May 11, 2008

by Jac Coyne, Lacrosse Magazine Online Staff

Tuesday will mark a couple of firsts for me.

For starters, it will be my maiden trip to Dallas, Texas. I've been to San Antonio for a bit while in college, but that's about the extent of my Lone Star travels. I've heard it's going to be sunny and hot, which is never a good thing for a pasty Irishman from the Northern elevations.

Second, it will be my inaugural visit to the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association championships.

The first three days of the MCLA playoffs, which take place from May 13-17, are being held at the Ross Stewart Soccer Complex before moving to Texas Stadium - the home of the NFL's Cowboys - for the semifinals and finals in each division.

While I've heard mixed reviews about Dallas, I have no trepidation about seeing the top MCLA teams in action.

This has been the first year I've covered the MCLA, so naturally I'm eager to see how the season ultimately plays out. I'm also looking forward to putting faces with the countless names I've spoken with over the telephone during these past four months. I also want to get a feel for all of the teams I've heard so much about.

I can't wait to get a good look at the Chapman squad that managed to stay within two goals of current NCAA D-III quarterfinalist Ithaca earlier this year. Same with Michigan, which scrimmaged Johns Hopkins in the fall and reportedly held its own.

I'm hoping to maybe get a glimpse of the St. Thomas-St. John's rivalry - Minnesota's fiercest - should they cross paths in the Division II bracket. And I'm curious to see how my hometown teams, Framingham State and Boston College, stack up against the rest of the country.

While I'll be covering the championships for Collegelax.us, the MCLA's comprehensive site, I'll also be providing updates, notes and stories for LMO, as well.

The event kicks off on Tuesday with the following first round match-ups:

DIVISION I
#1 Michigan vs. #16 Lindenwood - 4 p.m.
#2 Chapman vs. #15 Florida - 4 p.m.
#3 Minnesota-Duluth vs. #14 Texas A&M - 4 p.m.
#4 BYU vs. #13 Boston College - 4 p.m.
#5 Simon Fraser vs. #12 Florida State - 7 p.m.
#6 Arizona State vs. #11 UC Santa Barbara - 7 p.m.
#7 Colorado State vs. #10 Virginia Tech - 7 p.m.
#8 Sonoma State vs. #9 Georgia - 7 p.m.

DIVISION II
#5 Dayton vs. #12 UC-Santa Cruz - 1 p.m.
#6 Elon vs. #11 Framingham State - 1 p.m.
#7 Fort Lewis vs. #10 Southwestern - 1 p.m.
#8 Western Oregon at #9 Harding - 1 p.m.

The tournament follows its championship bracket, along with a cacophony of back-draws, until we have our winners on Saturday. For a full schedule of the tournament, click HERE.

Monday will be a brand new experience. Hopefully I'll have enough sun tan lotion.

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Email Jac Coyne.