During the reorganization of a large national conference, the change in the Division I men’s lacrosse earthquake took place.
In February, USA Lacrosse Magazine Atlantic 10 was planning to add men’s lacrosse.. The story of the A-10 Men’s League began when St. Bona Venture added the program in 2017. The league needed two affiliate members.
The true momentum began around the winter vacation. It was seemingly inevitable. I’m here now.
But what wasn’t expected was to change membership separately from Atlantic 10, like CAA and MAAC, and at Atlantic 10’s request, to stop the two conferences from sponsoring sports. did.
Nonetheless, the new Atlantic 10 seems ready to occupy its position as one of the best conferences after the top tiers of the ACC, Big Ten and Ivy Leagues. In 2022, the current average RPI for A-10 members was 27.5, slightly below the Patriot League’s Top 6 (25).
Two members, Richmond and St. Joseph, held the 2022 NCAA Tournament, and Hobert and St. Bona Venture held their respective conference finals. UMass is a proven product that has appeared in the NCAA Championship game in 2006 with 20 NCAA bids and 11 quarterfinal shows. HighPoint has already appeared twice in the NCAA in nine years.
The excitement among coaches, especially those who are full-time members of Atlantic 10, is clear. Currently, they are playing in the same trophies as their fellow coaches and athletes.
“I think it’s great,” said Greg Canella, UMass coach. “There are some great teams. This year we had great success with Richmond and St. Joe’s. It’s exciting for Atlantic 10, for us, and for the teams involved.”
Richmond coach Dan Chemotti echoed his future rivals.
“It will be a Hecuba conference,” he said. “Everything on the team is a quality program. There is a consistently competitive game and that’s all we’re looking for. That’s the type of game we want to offer to everyone.”
An additional advantage beyond competition is playing in new markets that schools employ in large numbers — Central New York (Hobert), New England (UMass) and the Mid-Atlantic (St. Joseph, Richmond).
Some rivals, such as NEC’s St. Joe’s Hobert and SoCon’s Richmond High Point, are already part of the league. In addition, Chemotti and St. Joseph’s head coach Taylor Ray has been a close friend of Duke University’s teammates since his time.
For Canella and Minuteman, they are a little unfamiliar with future opponents who have never played High Point, St. Bona Venture, or Richmond. It will change soon.
“These conference games are very important to us at UMass,” says Canella. “Unless you’re undefeated in the regular season, this is access to the NCAA Championship. Treat it like you did in the CAA, but it’s not as important as in other games. Hopefully when the league comes, they’re rivals, We have created a lot of people and we are enjoying it. “
It’s no stranger to start the program from scratch, but Chemotti hopes this will spur other Atlantic 10 schools and add sports featuring 11 women’s teams by the 2025 season.
“What I’m hoping for is that other A-10 schools are saying,’Should I sponsor men’s lacrosse?'” Chemotti said. “Maybe Davidson, Dayton, or something like that. I think everyone wants it to happen. It’s probably the school that’s messing with it that needs to be taken like this. There are some. “
“It will be a Hecuba conference.”
— Dan Chemotti
Eastern United States
2023 lineup: Albany, Binghamton, Bryant, NJIT, UMass Lowell, UMBC, Vermont
of: Bryant
Outside: Hartford, Stoney Brook
Meaning: The addition of Bryant is positive, and although the Hawks didn’t play in 2022, they offset Stony Brook’s departure and Hartford’s drop into Division III.
Sun
2023 lineup: Air Force, Belalmin, Cleveland, Detroit Mercy, Jacksonville, Lindenwood, Mercer, Queens, Robert Morris, Utah
of: Jacksonville, Lindenwood, Mercer, Queens
Outside: none
Meaning: Probably the most eclectic league extending west of Utah, to Florida to the south, and to Michigan to the north. Jacksonville returns, Mercer moves from SoCon, Queens joins as a full member, and Lindenwood joins as an associate. For Merrimack, who has 10 members and currently has no home, another split may add another automatic qualifier if another Division I team joins.
Atlantic Coast
2023 lineup: Duke, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Virginia
of: none
Outside: none
Meaning: ACC continued to run without automatic qualifying and was a one-bid league this season. Without the prospect of expansion on the horizon, that seems to continue for some time.
Atlantic 10
2023 lineup: Highpoint, Hobart, Richmond, St. Bonaventure, St. Joseph, UMass
of: Highpoint, Hobart, Richmond, St. Bonaventure, St. Joseph, UMass
Outside: none
Meaning: The addition of Men’s Lacrosse by Atlantic 10 is a major part of this year’s conference shakeup. The league didn’t add a fairfield, but it’s not surprising to see another team eventually join the ranks or one of many non-soccer schools adding sports. Please.
Big East
2023 lineup: Denver, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. Johns, Villanova
of: none
Outside: none
Meaning: The six teams are stable for 2023 and the foreseeable future.
Big Ten
2023 lineup: Johns Hopkins, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Penn, Rutgers
of: none
Outside: none
Meaning: Big Ten hasn’t changed either.
Colonial athletic
2023 lineup: Delaware, Drexel, Fairfield, Hampton, Hofstra, Monmouth, Stonybrook, Towson
of: Hampton, Monmouth, Stoney Brook
Outside: UMass
Meaning: The CAA will grow to eight teams in 2023, but it’s hard to claim that it will improve. The league was in the play-in game this season, but new teams have added very little to improve the league’s RPI. Holding a fairfield is positive.
Independent
2023 lineup: Hartford, Merrimack
of: Hartford, Merrimack
Outside: none
Future outlook: Hartford will drop into Division III in 2024.
Meaning: Hartford will not form a team in 2022 and will compete independently in 2023. Also, as NEC disbanded this spring, homeless Merrimack will compete as well.
