The Navy men’s lacrosse 2015 schedule was announced this past weekend. The Midshipmen have a challenging slate of 13 games, including the first game against Air Force in over a decade. Five of Navy’s opponents finished in the top 20 last season and 4 of them played in the NCAA tournament. Navy will open at home with traditional opponent VMI before welcoming in-state rivals Maryland to NMCMS on February 14th. Navy’s other OOC games will be a home tilt vs. Towson and an away game against Johns Hopkins on March 7th. Opinion incoming: call me crotchety, but I think the lacrosse season is getting going way too early. Navy will play four games in February and their season will be more than half way over by March 10th. That’s a bit ridiculous.
For those who came up in the dark ages of Navy football, it never gets old to read commentary that shows just how much the program has grown since the option renaissance took root in 2002. South Alabama coach Joey Jones spoke to this point when addressing the media ahead of the Friday afternoon game: “Getting a program like Navy to come here is a big deal…We want to play teams like that.” That Navy has gone from a winless team to one that is bringing a national brand and cachet into away stadiums is something else. As Bill Wagner of the Annapolis Capital Gazette writes, Navy needs to lock up a bowl bid with a win in Mobile. If there is no solid back-up plan for the Poinsettia Bowl committee, a 5-6 Navy could be locked out before the Army-Navy game.
Quick Hits:
- Navy intercollegiate sailing is your new #1 team for women’s sailing and #4 in the coed rankings for the final poll of the fall season. The women’s team finished 3rd at last year’s national championship.
- Women’s basketball forward Sarah Reilly was named the Patriot League freshman of the week after averaging 10.5 points and 11 rebounds in games against Mary Washington and Penn.
- Brandon Venturini was named to the Tip-Off All-Tournament team after posting 49 points in 3 games.
- Navy swimmer Tom Duvall (200m/500m free) and diver Nate Belch (1m, 3m) swept the Patriot League weekly awards after a strong showing at the Nike Cup.
- Gaby Smith of the volleyball team was named to the Patriot League All-Tournament team.
The Birddog 
Thanks for putting these up, Mike. A nice five minute work break.
Can’t take credit for these. Andy is punching these out.
i tells ya i gets no respect
Lax Schedules: It’s because championship weekend is Memorial Day weekend and you need 2 weeks to get the brackets completed (working backward), conference requirements and no more June Week. Back in the day Army game was during June Week. Plenty of time to get 13 games in. We played first games late Feb early March. It snowed during our first games 2 out of 4 years. Go Navy!
I’m ok with “a” game in February. With the way lacrosse has grown, they need to look at pushing the tourney back in to early June and making Baltimore a permanent home. Then you could have 2 rounds over Memorial Day encompassing 16 teams and then the final 4 the weekend after in a place where attendance is guaranteed. But that’s a whole ‘nother can of worms.
“Can of Worms”!!! Considerable blowback in lax community about making Baltimore the epicenter. Check out the amount of energy expended and discussions on Inside Lacrosse site,Lacrosse magazine, USLacrosse board and coach’s organization. This thread is second only to the shot clock and “too much hitting”.