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California’s Only NCAA Lacrosse Team Is Shuttering. Here’s Why.

Double Duty; Participation Trophies Not The Problem; Lacrosse Polls

Author

Steve Ulrich
April 25, 2023

APRIL 24, 2023 | written by STEVE ULRICH

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TOP STORY
1. California’s Only NCAA Lacrosse Team Is Shuttering. Here’s Why.

by Lisa Jacobs, The Mercury News

“Just the image of a lacrosse player, stick held high, charging helmet-first across the field evokes “East Coast boy’s prep school.”

And that mid-Atlantic bias has existed for almost as long as lacrosse — dubbed the oldest organized sport in North America — has existed.

Lacrosse’s popularity in western states has accelerated in more modern times, but now, with the shuttering of the only men’s National Collegiate Athletic Association team in California, that slow march is at a standstill.

The Whittier College Poets put down their sticks for good on Saturday, April 22.”

» Field Awareness: “The loss of Whittier College men’s lacrosse, an NCAA team since 1980, means there are no NCAA men’s teams left in California, according to Matt Holmes, NCAA’s assistant director of media coordination and statistics. In the West, there are two teams in Utah and six in Colorado.”

» The Big Picture: “The financial situation at Whittier College has been in the spotlight ever since the school announced the end of its 115-year football program last fall. That decision launched an alumni campaign to oust President Linda Oubré, claiming it’s her mismanagement that is behind the college’s troubles.”

» Reality Check: ““That traveling (for games) is one of the best advertisements for Whittier College that the school has,” former Whittier lacrosse player Joe McCarthy said. “If you are an East Coast kid, would you rather play lacrosse in upstate New York or in Southern California?”

A MESSAGE FROM 1440 MEDIA

News Without Motives

1440 is the daily newsletter helping 2M+ Americans stay informed—it’s news without motives, edited to be unbiased as humanly possible. The team at 1440 scours over 100+ sources so you don't have to. Culture, science, sports, politics, business, and everything in between - in a five-minute read each morning, 100% free.

SOFTBALL
2. Double Duty

“Gallaudet University's first softball game against Penn College concluded exactly at 11:59 a.m. on Saturday in the nation's capital and pitcher Christina Elsbury, who threw a complete game, sprinted off the field. Elsbury, donned in her navy blue softball uniform, made a beeline to the Bison baseball dugout which is just steps away from the softball field, just over a grassy patch and a small set of steps.

Elsbury ducked into the baseball storage room and within minutes she emerged like a superhero in a buff gold baseball jersey and white pants ready to take the mound for the Bison.”

» Why It Matters: “Gallaudet baseball coach Curtis Pride inserted Elsbury into the line-up to begin the top of the sixth inning as the Bison took on Penn State Abington in a United East Conference game. The right-hander made her first pitch to Nittany Lion batter Eric Bogardu and entered the history books as the first person to pitch in a collegiate baseball and softball game on the same day and in this scenario, within 10 minutes of each game.”

» What They’re Saying: "I am so honored I had the opportunity to pitch in both games today. I felt very humbled to know that I can compete in both men's and women's sports and show everyone that I am a competitor," said Elsbury. "I hope this moment can inspire others to take the risk and join baseball or other men's sports and break the stigma behind women in men's sports."

YOUTH SPORTS
3. ‘Participating Trophies’ Are A Fake Crisis. Here’s The Real Problem

by Jason Gay, Wall Street Journal

“Is there a debate sillier than the one over “participation trophies”? Like an out-of-shape benchwarmer, our intermittent national bicker over the appropriate reasons to award hardware to young athletes has wheezed its way back onto the playing field.

This time the arena is North Carolina, where a trio of state politicians have introduced legislation to enact a statewide ban on youth sports awards “based solely on participation.”

Public time and money well spent, that’s for sure. If there’s one thing that constituents want from their elected officials, it’s a heavy regulatory hand in the youth sports trophy industry.”

» Situational Awareness: “Naturally, the participation trophy debate isn’t about the children, or even sports. It is yet another pastime for the recreationally outraged. The argument is basically this: Participation trophies are a gateway to sloth and entitlement, since they teach children that they will be rewarded not for effort or accomplishment, but simply for showing up.

» The Big Picture: “As always, the attention-seeking outrage obscures a genuine issue. The problem with youth team sports isn’t that they’re giving out too many trophies to participants. t’s that participation is down, worrisomely.”

» Between The Lines. “Retention is an issue. A factor here is the shrinking state of recreational sports programs—the sort of casual, teaching-oriented leagues that many of us played in when we were young. These leagues take any child, don’t cost a lot and don’t act as if someone is going to lose a scholarship if a fly ball gets dropped.”

» The Final Word: “We’re not rewarding youth sports too much. We’re forgetting to prioritize the fun.”

A MESSAGE FROM THE GIST

Sports, sans mansplaining

The GIST is a forever-free newsletter that provides a refreshing female perspective on the most important headlines in sports. They’re inclusive, progressive, and not afraid to talk about anything—even the sexist bs 👀

LACROSSE (M)
4. Top Five Remain In Place

Chris Brandau, Dickinson (photo by Matt OHaren)

Tufts, Salisbury, RIT, Christopher Newport and Middlebury remained in place as the weekly USILA Division III men’s lacrosse rankings were released Monday. Dickinson leaped three spots into No. 6 after a win against Gettysburg.

USILA

  1. Tufts (16), 14-0

  2. Salisbury (1), 14-1

  3. RIT, 15-1

  4. Christopher Newport, 14-1

  5. Middlebury, 13-1

  6. Dickinson, 12-3

  7. Gettysburg, 11-3

  8. Washington and Lee, 12-4

  9. Bowdoin, 11-3

  10. Amherst, 9-4

USA Lacrosse

  1. Tufts, 14-0

  2. Salisbury, 14-1

  3. RIT, 15-1

  4. Christopher Newport, 14-1

  5. Middlebury, 13-1

  6. Dickinson, 12-3

  7. Bowdoin, 11-3

  8. Gettysburg, 11-3

  9. Amherst, 9-4

  10. Swarthmore, 12-2

» Games We’re Watching: #1 Tufts vs. #7 Bowdoin (Wed.); #3 RIT vs. #18 St. Lawrence (Sat.); #5 Middlebury vs. #19 Williams (Sat.)

LACROSSE (W)
5. Panthers, Generals and Herons 1-2-3

Maddie Montgomery, William Smith (photo by Kevin Colton)

It’s Middlebury, Washington and Lee and William Smith as the top three teams in the country according to the IWLCA and USA Lacrosse Magazine.

IWLCA

  1. Middlebury (25), 14-0

  2. Washington and Lee, 14-1

  3. William Smith, 15-0

  4. Salisbury, 11-3

  5. Wesleyan, 12-2

  6. TCNJ, 12-3

  7. Tufts, 11-3

  8. Gettysburg, 12-3

  9. York, 12-3

  10. Franklin & Marshall, 11-4

USA Lacrosse

  1. Middlebury, 14-0

  2. William Smith, 15-0

  3. Washington and Lee, 14-1

  4. Salisbury, 11-3

  5. Wesleyan, 12-2

  6. Tufts, 11-3

  7. Gettysburg, 12-3

  8. TCNJ, 12-3

  9. Franklin & Marshall, 11-4

  10. York, 12-3

» Games We’re Watching: #1 Middlebury vs. #18 Williams (Wed.); #13 Amherst vs. #14 Trinity (Wed.)

NEWS
6. Lightning Round ⚡️

🗞 News. Whitman’s Tanner Filion, the Division III men’s 200 backstroke record holder, is transferring to Notre Dame for his COVID-19 fifth year.

Ripon broke ground on an on-campus stadium to end its time as the only Midwest Conference school without its own football stadium. The new mixed-use space will house the Ripon College football and men's and women's soccer teams.

🎂 Happy Birthday. Cake and candles for Andrea Prestianne, basketball student, Washington College; Jason Faasse, director of club sports, Calvin; Tim Sceggel, vice president for athletics, LeTourneau; Chris Elliott, sports information director, Delaware Valley.

Do you know of someone celebrating an upcoming birthday? Drop us a line at [email protected]

TRANSACTIONS
7. Comings and Goings


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