ncaa mlax tournament MLAX - NCAA Tournament - Quarterfinals May 20 (Sat) 12:00 PM & 2:30 PM Albany, NY - Tom & Mary Casey Stadium, University at Albany

[cwdickens]

Just in case, anyone does not know, the matchups are:

• Duke (#1 seed) and Michigan (unseeded)
• Virgina (#2 seed) and Georgetown (#7 seed)

I suspect the teams will fly into Albany International Airport via charters on Thursday afternoon with practices on Friday.

Per Spectrum weather, a 20% chance of rain and/or showers.  This season, UAlbany have watched games in 20-degree weather and downpours, we can handle this forecast.

 

[cwdickens]

[cwdickens]

The Times-Union is reporting 1900 passes sold for the quarterfinal at Casey Stadium.  Not shocked, as I believe Michigan, Duke and Virgina fans are likely making arrangements to arrive Friday.  However, the lack of Cornell and/or Syracuse might impact reaching a sell-out.  I am expecting about 7,000 fans in the stands as the current weather forecast calls for the rain to hold off until Saturday evening.

COLLEGE LACROSSE

 

UAlbany set for NCAAs

Some top teams headed to Casey Stadium for shot at national semis

 

By Mark Singelais

Larry French / NCAA Photos via Getty Images

Virginia lacrosse attack Xander Dickson, left, who leads the Cavaliers with 58 goals, will be at UAlbany's Casey Stadium on Saturday vs. Georgetown.

The local college lacrosse programs are all done playing this season, but Capital Region fans can still enjoy the best the sport has to offer on Saturday at the University at Albany’s Casey Stadium.

For the first time, the Division I NCAA Tournament men’s quarterfinals are coming to the area. In a doubleheader, No. 2 seed Virginia will take on No. 7 Georgetown at noon Saturday, followed by No. 1 Duke vs. unseeded Michigan at 2:30 p.m. Both matches are on ESPNU.

The winner of each game will advance to the Final Four on May 27 and 29 at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field.

“You’re going to see some of the best lacrosse in the country right here in our backyard,” UAlbany men’s lacrosse coach Scott Marr said. “It’s a great opportunity, again, for our community to get out and support not only the game, but to support the university as well and show what great fans we have. It should be an unbelievable treat for young kids in this area to watch.”

There were 1,900 tickets sold as of noon Monday, according to UAlbany deputy athletic director Vic Cegles. Casey Stadium capacity is 8,500. Ticket prices range from $14 to $30 and are available online at https:// www.ticketreturn.com/prod2new/team.asp?SponsorID=16631.

The two other quarterfinals — Penn State vs. Army and Johns Hopkins vs. Notre Dame — are being played Sunday at Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md.

The Albany quarterfinals will feature three of the five finalists for the Tewaaraton Award, given to the best player in college lacrosse: Georgetown graduate attack Tucker Dordevic, Duke junior attack Brennan O’Neill and Virginia senior attack Connor Shellenberger.

Dordevic, who has 63 goals and 13 assists, transferred to Georgetown after four seasons at Syracuse. He played at Casey Stadium last year when the Orange lost 14-12 to UAlbany.

O’Neill has 45 goals and 39 assists for Duke, which is seeking the program’s fourth national championship. Shellenberger, who has 21 goals and 47 assists this season, helped Virginia win the 2021 national championship, the program’s seventh.

Duke and Michigan survived their first-round games on Sunday to get to Saturday’s quarterfinal. Duke held off Delaware 12-11 and Michigan outlasted No. 8 Cornell 15-14 in overtime.

“They were both great games,” Marr said. “That’s playoffs, though, and each year the competition just gets better and tighter and it’s just more and more teams that are capable of winning and it’s great, the growth of the sport. It’s unreal and, again, for Albany to be in the mix right now as far as hosting the tournament, it shows where our facility is and where our area is and what it has to offer.”

Also in the first round, Virginia dominated Richmond 17-8 and Georgetown eliminated Yale 19-17 to reach their quarterfinal at Casey Stadium.

Saturday’s games offer local connections. Duke goalie William Helm, a graduate student, is a Loudonville native who attended The Hotchkiss School in Connecticut and played four years at Division III St. Lawrence before transferring to Duke for his final season. He averages 10 saves per game for the Blue Devils.

Michigan coach Kevin Conry began his coaching career as a Siena assistant from 2004 to 2006 and received his master’s degree from UAlbany. Now in his sixth season with the Wolverines, he guided Michigan to its first NCAA Tournament appearance this year.

Fans of the National Lacrosse League’s Albany FireWolves can also take an interest in Saturday’s action. Duke senior attack Dyson Williams, who leads his team with 54 goals, is the favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick this summer. The FireWolves own that pick by virtue of having the NLL’s worst record this season.

NCAA quarterfinals

■› When: Saturday, noon (Virginia vs. Georgetown), 2:30 p.m. (Duke vs. Michigan)

■› Where: Casey Stadium, Albany

■› TV: ESPNU ▶› msingelais@- timesunion.com A 518-454-5509 A @MarkSingelais

[cwdickens]

The weather forecast for Saturday from NWS:

Saturday

A chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

 

I will be taking my rain gear with me, just in case.

[cwdickens]

The updated weather forecast for Saturday from NWS:

Saturday

Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 5pm. High near 66. South wind 8 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

[jimbo]

And in other news, five years ago today UA beat Denver to punch their ticket to Championship Weekend…thanks FB for reminding me. 

Edited May 19, 2023 by jimbo

[cwdickens]

My last update on the weather

Today

 

A chance of showers, mainly after 3pm. Cloudy, with a high near 68. South wind 8 to 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

[UAalum72]

Attendance was 4224. I'm sure it would have been more if any of the teams had been within day-trip distance, or the weather less threatening.

[cwdickens]

On 5/20/2023 at 6:35 PM, UAalum72 said:

Attendance was 4224. I'm sure it would have been more if any of the teams had been within day-trip distance, or the weather less threatening.

I noticed the attendance at Annapolis was 13,354.  Understandable, as an easy drive for followers of Hopkins and Penn State Lacrosse.  In addition, Notre Dame alumni can be found in nearly every nook and cranny across the country.

I wonder if there is any interest in hosting a quarter-final in the future at Albany.

[cwdickens]

Well, I answered my own question.... 2024 

2024 PREDETERMINED SITES
Round	City	Venue	Dates	Host
Quarterfinal	Towson, Md.	Unitas Stadium	May 19	Towson and Maryland Sports
Quarterfinal	Hempstead, N.Y.	James H. Shuart Stadium	May 18	Hofstra
Championship	Philadelphia	Lincoln Financial Field	May 25, 27	Drexal

2025

2025 PREDETERMINED SITES
Round	City	Venue	Dates	Host
Quarterfinal	Annapolis, Md.	Navy - Marine Corps Memorial Stadium	May 18	U.S. Naval Academy
Quarterfinal	Providence, R.I.	Brown Stadium	May 17	Brown
Championship	Foxborough, Mass.	Gillette Stadium	May 24, 26	Harvard and Gillette Stadium

2026

2026 PREDETERMINED SITES
Round	City	Venue	Dates	Host
Quarterfinal	Hempstead, N.Y.	James. H. Shuart Stadium	May 16	Hofstra
Quarterfinal	Newark, Del.	Delaware Stadium	May 17	Delaware
Championship	Foxborough, Mass.	Gillette Stadium	May 23, 25	Harvard and Gillette Stadium