College Crosse Prospectus: Delaware’s Ben DeLuca discusses FIL World Championships

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD MORNING, College Crosse Nation! Thanks for making us a part of your day! Here’s everything you need to know for July 30, 2018.

What You Missed

Ryan and Jake dropped another Seasons podcast.

Cleveland State is impacting the city’s community in a very positive way.

Lacrosse The Nation

Delaware Blue Hens head coach Ben DeLuca discussed helping the US win a gold medal in Israel with Kevin Tresolini of The News Journal.

“It was a great opportunity for me to get out of my comfort zone a little bit and do some things a little bit different as a head coach,” said DeLuca. “Everyone kind of sacrifices to make the team work and I think one of the greatest compliments you can give any member of an organization is you’re a great teammate. Whatever it takes to be a great teammate is what I wanted to do to help coach [John] Danowski be comfortable and manage the team in his vision.”

DeLuca was on hand in Denver in 2014 as an evaluator and scout for the U.S. team when Canada downed the Americans for the world title, 8-5. Former Navy coach Richie Meade was U.S. coach in 2014.

Also on the All-World team was U.S. attackman Rob Pannell, whom DeLuca had recruited to and coached at Cornell. He assisted on the winning goal against Canada.

The U.S. played seven games – winning them all – in 10 days and DeLuca spent two weeks in Israel. The team also visited Jerusalem.

“That was an amazing experience, one of the most powerful experiences I’ve ever had,” DeLuca said. “You see people of all different faiths and races and nationalities there, all showing their respect for some very historic places . . . It’s awe inspiring.”

More than 700 people showed up to thank West Genesee coach Mike Messere on a fantastic high school career. More from CNY Central’s Matt Hauswirth:

In an event that’s been planned since January, more than 700 people showed up to bid farewell to a living legend.

Several of Messere’s former players and coaches over the years attended the event, which began with a 7-minute video with a variety of the area’s top lacrosse coaches sharing their memories of facing Messere on the field.

”Anywhere these guys eventually went in their lives, if there was lacrosse, they made it better,” Messere answered when asked how proud he is of his former players. “If there wasn’t any lacrosse, they built a program. It’s just amazing what they’ve done. They whole crew, it’s a team. It’s a great community, and [they’re] just super kids. Again, just to see their babies -- they come with their babies and they tell me what they’ve done with their lives, where they’re at, and I’m just amazed, blown away by it.”

It’s all part of a big lacrosse weekend in Camillus, headlined by the 17th annual John Pepper Memorial Lacrosse Tournament, attracting teams from across New York State to play in the two-day slate of games.

John Pepper was a former West Genesee JV lacrosse player who tragically lost his life in 2001 due to a car accident.

Former UNC defenseman and current New York Lizards defenseman Austin Pifani, a noted Eagles fan, did this to the Dallas Cowboys’ star before their game against the Rattlers in Frisco.

It was the ol’ water bottle trick.

Also, Chesapeake showed off some nice dance moves after clinching a playoff spot!

After Byrne danced, he went back up to Buffalo to participate in the Bandits’ adaptive lacrosse clinics. WKBW’s Nicole DeMentri, a fellow member of Syracuse’s Class of 2018, has more:

Bubba Vaccaro drove from Lockport with his mom, Tracy, to give lacrosse a try.

”This is his first time actually with a stick,” Tracy Vaccaro said.

And that’s because before Sunday, there wasn’t a place for Bubba to be able to learn how to play. He lives with social disabilities, making it difficult to participate in recreational sports.

The clinic is an opportunity the Buffalo Bandits wanted to provide for kids and adults like Bubba, so they started the Buffalo Bandits Adaptive Lacrosse Clinic.

They avoided near catastrophe around the :40 mark. Be careful when you film!

Marquette’s new home is looking good!

Friendly reminder: Lehigh had one of the best man-up units in HISTORY.

St. Bonaventure has a new team store for you to buy gear!

Philly Jawns

Eagles training camp is going strong.

World News

Caesars is opening sports betting in New Jersey and Mississippi!

Video of the Day

James Corden gets forced to skydive thanks to Tom Cruise.

That’s it for today!! I’ll see you out there!! Make sure you follow us on social media!

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Managing Editors: Safe Fekadu, Chris Jastrzembski, Ryan McDonnell