UMass senior defenseman Isaac Paparo returns to lead the Minutemen. (Thom Kendall Photography)It wasn’t a great victory that sparked UMass lacrosse last season; rather, it was a crushing loss. The Minutemen opened the 2018 season with an underwhelming 1-4 record. A 19-8 loss to then-No. 1 Albany … [Read more...]
College lacrosse offseasons have shifted greatly across a generation
Within, Boston University coach Ryan Polley reflects on how offseasons have evolved. (Credit: Rich Gagnon)University of Massachusetts head coach Greg Cannella recalls what the autumn was like for him as a lacrosse player for the Minutemen. “In the middle of October, Coach (Dick Garber) would say, … [Read more...]
Jim Calhoun’s growing relationship with lacrosse
Back when Jim Calhoun was a kid growing up in Braintree, Mass., boys played only football, baseball and basketball. The UConn basketball coaching legend didn’t know much about lacrosse until his oldest son, Jim, started playing at Noble & Greenough School in Dedham, Mass., in the 1980s. Calhoun … [Read more...]
Logan Kreinz’s road to Portsmouth Abbey
Logan Kreinz grew up watching his older brothers play lacrosse in Wisconsin, a state he estimates had just four high school teams when Drake and Austin played. When Logan himself started playing at Kettle Moraine High School in Wales, Wis., his brothers were excelling at Portsmouth Abbey, a prep … [Read more...]
Merrimack clinches first title in team history riding elite offense
Merrimack College captain Hunter Schmell strolled into the postgame press conference at Gillette Stadium holding the championship trophy in both arms, a huge smile on his face. He had tied a piece of net to his hat, which read "NAT18NAL CHAMPIONS" on the front. All that was missing was a victory … [Read more...]
Merrimack, led by Sean Black, seeking a Final Four appearance
According to Merrimack College head coach Mike Morgan, there are three attributes a smaller lacrosse player such as Sean Black needs to be successful. "When you’re going to recruit a guy who’s 5-7, he better be strong, he better be athletic and he better be skilled," Morgan said. "We thought Sean … [Read more...]
Focusing on little things has Nixon, Stover and Yale surging
Ask a head coach at any level — whether it’s prep, collegiate or professional — and he or she will tell you how important the offseason is. It’s the time for teams and players to review what went wrong in the prior season and make changes heading into a new campaign. Whatever the Yale women’s … [Read more...]
Div. 2 Women’s Preview: An encore performance for Amanda Burns
Assumption midfielder Amanda Burns.It’s surprising to hear it now, yet there was a time when Assumption midfielder Amanda Burns (Billerica, Mass.) didn’t believe she’d contribute much in her freshman season in Worcester. "At first, I didn’t think I’d have that well of a season, but after coming here … [Read more...]
D2 Men’s Preview: Saint Anselm trying to take next step
Looking back on the 2017 season, Saint Anselm men’s lacrosse coach Michael Sciamanna (Beverly, Mass.) can’t help but dwell on games against the conference elite. While it was another winning year for the Hawks, the season could have gone much differently if Sciamanna’s squad didn’t narrowly lose to … [Read more...]
