, Navy, Richmond:

GET YOUR GRADES UP MERCER!

Thursday night is shooting night:

Cornell BOSS Matt Kerwick is putting last year’s struggles behind him.

Furman’s captain, Jon Vandenberg, will wear #10 this season in honor of his friend and former Furman commit Kip Taviano, who was tragically killed in a car accident before his high school graduation. Scott Keeler of Furman’s website has more.

While the No. 10 was "retired" on that opening game day with a thought that no one would wear it over the next four years, [Richie] Meade said the team wanted to do something more to honor Taviano on what would've been his senior year. Vandenberg's teammates voted for him to wear the special number this season.

"They went to different schools, but they grew up in the same town outside of Philadelphia," Meade said. "I think Jon was really moved and saddened when Kip lost his life. The other kids that came in really didn't know Kip like Jon did."

In addition to wearing the No. 10, Vandenberg was also selected as the Paladins' lone captain this year. It's the second consecutive season he's been a captain, but the first in which he's been the lone one.

"I think Jon has been a very consistent player for us for four years and gotten better each year," Meade said. "It's rare to have one captain on a team with this many guys, but it became very apparent Jon was the overwhelming choice of the team."

Taviano played at the Haverford School, but was very close with the Garnet Valley community, where Vandenberg played. #10VE

Sacred Heart kicks off their Friday with some yoga.

Lacrosse is gaining more mentions in the media, writes Brian Coughlin of Inside Lacrosse.

From 2014 to 2016, the number of articles and television programs mentioning the sport of lacrosse has grown nearly 28%. In the graphic below, the total number of mentions of lacrosse, by year, in both television programs and online news articles is shown. In 2016 alone, there were nearly a quarter-million mentions of the sport of lacrosse in the U.S.

Not only have the number of mentions of lacrosse in the media grown over the past two years, but also the volume during the main outdoor lacrosse playing seasons has increased as well. In the month of May 2016, the volume of mentions grew nearly 7% from the previous May. The excitement of championship weekend, which was capped by an overtime championship-winner by North Carolina men's lacrosse, as well as North Carolina women’s program upsetting Maryland in its title game, helped to drive the volume of content.

There were also notable increases in the conversation around lacrosse in the months of August and November. In August 2016, there was nearly a doubling in mentions of Major League Lacrosse on television year-over-year in part to the thrilling, rain-drenched Denver Outlaws come-from-behind win in the championship.

Nearly 5% of the conversation around lacrosse in the news in November 2016 was a result of lacrosse being featured in an episode of The Simpsons. In the episode, the town of Springfield embraces lacrosse as Homer ends up coaching his kids’ team. Perhaps The Simpsons, which has been described in media as having predicted many trends over the years, is once again on to something with its episode on lacrosse.

Matt Hamilton of USLaxMagazine.com writes how Tampa has become a lacrosse power at the Division II level.

Tampa’s ascent coincides with Rory Whipple’s ability to attract quality players relatively late in the recruiting process. He struck first with Andrew Kew, an Oakville, Ontario, native that played at the Hill Academy who signed late in the fall of his senior year of high school and led the Spartans with 62 goals as a freshman in 2016. Now, Whipple thinks he may have found another high-caliber player overlooked by Division I coaches in incoming freshman Bryan Wright out of Moorestown, N.J.

Wright broke his leg in his sophomore year, thus slowing his recruiting process during his junior year.

“[Andrew Kew] was a real diamond in the rough last year,” Rory Whipple said. “I think we have another one in Bryan Wright this year. I’m really excited about the whole attack.”

Those youngsters will work alongside Conor Whipple, the one-time Georgetown recruit who led Tampa with 96 points last year. The Spartans believe the trio could help them shake up the establishment of Division II lacrosse, which has been ruled by Le Moyne and Limestone for the past five years.

In Division III, Salisbury is ready to defend their national championship, from Mitchell Northam of Delmarva Now.

Salisbury lost a few key pieces from last year’s team — like Thomas Cirillo and Preston Dabbs — but return a bevy of excellent players.

In Jim Berkman’s 29th season on the sidelines at Sea Gull Stadium, the goal and expectation is the same as it's always been.

“Each and every year is a new year with a new team,” Berkman said. “So the objective is to get this group to realize their potential. My goal is to, at the end of the season, if we can say that yeah, this team is as good that it can possibly be, then we’ve had a successful season as a coaching staff.

“But there’s no beating around the bush with the legacy here. There’s no beating around the bush with what the kids hear from the alumni every day. If they don’t win, it’s not a good season around here.”

And wait, isn’t there at least one La Salle College High School product on the team this year?

Berkman referred to freshman Jared Walls as Salisbury’s top defensive midfielder. Walls, who checks in at 5 foot 9 and 185 pounds, played fullback for his high school football team and has that “short and squatty” frame with wide legs, Berkman said.

“Jared is an outstanding athlete,” Berkman said. “He’s really fast. He played in a great high school program (La Salle College High School). He’s been really well-coached and he’s light years ahead of what most freshmen are when we talk about team defense and off-ball play. Also, he has a really good stick.”

Walls played club ball with Dukes LC and Phillie Elite, and also considered Stevenson University, but ultimately picked Salisbury.

Philly Jawns

Today is Wing Bowl 25 at the Wells Fargo Center. Check here for updates from Matt Mullin of PhillyVoice.

The Chicago Bulls are inquiring about Sixers center Jahlil Okafor.

(Ed. note: Do the deal, Bryan Colangelo!)

World News

Apple is going to start making iPhones in India.

Atlanta’s Spotify playlist (sans Migos and Gucci Mane’s East Atlanta Santa) is already better than New England’s.

Video of the Day

This year’s NFL edition of Bad Lip Reading is fantastic, as usual.

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Managing Editors: Safe Fekadu, Chris Jastrzembski, Ryan McDonnell