2015 Men's Lacrosse Results

[gostangs]

i know this will be sacrilege to a great many - but why would be continue to pay for soccer when we can drop mens soccer and add a lacrosse team.? Much more interesting sport that would actually draw some fans, and a better fit with our student body and our geography. Keep the women's soccer team since you have to.

[smupony94]

Drop swimming keep soccer and add lacrosse

[SMU Football Blog]

how'd it go with UNT?

Beat ntsu 16-3, then beat Illinois and TCU 9-7

[StallionsModelT]

how'd it go with UNT?

Beat ntsu 16-3, then beat Illinois and TCU 9-7

We really should consider adding LX as a D1A sport.

[SMULaxer]

Dominating performance for Senior Conner Wasson who had 4G - 3A against UNT for a 16-3 victory

http://mcla.us/game/15697/score.html

SMU was led by Senior Matt Murphy against GRLC (read Big 10) favorite Illinois with 3G-2A in a 10-8 victory.

http://mcla.us/game/16039/score.html

SMU edged out an ugly win over TCU by a score of 9-7 behind 4G from Senior Matt Murphy.

http://mcla.us/game/15936/score.html

SMU (7-3) will play Baylor (1-5) at home on April 12th at 11am. SMU is 8-0 against Baylor since 2006.

Game preview here: http://mcla.us/game/16040/score.html

[Boston Pony]

Dating myself, however in the early days of SMU Lax, after playing Baylor, we took the Baylor players (those that would drink) to a local watering hole....Their captain leaned over and said, he wished Baylor could be more like SMU, fun loving and able to enjoy our time - on and off the field.

[stc9]

i know this will be sacrilege to a great many - but why would be continue to pay for soccer when we can drop mens soccer and add a lacrosse team.? Much more interesting sport that would actually draw some fans, and a better fit with our student body and our geography. Keep the women's soccer team since you have to.

That is exactly what Richmond did. Their Soccer program was was partially funded with 8 scholarships. Those were immediately transferred to lacrosse, plus some further funding to bring up to the fully compliment of scholarships. In their first year they won the Southern Conference. From what I read the the school did honor the financial commitment they made to the soccer players and/or helped them find a new school to play at.

If we do this, let's not do it the way Boston University did it. They announced their first coach 12 months before the start of their inaugural season. He only had 3 months to find players and get them to commit to the school. His only options were late bloomers that other coaches passed on earlier. If we do this, we need to have the coaching staff announced before graduation (spring break would better - Christmas would be best). A full academic year as a buffer is the minimum.

The next hurdle before the trigger can be pulled (or should be pulled) is a test of RGT. He should be able to find us a lacrosse only member in a P-5 conference with less than 7 phone calls. It shouldn't be hard to join a lacrosse conference, but it is imperative that it is a P-5 conference. SMU needs people outside of this board to associate SMU with a P-5 conference. Seeing/hearing SMU mentioned in the same breath as conference mates with UVA, UNC, Mich, Ohio State...etc. benefits all sports aspirations. If that agenda isn't being advanced then this is just another money sinkhole and no point in pursuing it (other than the fact that I am a huge lacrosse fan).

[SMU Football Blog]

P5 doesn't work that way as there is no SEC, Pac12 or big12 lacrosse. We are probably looking at membership in the Southern Conference (or maybe the Big East?). I think we'd rather be in the Big East as it is a much better conference. As the crow flies, big east has the closest school (Denver).

Now would the ACC take SMU? Maybe. I would expect a lot of conferences would be interested in their teams having a game in Dallas every year.

Initially, recruiting will be a real challenge. Most HS prospects worth their salt are committing before their sophomore HS seasons. Maybe you can get a couple of Texas kids to flip in you announced a D1 program in Texas.

[Boston Pony]

None of this will happen as travel is too far for men's games (thus costs are high), however Big 10 & ACC lacrosse are possible. Look for SEC to add women's lacrosse in near future as they are adding teams each year.

[SMU Football Blog]

I don't see travel as being any more or less expensive for men's lacrosse than it is for soccer. SMU closest conference opponent is Tulsa, after that it is 1,000 miles away.

[stc9]

Now would the ACC take SMU? Maybe. I would expect a lot of conferences would be interested in their teams having a game in Dallas every year.

Initially, recruiting will be a real challenge. Most HS prospects worth their salt are committing before their sophomore HS seasons. Maybe you can get a couple of Texas kids to flip in you announced a D1 program in Texas.

Since this is purely hypothetical (I apologize profusely for the length):

1) I think that the BE would be the most likely landing spot. I just don't see the AD or President Turner risking the blow back from alumni about killing a historic program to join the Southern Conference. The BE at least brings the SMU flag to Eastern Urban areas & Denver. If this was to happen it would need to benefit the SMU brand. Only the Big Ten or ACC (P-5 conferences) would do that.

2) Given the above, I think the Big Ten makes more sense (for SMU). SMU would be the location for early season conference games. The ACC ironically goes north to play in the Carrier Dome (which contrary to its name is not air conditioned). That is a plus in our favor. A further benefit to us is it allows SMU to show the flag in NY/NJ, Philly, Detroit, and Baltimore/DC.

3) All of this being said, there are potential problems with this. Both Johns Hopkins and Syracuse (the Yankees and Red Sox of the sport) don't want to increase the size of their conferences. This would prevent them from scheduling one non conference rivals (like each other) each year. Syracuse pitched a hissy fit when the BE recognized lacrosse, because it meant they had to play Villanova, St. John's and Providence every year (all crap at the time). This was a significant downgrade from JHU, Cornell, and Colgate. This can be overcome, but it is a potential issue.

4) Recruiting: As of right now, most kids commit before the start of their Junior season (late January to mid Frebruary). Some go earlier, but that is where the majority falls. So a new coach would ideally be in place at least 24 months before the start of the inaugural season (around Christmas). The timing on this is because of academic/financial aid. Coaches know well in advance if they can offer a competitive package since there only 12.6 athletic scholarships (this might have changed, it has been a while since I looked it up). Once a kid commits to a school, 95% of other lax coaches will not try to poach that kid. (Side note: my former players have been telling me that DII schools are currently putting together the best packages with Academic/Financial Aid). Other than having the first crack at Texas kids, can a coach draw enough kids from Ontario, Vancouver, Central NY, LI or Baltimore to be competitive.

[SMU Football Blog]

Since this is all so very hypothetical and an intellectual exercise as much as anything...

Isn't the ACC the route to go given that if SMU were ever to make a P5 conference, ACC is the most likely to look for an expansion partner out west? It would get the foot in the door. At least, that would be the argument I would make. And you are playing perceived peer institutions: Virginia, Duke, etc. I would be more interested in that than the Big East. Although, playing Denver on an annual basis would be fun, I don't think it moves the needle in Dallas. But then, what lacrosse team would? It would have been nice if the Albany/Navy game had not been such crappy weather as we would have been able to measure the real pull of lacrosse fans in the area.

SMU, for a time, dominated soccer in the NCAA in part as the only NCAA Div 1 program in the region and a good coach. Could you do that in lacrosse? I agree Texas talent alone won't do that. And by Texas, I mean North Texas as Houston and Austin regions are far behind North Texas, the Woodlands recent showing notwithstanding. How the F did Houston get the MLL allstar game before Frisco/Dallas?

I think SMU could recruit nationally. It starts with "Look, dude, no snow!" and ends with "Our 6's are the other schools' 8's. Sweaters hide a lot of imperfections. Oh, and academics." Surely we can get some Canadians to come down south where it is warm and play attack.

I'd love Division 1 lacrosse at SMU, because it would grow the sport in the area and be a resource as much as anything. Still annoyed I can't get SMU Lax swag for my kid aside from a single T-shirt he got at a camp.

What level do you coach and where?

[gostangs]

I think we would pull well from Cali also since we have a historic base there now. Also, there are some late bloomer kids who would love to pick up SMU offer after junior year.

What do we get out of soccer? Nothing is the answer. Time to be bold and make the switch. The complaints will be from folks that don't give back to the school anyway. Clark hunt could be an issue however.

It would suck to see UT and A&M beat us to this but they might if we Jack around too long.

[Boston Pony]

Big difference on lacrosse from soccer is all of the games (for men, not women) would be close to 1000 miles away. Plus when you travel with a Men's team, your taking a squad of 30+ players, which is expensive. I'm not sure about any conference being open to adding teams as they just need six teams to get an AQ into the tourney. Both the Big Ten & ACC have changed recently to fill their ranks.

While I'm all in on lacrosse having played at SMU & fathered two college players, I've never felt we are going to add a DI program. The expense being the number one reason.

The women on the other hand have a possible in as there are a number of Southern teams, plus DI colleges from the West Coast have teams. Lacrosse also eats up scholarships (12.5) which makes it a good Title IX addition and women's teams tend to travel with 20 or less players.

[SMU Football Blog]

I just don't buy that travel would be significantly more for lacrosse than soccer. Looking at our current soccer schedule, we play one game within 1000 miles and that is Tulsa. Other than Tulsa, it is Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.