January 20, 2025 | composed by STEVE ULRICH

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

🥍 Welcome to D3Lacrosse. From the team that brings you D3Playbook every weekday comes a new email newsletter devoted to the creator’s game - at the non-scholarship DIII level.

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Headlines
🏈 The Notre Dame Lax Star Trying to Win National Titles in Two Sports
🥍 Previewing the NCAC (M)
🤝 Fitzgerald, Stamp Named at Purchase, Albright
⏱️ A Shot Clock in HS Lax?

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1. The Notre Dame Star Trying to Win Two Nattys in Two Different Sports

by Laine Higgins, Wall Street Journal

“Notre Dame wide receiver Jordan Faison won’t take the field against Ohio State until Monday night, but he already knows what it’s like to score in a national championship game.

That’s because he did it seven months ago.

And although he was wearing pads and a golden helmet, there was one crucial difference between that title game and this one. Faison wasn’t playing football.”

» Field Awareness. “Instead, he was wielding a lacrosse stick as a key member of the Notre Dame squad that wrapped up back-to-back national championships last May. Now, as the leading receiver for the Fighting Irish, he and teammate Tyler Buchner have the chance to become the first men in nearly 50 years to win championships in two different team sports within a single 12-month span.”

» History Lesson. “There once was a time when playing two sports for your university was commonplace. Deion Sanders famously played cornerback in football, outfield in baseball and ran track for Florida State—and became the only person to play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series. In addition to breaking rushing records left and right in the 1950s, Jim Brown played three other sports for Syracuse: basketball, track and lacrosse. The last athlete to win two titles in a single year was Megan Kelly, a field hockey and lacrosse star at Maryland, in 1999. ”

» Between The Lines. “While smash-mouth football and free-flowing lacrosse might seem like an odd match for an athlete, Faison has found that the skills translate more smoothly than expected. Dancing away from opponents in the open expanses on a lacrosse field isn’t all that different from beating a cornerback off the line of scrimmage.”

» What They’re Saying. “If you’re dodging a guy from the midfield position, you’ve got to see the defense that’s sliding behind them and work out what the defense is going to do,” Faison said.

» Go Deeper

2. Preview: North Coast (M)

Denison claimed its ninth North Coast Athletic Conference tournament title a year ago, dispatching Kenyon, 15-11.

The Owls stunned second-seeded Ohio Wesleyan, 13-12, on a goal in the final 10 seconds to reach the final.

The Big Red’s Tommy Quinson is the leading returning goal scorer (61), while Wooster’s Lane Kellogg led the loop in helpers in 2024 (26). DePauw’s Anthony Reinhardt had the NCAC’s top save percentage at 56.7 percent last season.

Returning Statistical Leaders

Denison (14-6, 8-0) | Goals: Tommy Quinson (61) | Assists: Quinson (17)
Goalie: Andrew Albert (9.42 / 54.5%)
DePauw (8-8, 2-6) | Goals: Gavin Berry (23) | Assists: Henry White (19)
Goalie: Anthony Reinhardt (9.54 / 56.7%)
Hiram (5-10, 0-8) | Goals: Noah Pilgram (42) | Assists: Pilgram (25)
Goalie: Aidan Griffin (17.81 / 43.9%)
Kenyon (13-6, 6-2) | Goals: David Chintala (57) | Assists: Gavin Gumucio (21)
Goalie: Adam Hall (10.62 / 52.0%)
Oberlin (10-6, 4-4) | Goals: Jacob Starke (35) | Assists: Starcke (15)
Goalie: Jake Pillsbury (10.45 / 54.1%)
Ohio Wesleyan (11-5, 7-1) | Goals: Wade Beckstrom (44) | Assists: Brady Hunt (20)
Goalie: Nathan George (8.72 / 55.4%)
Wabash (8-8, 1-7) | Goals: Quinn Fitzgerald (39) | Assists: Christian Dybedock (23)
Goalie: Colin Krekeler (11.03 / 50.6%)
Wittenberg (8-5, 3-5) | Goals: Dillon McKeigue (37) | Assists: Nathan Brown (21)
Goalie: Chase Singleton (10.82 / 50.0%)
Wooster (11-7, 5-3) | Goals: Lane Kellogg (49) | Assists: Kellogg (26)
Goalie: Jason Astle (6.73 / 41.2%)

D3Lacrosse’s Preseason All-NCAC
A-Wade Beckstrom (OWU); Tommy Quinson (Denison); David Chintala (Kenyon).
M-Will Fink (Wooster); Henry Ross (OWU); Solomon Brennan (Oberlin)
D-Wes Silver (OWU); Charlie Pellegrino (Denison); Colin Taylor (Oberlin)
LSM-Anthony Fresolone (OWU). FO-Thomas Nelson (Kenyon)
GK-Nathan George (OWU).

3. Fitzgerald Named Purchase Head Coach

“Purchase College Athletics is excited to announce the hiring of Jake Fitzgerald as the new men's lacrosse head coach and academic coordinator, it was announced Friday.

Fitzgerald arrives at Purchase with an extensive background in the sport, as he has spent time as a coach, player and head of operations.

Most recently, he worked at Long Island Unversity as the school's Director of Lacrosse Operations. During that time span, Fitzgerald worked with the team's head coach to plan out all activities for the squad, including practice, travel, scouting and recruiting.”

» Reality Check. “As the new head coach of Purchase men's lacrosse, Fitzgerald will be tasked with overhauling a squad that went 3-12 last year.”

» Read More

4. Albright’s Stump Returns to Alma Mater

“Derek Stump has been named men's lacrosse head coach as announced by the Albright athletics department on Friday afternoon. Stump played on the Albright men's lacrosse team from 2014-2017 and is a graduate of Albright College.

Coach Stump returns to Albright after seven total seasons coaching the Exeter high school men's lacrosse team as an assistant coach for five seasons and a head coach for two seasons. In all, Stump has been coaching the game of lacrosse since 2013, bringing with him 12 years of coaching experience.”

» Background. “Stump played 69 total games for the Lions spanning 2014-2017, finishing his impressive playing career with 157 points on 119 assists and 38 goals. Since 2013, Stump has been a coach with the Black Widow Select boys' lacrosse club team. In the fall of 2022, Stump was named head coach of the Exeter boys lacrosse program.”

» What They’re Saying. "Having known Derek Stump from his playing days, I am pleased to be welcoming him back to Albright to lead the men's lacrosse program," said athletic director Rick Ferry. "I have the utmost confidence in coach Stump and am excited to see his hardworking mentality and coaching prowess on display this spring."

» Continue Reading

5. Should There Be a Shot Clock in High School Lacrosse?

by Noah Nolt, Conestoga Valley (Pa.) High School

“Lacrosse, often referred to as the fastest game on two feet, is a sport known for its quick tempo and action-packed nature.

However, at the high school level, many games can become bogged down by teams that are content to hold the ball and run out the clock, especially in close games or when they are leading. This can lead to longer periods of stalling, fewer scoring opportunities and less exciting play for players and spectators alike.

One solution gaining traction is the potential introduction of a shot clock in high school lacrosse.”

» Why It Matters. “The idea of introducing this rule to high school lacrosse aims to speed up the game, prevent excessive stalling and keep the action flowing.”

» The Big Picture. “If high school lacrosse were to adopt a shot clock, there are several key considerations for how to implement it. The first is the length of the shot clock time. For high school, a 60-second shot clock is a reasonable starting point. It’s long enough to give offenses time to develop plays, but short enough to ensure a fast pace.”

» Last Word. “If implemented thoughtfully, the shot clock could introduce a new era of high school lacrosse that emphasizes quick thinking, fast play and improved competition.”

» What the Shot Clock Means for Public High School Lacrosse in New York. (USA Lacrosse Magazine)

» Keep Reading

6. Comings and Goings

JOHN CARROLL - Lindy Brobeck resigned as assistant women’s coach to take head position at Lake Erie
KING’S - Council Rock GK Owen Rosenburg has announced his commitment

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