FEBRUARY 5, 2025 | composed by STEVE ULRICH

Welcome to D3 Lacrosse, devoted to NCAA Division III men’s and women’s lacrosse

🥍 Hump Day. Counting down to Saturday.

Headlines
🐘 Does New Selection Format Favor NESCAC?
🟠 Basso Ready to Contribute at Florida
🔵 MAC Commonwealth Men’s Preview
🔴 NWC Women’s Preview
📊 NCAC, MIAA Preseason Polls
🍔 New Meaning to Eating In

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TOP STORY
1. Does New Selection Format Favor NESCAC?

by CAC Lax.com

“More NESCAC lacrosse teams are likely to qualify for the NCAA tournament this year, thanks to changes in how D3 at-large selections are made. Instead of a selection committee that could apply subjective criteria, the NCAA approved a system last summer that would instead fill the 10 at-large teams based solely on a National Power Index (RPI) calculation that heavily weights strength of schedule. If that system had been in place last spring, Amherst almost certainly would have been a fifth tournament selection from the NESCAC instead of being “bubble out.” Williams may have slipped ahead of tournament selections W&L and Roanoke based on the Ephs’ strength of schedule.

The NCAA applied the NPI to pick at-large teams for the men’s D3 soccer tournament last fall and the results were encouraging for NESCAC lacrosse programs – a record eight teams from the conference were selected for the soccer tournament. Is it realistic to have that many lacrosse teams dancing in May?”

» Field Awareness. “The formula used to calculate the NPI can vary across D3 sports and can even vary by gender within a sport. For men’s lacrosse, the formula has been set and can be found at this link, along with a helpful FAQ. It weights strength of schedule at 75% and win-loss record at only 25%. The formula also applies a modest Quality Win Base Multiplier that would have boosted the value of, for example, the Hamilton win over Tufts during the NESCAC tournament. Those factors are very favorable for the NESCAC and Liberty League which have strong teams from top to bottom. You will likely see other leagues scramble to schedule top 20 OOC opponents to boost their SOS and offset the easy wins within their conferences.”

» What They’re Saying. “I don't think the NESCAC is going to have eight teams, but we had four last year, all of them were very competitive – two in the final four,” Connecticut College Head Coach Jim Nagle told us in our podcast interview this week. “And the fifth team, the last team out, was Amherst and they were excellent. So I think we certainly could be looking at, with the new NPI, maybe five or six teams.”

» Why It Matters. “Perhaps not coincidentally, in each of the past three seasons, only four NESCAC lacrosse teams were granted a tournament spot (one AQ and three at-large bids). When that system relied on subjective humans on the selection committee, there seemed to be a soft quota in place. The computer-generated NPI will have no such subjective inputs.”

» Read More

FEATURES
2. Basso Ready to Contribute at Florida After Prestigious DIII Career

by Max Bernstein, Independent Florida Alligator

“Florida graduate student attacker Jordan Basso has never been a stranger to competing as an underdog. But now, as she enters her final season of collegiate eligibility, Basso has the chance to play for a team coming off a Final Four appearance.

The all-time leading scorer for Gettysburg College, a Division III school, has had a prestigious collegiate career thus far, but she’s had a more unconventional path to becoming a Florida Gator.

The New York state native received little attention coming out of high school, but she carved her path through her four years playing for Gettysburg.”

» Backstory. “The 22-year-old seasoned attacker scored at least 100 points in three consecutive seasons en route to three Centennial Conference Attacker of the Year awards and three IWLCA First Team All-American nods.”

» What They’re Saying. ““What stood out to us… was how dominant she was, and we didn't care that it was Division I, Division II, Division III,” Florida head coach Amanda O’Leary said. “You don’t just put up those big numbers without something substantial behind it.””

» Quotable. ““Florida came off a Final Four run last year, so there’s definitely some pressure that comes along with that,” Basso said. “But I want to contribute to a great season this year.”

» Continue Reading

MAC COMMONWEALTH PREVIEW (M)
3. Stevenson Looks For Repeat Title

Stevenson won its first MAC Commonwealth title since 2019 with a convincing 21-3 victory over Eastern in the final. The Eagles stunned regular-season champ York, 11-10, in the semis to reach their first-ever championship match.

The Mustangs edged Union, 12-11, in the second round of the NCAA tournament but was eliminated in the next round by eventual national titlist Tufts, 27-7.

Stevenson and York were selected as the favorites in a preseason poll of coaches with each securing four first-place votes and 46 points.

The MAC Commonwealth welcomes two new coaches in Albright’s Derek Stump and Alvernia’s Brendan Butler.

Returning Statistical Leaders

Albright (6-11, 1-6). Joost Van der Horst (Jr, 43-23-66), James Elko (Jr, 35-27-62)
Goalie: Sean McNicholas (Sr, 14.38 / 47.6%)
Alvernia (4-12, 0-7). Kyle Patton (Jr, 14-12-26), Colin McFayden (Sr, 19-4-23)
Goalie: Dane Sabarese (Sr, 10.20 / 63.2%)
Eastern (8-11, 3-4). Nick Litzenberger (Gr, 37-21-58), Chris Fanelli (Sr, 30-14-44)
Goalie: N/A
Hood (9-8, 3-4). Rio Muldoon (Sr, 38-17-55), Robbie Wiley (Sr, 39-6-45)
Goalie: Calvin Morris (14.26 / 46.9%)
Messiah (12-6, 5-2). Chad Teresky (Sr, 47-62-109), Bobby Berg (Jr, 74-20-94)
Goalie: Jourdain Algarin (So, 11.84 / 54.7%)
Stevenson (14-7, 6-1). Grant Zick (Sr, 35-44-79), Max Racich (Jr, 54-23-77)
Goalie: Nicholas Parolin (So, 9.35 / 44.8%)
Widener (4-12, 3-4). Nicholas Knepp (Jr, 14-11-25), Matt Horgan (So, 15-4-19)
Goalie: N/A
York (10-8, 7-0). Gavin Gismondi (Grad, 50-22-72), Davis Fisher (Jr, 25-28-53)
Goalie: Jack Keller (Grad, 10.29 / 49.0%)

🥍 D3Lacrosse’s Preseason All-MAC Commonwealth
A-Chad Teresky (Sr, Messiah); Bobby Berg (Jr, Messiah); Max Racich (Jr, Stevenson).
M-Jack Scaliti (Sr, Stevenson); Grant Zick (Sr, Stevenson); Nick Litzenberger (Gr, Eastern). D-Nick Biava (Sr, York); David Gross (Jr, Messiah); Christian Wright (Jr, Alvernia). LSM-Jack Bradley (Jr, Eastern). SSDM-Connor Stewart (Gr, York).
FO-Jack Kenney (Jr, Alvernia). GK-Dane Sabarese (Sr, Alvernia).

NWC PREVIEW (W)
4. Bruins In Search of Three-Peat

George Fox won a second consecutive Northwest Conference women’s lacrosse tournament title with a convincing 17-7 victory over Willamette.

The Bruins earned their fifth straight trip to the NCAAs where they were ousted by #11 Pomona-Pitzer, 19-7, despite holding a 5-1 first-period advantage.

George Fox is the lone institution in the NWC with a new coach as Jordyn Merkel steps in to take the helm. Pacific Lutheran is the new kid on the block, elevating its club program to varsity for the 2025 season.

George Fox (15-4, 12-0). Lana Davis (Jr, 55-39-94), Ava Bluhm (Jr, 62-18-80)
Goalie: N/A
Lewis & Clark (1-12, 0-0). Sage Swegle (So, 38-8-46), Kate Meinhard (Jr, 23-3-26)
Goalie: Zoey Hamel-Hyland (So, 19.73 / 29.9%)
Linfield (6-9, 4-8). Gabby Crist (Jr, 47-19-66), Savannah Irwin (Jr, 21-19-40)
Goalie: Tenley Hodge (Jr, 14.95 / 37.1%)
Pacific (2-14, 0-12). Jasmyn Zimmerman (So, 14-1-15), Cameron Cabuco (So, 8-5-13)
Goalie: N/A
Pacific Lutheran (0-0). 1st season as varsity sport
Goalie: N/A
Puget Sound (3-13, 2-10). Cat Schilli (Jr, 49-4-53), Maggie Ott (So, 20-2-22)
Goalie: Phoebe Crowther (Sr, 15.52 / 35.6%)
Whitman (10-8, 6-6). Gracie Maulik (Sr, 44-21-65), Lindsey Pasena-Littlesky
(Jr, 38-21-59) | Goalie: Renn Novak (So, 13.17 / 45.4%)
Whitworth (12-6, 8-4). Campbell Vincent (So, 56-6-62), Sierra Witte (Jr, 24-15-39)
Goalie: Sage Fosnock (Sr, 10.57 / 41.7%)
Willamette (14-4, 10-2). Lily Bachiochi (Sr, 65-52-117), Claire Kisielnicki (Jr, 45-7-52)
Goalie: Olivia Austin (So, 8.89 / 41.2%)

🥍 D3Lacrosse Preseason All-NWC
A-Lily Bachiochi (Sr, Willamette); Claire Kisielnicki (Jr, Willamette); Mackenzie Kulick (Sr, Linfield); Campbell Vincent (So, Whitworth). M-Gracie Maulik (Sr, Whitman); Shea Richardson-Pepper (Sr, Willamette); Lana Davis (Sr, George Fox); Gabby Crist (Jr, Linfield). D-Jay Shiflett (So, Willamette); Syd Shoemaker (So, Willamette); Madison De La Trinidad (So, Linfield); Ana Flores (Sr, George Fox). GK-Sage Fosnock (Sr, Whitworth)

CONFERENCES
5. Preseason Polls

It’s conference preseason poll time. That time where some coaches put some thought into making their annual selections, while others opt to list teams in their 2024 order of standing.

Nonetheless, here we go today.

• NCAC (M). “Denison has been tabbed as the favorite for the 2025 North Coast Athletic Conference men’s lacrosse season. The Big Red, in search of their league-leading 23rd NCAC title, claimed six of the possible nine first-place votes to top the league poll with 78 points. Aiming for its 22nd conference title, Ohio Wesleyan finished second in the voting with two first-place votes and 71 points, while Kenyon earned the final first-place vote to come in third with 66 points.”

• MIAA (M). “Hope College was selected to finish first in the league after receiving all six possible first-place votes and a total of 36 points. Albion College claims the runner-up spot with the remaining first-place vote and 30 points. Calvin University rounds out the top three with 27 points.”

• MIAA (W). “Hope College was selected to defend the league title after receiving all seven possible first-place votes and a total of 49 points. Trine University claims the runner-up spot with the remaining first-place vote and 40 points.”

RECRUITING
6. Commitments

DeSALES - Upper Moreland (Pa.) HS attackman Paul Fell has committed
MUHLENBERG - Manheim Township (Pa.) HS A/M Mason Lyons has committed
RPI - Conestoga (Pa.) HS defenseman Gunnar Flesher has committed
SALISBURY - Boys’ Latin School junior GK Blake Conner has committed
SUSQUEHANNA - Somerville (N.J.) HS attacker Matthew Chubenko has committed

1 THING
7. New Meaning to ‘Eating In’

“About 43% of fast food orders in the US overall happen at the drive-thru window, and 27% of those meals are downed before exiting the vehicle, according to Circana. That’s probably why McDonald’s is testing out a new Sonic-esque restaurant, CosMc’s, while Chipotle and Shake Shack are adding more drive-up lanes, per WSJ.” 

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