Conference Previews for the 2022 season - ECC

SPEAKER_02 0:11

Welcome, welcome, welcome to another episode of In the Creek with Danny and Kevin, a coast-to-coast discussion of D2 Men's lacrosse. I'm your co-host, Kevin Sensorm, and joining me is the ever steady hand and voice of this podcast, Danny Moran. How's it going, Danny?

SPEAKER_01 0:29

Kevin, I'm doing great tonight. How are you tonight doing? How are you doing? I can't get the words out. I'm sorry. How are you doing tonight, Kevin? I had I had a little dentist work today, so my mouth is kind of like uh You're doing really well, as a matter of fact.

SPEAKER_02 0:44

I mean, the the dental work today, I have to admit. That you sound good. As always, you sound good. I'm doing great, and I'm ready to get back at it with these conference previews. I don't know about you. Yeah, man. Well, before we do that and get into the next conference, I thought I would revisit something Coach Boyle said in last week's podcast. And that is the effect coaching changes have on the conference. He's dealing with four in his conference for this next year. But as we go through these previews, you and I have talked about this. We are going to mention the others. So if you are listening to this podcast but have not yet listened to our four-part series on coaching changes in D2, I would highly recommend going back and listening to those. Because I think it gives great perspective on what these new coaches are trying to do with their program and within their conference and D2.

SPEAKER_01 1:38

Oh, yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 1:41

Now we move on to what we came here to talk about, Danny. Last week we were in the south, so today let's head north. And let's get into it, Danny. Let's talk about the East Coast Conference, the ECC.

SPEAKER_01 1:54

Yeah, the ECC, you know, the ECC. Um last year, you know, they, you know, Mercy, it was a basically a two, a two-squad conference last year. Um you had the Mercy Mavs at 9-1. They just had a great year. Um, we're gonna have Jordan Levine on, come on with us tonight. We'll talk to Mercy a little bit more about their season, but they just had a great, great season. And and you know, they had a big the big win against Mercy Hurst in the middle of the season. Right. So Mercy sat at 9-1, and then Frostburg State, Coach Gardelman went six and two, lost to Seton Hill in overtime. But other than that, that team just balled out all year. Then you had Roberts Wesleyan sat at 7-5, which is in the middle of the pack. That's right. Malloy went three and nine, they struggled. And St. Thomas Aquinas, they they had a they had what, eight or nine games canceled. Into, you know, from COVID and stuff. So this is a a uh a conference that lost NYIT, they lost LIU Post, but they gained two this year. They gained Deuville and Yeah, UDC Firebirds.

SPEAKER_02 3:21

They actually they didn't play last year, they were in it uh in 2020 and before that, but they they did not play any sports last year. And so I'm really happy to see them come back with a lacrosse team in the lacrosse program for this season. So let's discuss a little bit more on each team if you want. Let's start off with Mercy. They seem like they're stacked. They're bringing back five Oliver. Yeah, they're bringing back their goalie, who was at a 6.9 GAA goals against average last year. They're bringing back their top four scorers in Brady Kieran, Dominic Scorsha, Jack Gibbons, and TJ Haider. I mean, and two of the all-Americans are on the defensive side with Justin Kendall and Jack Kipney.

SPEAKER_01 4:06

So yeah, and and Hayter's was only a sophomore last year. So he was getting run as a sophomore and he threw up 14 goals. So all our all our scores are coming back. Five All-Americans kept. When you have five all-Americans coming back, yeah, that that's gonna make Coach Levine's life a lot easier. From what they did last year and what happened at the end, that's the last game of the season. They're in the NCAA tournament. They got canceled because of the COVID. And I mean, this is a team that just balled out all year. You know, really good, well-coached team, run a fast-paced offense, great disciplined defense, and they belonged in the NCAA last year. You know, they did they belonged. And they had beat Mercy Hurst in the middle of the season. And I that would have been.

SPEAKER_02 5:00

And their only loss was to Seton Hill, which ranked third.

SPEAKER_01 5:04

They were ranked third in the country at the time, you know. So, you know, they're playing top dogs and they're they're they're beating them and they're competitive with them. I would have loved to have seen that Mercy Hearst game at the NCAA.

SPEAKER_02 5:18

Talked about that before.

SPEAKER_01 5:19

Gosh, it would have been felt terrible for the kids on that team, you know. Um, that came so hard and so close. And that, you know, just get the rug pulled out from you.

SPEAKER_02 5:31

Because who knows what would have right, who knows what would have happened in that game?

SPEAKER_01 5:36

Nobody knows, you know, because like I said, they beat him in the beginning of the year. I'm not gonna say that they would have beat Mercy Hurst again, but I mean it's a tall order to beat a team of that caliber twice in one season, but who's to say it couldn't have been done? And that damn COVID, it pulled a rug out of you know, a lot of teams. And that I think the Mavericks got hurt the worst, if you ask me.

SPEAKER_02 5:59

Yeah, yeah. So let's let's move on then. Let's talk about Frostburg State. We've had Coach Gardelman on. Um, we think Coach Gardelman.

SPEAKER_01 6:08

Right.

SPEAKER_02 6:08

Well, because he's a goalie.

SPEAKER_01 6:09

That's why you love him. Yeah, he's great. He's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 6:13

But they they finished 6-2 last year. Both of their losses were to Seton Hill. They did not get to play Mercy because that game was canceled. That would have been a great one. Kind of of a foreshadowing, I think, of this year, right? What are they?

SPEAKER_01 6:25

Yeah. You know, Frostburg State had a really good season last year. They're poised. Um, Coach Garleman was on um earlier with one of our earlier podcasts, and he talked about his team and how well they were, you know, were ready for this season and ready to go. And, you know, he brought back some seasoned players and he had some good freshmen coming in. And, you know, they're poised to make that step. And coaches are noticing that, like other coaches in Division II are talking about Frostburg State. They're like, hey, you know, this team is trending straight up. So, you know, and and they're they're gonna play a hard out-of-conference schedule. And that's gonna be a that's gonna be a telltale sign. Like these teams are now gonna go back to a normal exact. Maybe they can go overnights because last year a lot of teams couldn't do overnights, you know, and and the travel was different. They didn't stay in hotels, and so the scheduling was different last year, especially in the north. Yeah, those out-of-conference teams, they didn't get together too much. Like the NE10 stayed in conference, you know, and the ECC was able to play a couple of games out of conference, but they were all kind of like local, they weren't far.

SPEAKER_02 7:41

Yeah, and this year, this year, Frosburg State get is playing Tampa, St. Leo, and Florida Southern in the Sunshine State Conference. All three of those teams are always good, good teams. I mean, they are they come ready to play. Probably Florida Southern has never been ranked as high as St. Leo and Tampa, but they're a strong team as well. So that will be really good matchups for Frostburg State going into their uh in-conference games.

SPEAKER_01 8:08

I agree.

SPEAKER_02 8:09

If you add into that, they really are coming back very balanced on offensive scoring. I mean, their top scorer had 31 points, but then they had several players, like five or six between 16 and 20, that are all coming back. So they didn't score a ton of points, but they're bringing back a really strong nucleus that all, if you add their points together, really brings them over the top.

SPEAKER_01 8:32

Yeah, I totally agree with that. I mean, that's they're gonna be right there, I think. You know, they're there's a good squad.

unknown 8:41

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 8:41

So now let's talk about Roberts Wesley and you you talked about them, they had a season of seven and five last year, so above 500.

SPEAKER_01 8:50

Above 500, yep.

SPEAKER_02 8:51

They only lost to Mercy and Frostburg each only by one goal. So it's not like they weren't in those games.

SPEAKER_01 8:57

No, they're competitive. They're competitive. They're one of those teams, Kev, that we talk about that's one or two players away. You know, a scrappy team, a competitive team, but might be one or two players away from beating and taking that next step. I I don't know what they did as far as recruiting is concerned this year. Right, right.

SPEAKER_02 9:21

And it looks like they are going to lose some of their top players, like their two top scorers from last year. By a wide margin, we're both seniors, Hunter Lemieux and Matt Gademsky. And they're also their face-off specialist was a senior. And it looks like on defense, the same sort of thing, that they're gonna have to do more of a reload. They had a fairly senior, experienced team, and it's to me that it will really depend on the next man up. Who do they have? Are they ready to come in?

SPEAKER_01 9:51

Right. You know, I don't know what their out-of-conference schedule is. Have that has that been posted in Roberts Wesleyan? I have not seen it yet, no. All right, so we'll we'll see. You know, they're like I said, with their scrappy team, you know, and they got a couple of more teams to play now in conference with UDC and and DUVIL. So let's see where they are. I'd like to see their out-of-conference schedule. I I don't think it's been posted yet, to be honest with you.

SPEAKER_02 10:20

Not since, not at this time when we're doing this podcast recording. You're right. So then we go on to Malloy. Uh, we talked about that. They were three and nine last year. They brought in a new coach, Bill Dunn, who coached at New York Tech, had a lot of success, was on the coaching tree of Jack Cayley.

SPEAKER_01 10:37

Yep, four-time national champion. Yep. I mean, the man has pedigree uh 10 miles long. We had him on our podcast, and I think Malloy's gonna be a much different team this year. I think there's interesting.

SPEAKER_02 10:52

If you remember him talking to us, that if you look like last year at some of the things that they struggled with, they their goals per game last year was only about nine, while their goals against was about 13.5. Their starter was a freshman, Adam Hyman. But as Coach Dunn talked to us, they're bringing in a goalie from UMBC to bring some competition for Adam, which only I think, even if Adam makes it, makes him stronger.

SPEAKER_01 11:17

Oh, absolutely, absolutely. You you want, you know, you can't have just one goalie there, and you want somebody pushing him in the back. You want that, you know, hey, uh looking over my shoulder, am I gonna lose my job if I let six go by me quickly today? You know, and right and in some in most cases, yeah, you're gonna get benched. You know, you're gonna sit if that's gonna happen because we have another one behind us. So bringing in, you know, like again, Coach Dunn has a lot of pedigree and a lot of uh tentacles in his web, and he can reach out to a lot of different people, reach into the portal.

SPEAKER_02 11:57

Um like he said that we, you know, the one other thing, face-off percentage. Last year they were at about only about 30 percent. Whereas Coach Dunn said to be more competitive, he's actually bringing in a mid-year transfer from St. John's, where he coached a year before. So I think those things, I think personally, you add those things in there along with their strong out-of-conference playing Seton Hill and Mercyhurst. I think that they are going to be competitive and give teams some good competition, they are gonna cause some problems for some other teams. But I still don't think, I think with all those changes, they're still gonna struggle this year from a total win-loss perspective, right? I think it's gonna take them a little bit of time to to get to that next level in the ECC.

SPEAKER_01 12:49

Right. Um, you know, what Coach Dunn is gonna bring in is that that discipline and that pedigree and the IQ of the game. And and these kids are gonna be playing under a uh a different type of uh scheme. And there's gonna be some coaches out there that are familiar with what Coach Dun has done past it uh in the in the past at NYIT. But for the most part, Malloy is gonna be kind of like a new team. They're gonna have a new look, they're gonna have a couple of new players, so it's gonna be interesting. I I agree with you. I think they're a year, you know, maybe no. They're probably like two or three years away, to be honest with you. Because they just haven't been good the last couple of years. They just haven't. Well, and they got a small roster, so and I don't know whether that's and I don't know whether that's a talent thing or that whether that was a coach thing. That's hard to explain because they're right in the heart of Long Island, and there's a million lacrosse players here, and for for them not to have a better squad is almost mind-boggling to me. You know, it really is. Because if you look at most of the Long Island schools in the history, especially in D2, Dowling, NYIT, LIU POST, you know, they've all been great teams. You know, Adelphi, you know, I well, I don't know why I forgot them, but you know, these are all Long Island schools, and they've all been great. And here's Malloy, and they haven't been so great. So I think Coach Dunn's gonna bring in a whole new vibe for that, for that, for that program. And I think it I think they're three years away. But they're gonna trend upwards. They're not gonna be the same old Malloy. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 14:33

So let's let's move on to St. Thomas Aquinas, kind of hit upon it. I don't know. I think they're the wild card in some respects. They were 0-6 last year, 0-3 in the conference, but a lot of their season was canceled, seven games in the middle of the season. So you look at their stats, I don't think their stats probably tell the story if they could have really had a season where you can you get better as the season goes on, right? You you get that experience. And when you're out in the middle of the season, I mean, they're it makes it tough. Their goals per game was 6.17, their goals against was 19. Their face-off percentage was 37%, their clear percentage was 65%. So you look at the staff and you say, wow, this team needs a lot of help.

SPEAKER_01 15:19

But if you look at what how they lost so many games to even get to play and build upon, how do you even get any kind of Yeah, you don't get any rhythm, you're not getting, you know, I I don't know whether I obviously it was COVID related, and I don't know whether it was because of their team or other teams, you know, it could have been a combination of both. I don't really know all the particulars there. But seven games, that's half a season. That's half a season.

unknown 15:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:48

You know, how how can you judge yourself at all on a half a season? But the season that they did have, they didn't do too good, Kev.

SPEAKER_02 15:59

No, no, but like I said, you you know, you can't really build on anything either. And so knowing where they were and where they've been, obviously they still have some growing to do, but you know, we'll have to see what this brings. I mean, obviously, I don't think they're gonna be at the at the level where they can really compete against the the Merseys and uh and the Frostburg States this year, you know, but maybe the other teams in their in their conference they will be.

SPEAKER_01 16:23

I I I don't see it right now. I I'd have to just we'll have to see what their their schedule looks like and uh what's gonna happen to them going forward, you know. They're struggling, St. Thomas. They they're just struggling.

SPEAKER_02 16:40

Okay, so let's now let's talk about the Deuville Saints with Coach Prince.

SPEAKER_01 16:45

Well, I really liked Coach Prince when he came on and and talked to us. And um that podcast is available already out there, and uh I I really liked Coach Prince. He talked about all freshmen. It's a new program, Coach. Uh Kev, it's a new program. Um lot of freshmen, a lot of sophomores, not a big roster, but he's gonna go out and ball out with those kids. Um, he talked about how excited he was to be at Deuville. He talked about how excited he was to have Deuville in the ECC and have a chance to play the Coach Dunn coached uh teams like Malloy and the Gardelman coach teams like Frostburg State and the Coach Levine coach team. He's gonna be going against these guys every year. And that's only gonna make him better. That's only gonna make that team better. These are gonna be freshmen and sophomores, they're gonna take their lumps. We already discussed that. That's right. And you know what? I think deep down inside, they probably know that too. But they're gonna go out and they're gonna play. And they're gonna play at the NCAA level, they're gonna play in a pretty damn good conference, they're gonna have good squads that they're gonna go against. And that's gonna make that program better. And and and just think about two full years from now, where Deubil will be, because he'll have a chance, two more years to recruit, and all those freshmen and sophomores will now be seasoned veterans, seasoned guys, with over two full seasons under their belt. So that that that's gonna be a lot. Yeah, I think for them.

SPEAKER_02 18:39

I I agree. I although I would say two things. One, they're all freshmen and they get to play their freshman year. Yep. Two, I think Coach Prince brings the enthusiasm and the energy that will be able to keep his players up throughout the season. And yes, they'll take their lumps, but they will learn. And that's the critical thing. And like you said, let's see where they are in two or three years when they're juniors and seniors.

SPEAKER_01 19:08

I I I couldn't agree with you more, Kev. I couldn't agree with you more. It's just he br he's such an enthusiastic guy. Um, I I I didn't know him for 10 minutes. I I I would have loved to play for him. I was like getting amped up, just listening to him. And he was so excited about being there and what he can do and starting a program. And he talked about the freshman and he talked about what it's gonna take, and he knows, you know what, he he was pretty sharp. And I'm really looking forward to, believe it or not, watching the Deuville Saints play and and and and see where they go. I really do.

SPEAKER_02 19:48

That's right, that's right. So lastly, and I'm I'm really excited about this, Danny. So, University of District of Columbia in my backyard where I live right now, the Firebirds, they did not play last year. In fact, I remember them playing back in 2018 and 2019 and 2020. And looking at it last year, I was like, where are they? I looked on their website, it was tough for me to see. Uh, I assume that they basically canceled their season. I did not know if that was canceled just for the season or was going to be throughout, because if you look at the the website for ECC, they weren't listed anywhere anymore uh for lacrosse. Although they are in the ECC and other sports, right? So that was kind of the hope that they would come back. And sure enough, they're on the schedule for other teams. Now, UDC does not have their schedule out yet or their roster. It was very small in 2020, only about 25 or 26. And they didn't have a they didn't have a great record uh over the last few years. And back in 2018, they were good. They were over 500, they had eight, they were eight and seven, and then they were four and nine in 2019, and three and six in 2020. But their coach comes with some really good experience. He played at Georgetown, he was in the MLL, he was the assistant at UDC before taking over. It's a young program, only started back in 2014. It's a publicly public, historically black, urban-focused land grant university. So I didn't know that. Oh, so I think it is so great to see them back and playing and bringing the diversity to the sport. Um I didn't know that. And if you look at their roster in 2020, it's not all just DC area kids, they've got kids from Canada. So they're making some reach. So I think it's just great that they're back, and I wish them well. I have no idea how they're gonna do this year, but I wish them well in the ECC in the conference, and I hope they can play a full season.

SPEAKER_01 21:51

Yeah, me too. That sounds interesting. I didn't know that. That's that's good stuff. You know, the ECC is a pretty, you know, at one point it was a Really good conference. You know, but when they when they lost NYIT and then LIU post, it became a different conference. But when Frostburg State moved into the conference, it kind of really gave it a jump start again. And and with them and Mercy up there, they're both really good teams, nationally ranked, you know. So that conference has got some good things going on. I and it should be interesting the 2022 season to see where the conference uh ends up. I I think it's I think they're gonna have a good year total.

SPEAKER_02 22:33

Yeah, I think it'll be really interesting to see, but why don't we ask one of the experts from the conference himself and bring in Coach Jordan Levine from Mercy? Hey coach, how are you doing tonight? Doing well, Kevin. Thanks for having me. No, it's great to have you on. We're really, really happy you could come on and and talk to us about uh about your team and about your conference as we go through these conference previews. So I'll start it off. First of all, congratulations on last season. Uh your team had a great, great year and season.

SPEAKER_01 23:05

Great season.

SPEAKER_02 23:06

And you were again ECC coach of the year, I think, for the fourth time. So I guess the first question is, you know, I always see your team always ranked, you know, in the top 10, 15, always. I haven't been around it as long as Danny, uh, but I've been watching it now for six, seven years, and you always are at the top. How do you sustain that kind of success?

SPEAKER_00 23:28

Hmm. You know, it's uh so I I started at Mercy in uh I actually started right when I graduated from college, uh 2008. Mercy didn't uh we didn't have a a lacrosse program. So 2010 was our first year in existence. Um so it I think it takes a while and it's building it slowly and recruiting the right type of guys and that are gonna, you know, at its simplest form, we're looking for guys that are work hard, do the right thing, and good lacrosse players. But I think early on we had to I think rely a little bit more on recruiting some of the raw athletes and and develop them over time. So, like I said, 2010 is our first year in existence. I think it took us until 2015, which is the first year we qualified for our conference playoffs. Um, you know, and when we have a little bit of success, I think it's in and you get your name out there, I think it's a little bit easier to recruit. And each year we've been building a little bit more and getting a little bit deeper and a little bit more talented. So, I mean, we've been, like you said, nationally ranked every year in the top 15, the top 20, at least, I think one year we weren't, but top 20 from 2015 on. Um, and then we really kind of got over the hump in 2019. We got a couple signature twins. We won our first conference championship, um, won an NCA tournament game. Um, and then again we made the NCAs in 2021. Um, but I I think it starts with just consistently, you know, recruiting well and you know, developing some of those guys that fought that are under the radar that are you know athletic, tough, work hard, all those things, and developing them and turning them into you know more polished cross players.

SPEAKER_01 25:07

Yeah, the past four or five years, you guys have been balling out, like you said, top 15, top 20. You've been getting some really good recruits, good uh, good scorers, and you had a really good FOGO last year. Yeah. Um, um, is Antonio coming back? Is he coming back?

SPEAKER_00 25:25

So Antonio's not. He had a yeah, he had a fantastic year. Um, he was a fifth-year guy last year. Oh, okay. Got his NBA and and and he's uh yeah, he's moved on.

SPEAKER_02 25:36

Yeah, he was at like 75%. I mean, talk about an at a great advantage.

SPEAKER_00 25:41

Yeah, uh, you know, that's it's so key. And I thought, you know, he he'd been a guy that you know, we honestly didn't recruit to be a face-off guy. Um, but really, yeah, he I mean he took some draws in high school, but he was kind of like a two-way midi, and he really um developed and he's just such a tough, hard-nosed kid. And I he had really good years prior to that. We were um, you know, I think every year we'd go up against LIU Post twice a year, and they had Connor Farrell as one of the best in the PL. So he would have one game, and you know, that's when he's a sophomore and junior where he were, you know, or two games a year because we'd see him in the playoffs where his numbers weren't as great. But I think he kind of went under the radar because he was kind of in it in his shadows, and that you know, then 2020, he was having a great 2020, and you know, obviously COVID happened, but you know, 2021 this past year was a year where you know he was the experienced guy and had gone against some of the best. And and like you said, I mean that's that's huge. You're kind of playing make it, take it lacrosse, and you could take more chances on offense and and you know play a lot differently. You're not as tight defensively when you know that you're gonna get the ball back that next possession.

SPEAKER_01 26:46

Right. So now it's next man up. What do you got coming up? Have you named a leader yet, or uh you're still pushing guys?

SPEAKER_00 26:53

So we have uh two returners, uh Jason Kuner, who did a great job this fall. Uh he's a sophomore from New Jersey. Um Mustafa DeFey has done a good job. He's a junior. Um so those guys were with us last year, and they've continued to improve. And Jason Kuhner did a great job this fall. We scrimmaged uh two Division I programs, and I thought he was Jason was excellent. Uh freshman Ryan Resnick, that um you know is a hard worker, and I think he'll fit in there too. Um, and we got a really good transfer uh from Nassau Community College. Prior to that, he was at UMBC PJ Argros, who was from the part of the fall, but uh when he was healthy, he was uh he was excellent also. So I think we're pretty deep. I think you need to be strong up the middle, and I think um you know, collectively we've got uh a bunch of guys that can really you know do a good job and get us some possessions.

SPEAKER_02 27:45

Yeah, I think that's kind of nice sometimes when you have more than one choice because they all all the face-off specialists bring a little bit of a different way and technique. So if one's not working one day, you can bring in another one that may have a better advantage against the the opponent.

SPEAKER_00 28:04

Yeah, I that's so true. So I'm an Albany alum, and I with you saying that, I think of I think it was 2017 where Albany had TD Arlene who was one of the best in the game, and they were playing Maryland, and their top two guys he had beaten in the regular season, and then they play him in the playoffs, and Maryland's third guy comes in and for whatever reason matched up really well, and Albany didn't win too many face-offs that day, and they lost. But yeah, I mean it's it's a lot of it's different matchups. One guy will match up better against another, so I think it's important to have depth there.

SPEAKER_01 28:34

Let's talk about some of the guys coming back. Who do you got coming back from last year? You got a couple of really good scorers from last year. You had Brady Kiernan and Tom Scorsche, Jack Gibbons, and you got two other those were two all Americans plus two others on the defensive side.

SPEAKER_02 28:50

So it seems like you've got good balance on both ends of the field coming back.

SPEAKER_00 28:54

I think so. You know, it's an experienced group. Um, like you said, I we bring back five All-Americans from last year.

SPEAKER_01 29:00

It's amazing. Yeah, it's amazing. Um that makes that makes life a little easier, huh? It does.

SPEAKER_00 29:06

You know what? And this is a lot, it's a lot different year than normal. So I mean a lot, it was challenging, and I feel you know, you almost feel for like this 21 and 22 class because you have this whole extra pool of players going for their fifth year. And and we saw that because I I typically don't like to carry uh a huge roster. I think um a lot of what we do is like individualized attention, whether it's in the weight room more reps on the field. So typically I carry about 35 guys in the roster this year. With the fifth year guys, I'm probably more at like 40, but to your point, I mean, we're an experienced group. I've only had four freshmen on the roster right now. Um, we brought in um a couple uh Division I transfers, and a lot of the guys are back from last year. So, you know, between the transfers and the returners, the guys that have played in college have experience, which changes the dynamic in the fall, right? A lot of it when we have a big freshman class, a lot of teaching, new concepts, stuff like that. What I think's been great is we've kind of been able to add to what we've done in the past couple of years because we have so much continuity with the guys coming back. And then, you know, for guys that have played four years and getting their master's doing a fifth year, they have so much experience and understanding of the game where um some of the stuff we have are doing this fall is more advanced than we've done in the past.

SPEAKER_01 30:22

That's that sounds great. Sounds like you're poised to do some really good things in the ECC for sure this year. Um, you know, uh we we also got Frostburg State, who's definitely poised. We, you know, we think we've had Coach Gardelman on, and we just think like they're trending upwards and talking about the ECC on a whole, uh it's basically you two guys, and then Roberts Wesley and is like right in the middle. And and Malloy and St. Thomas have have kind of they've struggled in the last couple of years. Um, but Malloy, Malloy's got themselves a coach now at Bill Dunn. And um, I'm sure they're gonna quite have a you know different look and a different, a different dynamic there at Malloy. What do you think about that?

SPEAKER_00 31:06

Yeah, and obviously Bill's uh someone I'm very familiar with and uh have a lot of respect for. He uh, you know, he was at the head he was the head coach at New York Tech for years, and we saw a lot of those guys, and he had a lot of success, won some conference championships, made some NCAA tournaments, won a couple national championships at New York Tech. So I have no doubt that he's gonna get them on the right track. I've already seen him a bunch on the recruiting trail this fall. So I'm I'm happy for him. You know, what happened at New York Tech was unfortunate, and and he's a good guy and a real good coach. So I have no doubt that he'll get those guys trending in the right direction. And you know, like you said, I we've been all excited to play and and that Frostburg State had moved into our conference, I think, with some of the changing, like LIU going Division I and Tech losing their athletic departments.

SPEAKER_01 31:50

Yeah, yeah, it's big to that. It's big to the conference, you know. That was a big blow.

SPEAKER_00 31:55

To have an yeah, and I mean to add a you know, a team like Frostburg is you know, is exciting, and I and I know Steve real well too. And Steve was at Lake Erie, took them to a final four, so another great coach, and I have no doubt that they're trending up. And I thought they were great last year. They lost two one-goal games to you know, Seton Hill, and they were right. Unfortunately, you know, what happened to us in the NCA tournament uh with the COVID protocols happened to them in the conference playoffs, so both of us uh didn't get to finish our season, which was Yeah, we were gonna talk about that.

SPEAKER_01 32:24

I was uh we brought that up actually at a at a previous podcast, how disappointed we were.

SPEAKER_02 32:31

Yeah, we really felt for your team, really felt for your team and not being able to play. And then plus, from a fan perspective, wanting to see you guys against Mercyhurst again would have been phenomenal because that game in the regular season was so, so good.

SPEAKER_01 32:46

I watched it. I watched it.

SPEAKER_00 32:48

It was a great game.

SPEAKER_01 32:49

It was a good one, man. It was great.

SPEAKER_02 32:52

Is your team are you using that to motivate yourself this year, or are you trying to, or is it more of like, let's just leave the pass in the past? I'm just curious how you look at that.

SPEAKER_00 33:01

You know, I I haven't been using that as motivation in the fall. I think, listen, you know, it's such an unfortunate situation and something that's kind of out of your control. I think the guys are disappointed the way it's happened, and I think if anything, it's almost given them like a greater appreciation for you know what we have now and being able to be back together. Like in the most part, you know, I feel more for the guys, which we had not many, I think we had five of them last year that came back for their fifth year, had a great year and didn't get to finish it, you know, they didn't get to finish it. So you feel for those guys, you had that study. Yeah, but um it it hasn't been kind of like our our you know our focus this fall, but I think if anything, just a greater appreciation.

SPEAKER_01 33:45

Well said, well said.

SPEAKER_02 33:48

So talking about your schedule, because as we're talking right now, it's it's not out on uh at least on the internet um on your on your page. I would assume obviously you're gonna be playing more games and more out-of-conference games. Can you just talk a little bit about that? How you see your that as maybe helping you this year? I know it was tough last year playing more in conference, and obviously having games canceled and your season ending the way it is. I'm just I'm sure you're looking forward to that, just if you could talk a little bit about the the changes this year.

SPEAKER_00 34:21

Definitely. So last year we played more local games. And honestly, we weren't sure that we were gonna get so our school policy early on was that we weren't gonna be able to do overnight trips, and I guess as progressed, we were able to get that Mercyhurst game back on the schedule. Um, so the only two at a conference, I mean, we played the CACC, which was mostly local, um, and then we played uh the GMAC, we played Seton Hill and Mercyhurst. I don't the NET didn't, none none of the schools in the NE10 played any at a conference game, so now we're able to schedule them. Uh and I think we've got a real challenging non-league schedule. Um, we're playing Le Moine, uh, Adelphi, Mercyhurst, and Seton Hill again.

SPEAKER_01 35:01

There you go.

SPEAKER_00 35:02

Bentley, uh, and then we play Georgian Court, Wilmington, and St. Rose also at a conference, and then our conference late. So we have 14 games. It's great to get back to you know a more traditional schedule and play some of those non-league rivals that you know we've gotten to in the past that we weren't able to last year.

SPEAKER_01 35:17

Yeah, that's a great non-conference uh lineup there. It is. That's strong.

SPEAKER_02 35:21

That's strong, coach.

SPEAKER_01 35:23

And that's what makes a program strong to play those strong out-of-conference games, I believe. I think that's what makes a program strong. How are the kids embracing that? They must be embracing that like let's go, coach.

SPEAKER_00 35:36

Listen, they love it. Um, you know, you you play some of those programs and like Lemoyne that we play pretty early in the year and defending national champions. I mean, you know, that's what you aspire to and you want to play the best. And and honestly, with the way Division II is structured and like the NCAA tournament committee, I mean, you have to. If you there's no automatic qualifiers, you you have to go out of conference and play the best opponents if you want to go to an NCA tournament. So um I think it's a necessity, and I think you know, we have the ability to compete with those teams, and and like you said, I think that only makes you stronger. We started playing Le Moine in 2017, and I think that you know gave us confidence that first year we played them to an 8-4 game, and we were competitive, and I think that helped down the line in the future when we were able to knock them off in the regular season in 2019. And now we've got a Delphi on the schedule non-league for the first time. And last couple years we've had uh Mercier since Seton Hill, which have been great games for us, also. Those two teams are always in the NCAA tournament.

SPEAKER_01 36:31

Up every year. Every yeah.

SPEAKER_02 36:34

Yeah, so just going back to your conference again, besides the kind of the schools that Danny talked about, obviously De Uville coming in uh with I I think their coach brings a lot of enthusiasm, Coach Prince. And then it looks like UDC is returning as well into the conference. They were not playing last year. I'm just curious. I think that helps when you look, maybe not this year, but as you as these teams start to rebuild, making you a stronger conference in D2 down the road. Would you agree with that?

ECC strength

SPEAKER_00 37:06

Absolutely. And I think like I I so I serve on the the regional advisory committee um for the NSA selection, and and all that's so important, like strength of schedule. And I think that's our goal at our conference meetings. We want to try to be a two-bid league. Um, I you know, I don't think that's happened for maybe five or six years. I think Tekken posted it one year, but we haven't gotten two bids in the you know from the same league in a in a while now. So that's uh that's a goal of ours. And I and like you said, you need everybody to um to improve and to and to be strong. And like you said, you know, we added the UVille into the conference. UDC didn't even play last year, but I you know, I think Roger's done a good job. And I mean, we've lost to UDC before, so you know, we've been in some close games with those guys too. So I think you know, the the more competitive the conference is, you know, it's it's better for everybody.

SPEAKER_02 37:58

Yeah, and that's that's what we are looking forward to, and seeing more of the ECC, uh larger, obviously a larger conference this year is gonna be great, just really for the fan as well, to be able to see more games. I mean, I'm looking forward to that. I'm I'm interested to see how both the U-ville and UDC coming back. I think obviously UDC may have, I mean, any taking a year off can be tough. I I I haven't seen their roster yet and see how it how they're gonna what they're gonna have put together, but I think it'll be great for D2 and for the ECC conference now that they're they're in there as well. And we're coach, we're really looking forward to watching your team in a full season, hopefully knock on wood, right? That there are no no more COVID issues and you get the full season in and and to see what you guys can do because it it was, I know, devastating for your team last year. And you're coming this year already rare to go, like you said. I mean, you're stacked with um seasoned players. Like you said, you were actually able to do more advanced things this fall and fall ball. So I think the sky's a limit for you guys this year.

SPEAKER_01 39:05

I think teams better watch out for mercy. That's what I think. You know, they're they're already a really good squad, and and now they're just they just reloaded. I mean, they're just coming back and they have that little chip on their shoulder. And rightly so, coach. You should have that chip on your shoulder. Hey, man, we were one game away from you know, and then bang. So I think those kids will remember that, you know, and bring that on the field. I and I'm looking forward to this season with you guys, the Mavs.

SPEAKER_00 39:35

I I appreciate that. Yeah, listen, they like I said, they're an experienced group and they've been really focused and and a good level of maturity, even off-field, like there's no off-field incidents, the guys are working hard and they have that that one goal, everything in the weight room has been great, like great feedback from the strength coaches. Um, so we're really excited, and just like any season, you know, you you gotta make sure you stay healthy and you know manage that. So knock on wood, we've been we've been lucky that way throughout the fall, and we're we're excited to get going in January.

SPEAKER_01 40:04

Awesome coach, we really appreciate you coming on tonight. I've heard nothing but great things about you personally. I know somebody that's has a son on the team. Oh, I'll keep that off uh off record right now. But I've heard great things about you. And I've I've been following the team for like the last three or four years, and um, I'm on Long Island, I'm not far away from you. I've been up there for some tournaments over the years, so I know where Mercy is. I know it's a beautiful campus, and you've been balling out. And I think this year, not only the ECC, but I think the country better watch out. I think Mercy's coming and they're gonna come hard, I think. Really appreciate you coming on tonight, Coach.

SPEAKER_02 40:44

Absolutely, guys. Appreciate you having me. You bet. And maybe we'll catch up with you during the season as well.

SPEAKER_01 40:50

Ladies and gentlemen, Jordan Levine, head coach Mercy Mavericks. Thanks again, Coach. We'll see you next time.

SPEAKER_02 40:57

Well, there you go, Danny. That was some really great insight from Coach Levine, not only on his team, but the ECC and where they want to go as a conference.

SPEAKER_01 41:06

Uh Coach Levine is a great coach. What a great guy. He was a great guest tonight. And the Mercy Mavs are a squad. Kev, they're a squad, and they got robbed last year. They got robbed last year, and they were poised. So I think they're gonna have a chip on their shoulder, and I think they're gonna be a really, really good team nationally to reckon with, besides the ECC.

SPEAKER_02 41:29

It will be great to watch. Absolutely. So before we wrap, I have to go over some of the minus trivia for the upcoming episodes. You know, Danny, that we have been debating whether we would be posting episodes over the Christmas and New Year holiday. And that was really for two reasons. One, because I'll be gone on a trip with my family. And two, we weren't sure if the demand would be there during this holiday season. But these discussions with the coaches have been so good that I can't, I don't think you would want to either hold them back and wait until the new year. So, in keeping with the holiday gift giving, we will continue to publish one episode per week. Kind of giving our listeners a little D2 lacrosse holiday cheer. What do you think about that, Danny?

SPEAKER_01 42:16

Oh, I wish I had some sleigh bells right now. Yeah, I think it's awesome, Kevin. I'm having so much fun doing these previews. And like you said, as each week goes on, and the coaches have been great, and um, I'll just give them one a week, how do you say? And and that's enough for our listeners. We're leading up to uh leading up to the season.

SPEAKER_02 42:36

Yeah, just to give them a heads up, you know, we traditionally go live with episodes on a Friday, but because Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve are on a Friday, we're gonna publish those a day early each of those weeks.

SPEAKER_01 42:48

So it'll be early Christmas giving.

SPEAKER_02 42:50

Really Christmas giving on the 23rd of December and the 30th of December. I really hope everyone enjoys these episodes, subscribes, and spreads the word about D2 lacrosse. And so with that, Danny, I think that's a wrap. We're in the creeps.

SPEAKER_01 43:07

Yeah, it was a good one. The ECC tonight have a good one. That's a wrap.