Conference Previews for the 2023 season - RMAC

SPEAKER_01 0:12

Welcome, welcome, welcome to another episode of In the Crease with Danny and Kevin, a coast-to-coast discussion of Deep Two Men's Lacrosse. I'm your co-host, Kevin Stenstrom, and joining me as always is that co-host, extraordinaire, Danny Moran. Hey, Danny.

SPEAKER_02 0:30

Hey, Kev, how's it going in Northern Virginia tonight? What's happening?

SPEAKER_01 0:34

It's gotten cold here in one day. Yesterday, you know, about 75, 80 degrees, and now in the 50s today. So yeah. It's the seasons are changing.

SPEAKER_02 0:45

Yeah, setting records one day and the next day getting them hoodies out.

SPEAKER_01 0:50

That's right. That's right. But it's but change of seasons for us, too, as we are heading into really the end of fallball. We're recording this in early November as the teams are settling down with that. And now they're preparing as we are, you and I are preparing for the season. And there's nothing better than starting off and doing our conference previews. But before we get to the conference that we're going to talk about tonight, I thought it might be good to do a quick rundown of all the conferences for our listeners. Because as I've talked to you about before, I mean, when my son started playing D2, I knew the conference he was in, but I didn't I did not know all the different conferences that are out there. And although we talk about them frequently, it may be good in one quick little primer for our conference previews. Just let our listeners know what conferences are out there.

SPEAKER_02 1:46

Sounds like a good idea to me. Yeah, like when my kids got into D2, I didn't know all the conferences either. There's a good conferences and a bunch of schools, so tell them.

SPEAKER_01 1:56

And we'll yeah, we'll definitely hit the schools when we go do each conference preview. But just to begin with, there are 10 conferences in D2 comprising, and I counted them, Danny. We've been we've been going back and forth on this for a while now. 75 teams this year. It'll be up to 70. 75. 79 next year. In 2024 season, 2023, 2024 season, there will be. And we've lost a few this year going to D1, and we'll touch upon that quickly. So the first, let's start out farthest west. We are kind of coast to coast, although we don't touch any states out right on the Pacific Ocean. But the first one is the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the RMAC, with four teams. That's the first conference. And then we have the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, the GMAC. Kind of more of a uh a mature conference, been around a lot longer. They have a total of eight teams in their conference. And then one that's that's kind of new in that same area, kind of uh west, midwest, is the Great Lakes Valley Conference, GLVC.

SPEAKER_02 3:07

GLVC, yeah. Them boys play out there.

SPEAKER_01 3:10

Yeah, they do. That's uh that's a conference that you know we talked about last year. We haven't talked a lot about since then, but tough, tough competition in that that conference. And GLBC, how many GLBC has six teams, they lost one. Lindenwood went Division I. Right. So now they're gaining one next year in William Jewell. So they'll be back up to seven teams. But uh a really, really strong conference that you just very much. Um then, you know, heading more east, we've got the East Coast Conference, ECC, a very well-established conference. It's been around for a long time. Yes. They've got seven teams as well, and you know, the national runner-up comes from that conference with Mercy. That's right. They've got a good mix of some young teams and some established teams. And then heading over, uh, same kind of area, the CACC conference. Uh they've got eight teams as well. As Bridgeport comes in this year, they have a new team coming to that conference. And if we head a little bit farther south, the South Atlantic Conference or the SAC or the SAC, whatever you prefer. Now they had 11 teams last year, including Queens, but Queens has gone D1. So now they are at 10. But that's a stacked, stacked conference, as still a good conference. As one of the coaches said to us, I think it was actually Coach Murphy who said it's kind of nice because you you've got 10, 10 game, nine games just are automatically set. Nine or ten games automatically set. Yeah, yeah. Less out of conference. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I love the sack, though.

SPEAKER_02 4:51

Great conference.

SPEAKER_01 4:52

Yeah, yeah. And then the Sunshine State with uh with seven teams, and obviously the champion of last year with Tampa, and they are strong too.

SPEAKER_02 5:02

A lot of people Sunshine State conference last year was phenomenal. They were great. Yeah, yep.

SPEAKER_01 5:10

And then in the south also is conference.

SPEAKER_02 5:13

Another good conference. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:14

Yeah. Some teams trying to prove a solid competition, very solid competition in that, and there's seven teams in that conference as well. So really the RMAC is the one that has the least right now. Um, hopefully we'll see that grow in the future. And then, of course, you have in the South, last one in the South, and the newest in the South is the Peach Belt with six teams. Yep. And you we've talked about the Peach Belt many times this summer. Yeah, cool. It's awesome. And then finally, rounding out the 10th conference is the one we call the granddaddy of them all, the NE10.

SPEAKER_02 5:52

The granddaddy of them all.

SPEAKER_01 5:54

And just like we have the Big Ten that has more than 10 teams, the NE10 has 11.

SPEAKER_02 5:59

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. The granddaddy of them all, the NE10 for sure. Yeah. So, you know, the conf uh the league is just growing. Division two, the NCAA Division II lacrosse is growing. 75 teams, 10 conferences. That's, you know, that's pretty solid, Kevin. Pretty solid.

SPEAKER_01 6:19

It is. And and it really is. When we we titled this Coast to Coast, it really is Coast to Coast for Division II, which is phenomenal. And and I I think we'll see it grow more out in the west, and I think we'll see it grow more down in the in the south as well. So but let's get started. Let's uh tonight we're gonna start with the smallest conference, and that's the RMAC. So why don't we just get into it right now? The RMAC.

SPEAKER_02 6:45

The RMAC, yeah. Out in Colorado, out in the mountains, out in Rocky Mountain time. Whenever we get a coach on, we got a schedule for three hours early. I keep forgetting about that. You know what I mean? But you know what? It's not a bad conference. It's pretty top heavy being only four teams. But, you know, last year's uh champs, the Colorado Mesa Mavs, they went five and one in conference and fourteen and four overall. They're a good squad. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:18

The challenge for the RMAC is they've got to plug in a lot of out-of-conference games and they have got to travel. And so they've got a lot of games at the beginning of the season where they're turning around maybe in one or two nights and playing it playing several games as they do this. If you look at Colorado Mesa last year, they did their their Florida swing. They lost to Rollins, Tampa, and Florida Tech, all tough opponents.

SPEAKER_02 7:44

All ranked.

SPEAKER_01 7:45

All ranked. And then it was interesting last year. It was just a flip of 2021. They lost to Westminster at the end of the regular season, but then came back and beat them in the Armac Championship. Now, now they have a new coach this year, as we discussed in the coaching changes. Coach Smith stepped down, and their assistant, Troy Moyer, picked up the reins. So they've got that continuity. They've got that continuity moving into 2023. And once again, their out of conference is stacked. They're playing Lees McCrae, Belmont Abbey, Mount Olive, Rockhurst, Quincy, and that's back back back to back right after the next day after playing Rockhurst. And then they've got the Sunshine State Conference teams. They've got Rollins, Florida Tech, Tampa, and Palm Beach Atlantic.

SPEAKER_02 8:43

Yeah, they they always make them, they always have a good, you know, out-of-conference schedule. They like to come east. And that's what makes Colorado Mesa such an interesting team out west, because they're willing to come out east and play the big boys and play, and they play a high-quality game. They're a quality lacrosse team. And they that's why they kind of sit up on top of that Rocky Mountain conference.

SPEAKER_01 9:08

Yeah. Yeah. And there's some interesting stats I think really help them out. I mean, last year their face-off percentage was 73%. Dylan Checkets, right? Dylan Checkets, but they also had Jake Brummett, who had a good season as well. Dylan was their main guy, but Jake had a lot of them as well. And what's funny about that is they improved by three percentage points from the year before. I don't know how you could do that. But that just puts you into a great position in any game. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:38

Yeah. Yeah. But you know what though? They struggle against them big boys, though, sometimes, Colorado, Mesa. Like, you know, they struggle when they come to the Florida, play those Florida teams. So they got to get over that hump.

SPEAKER_01 9:50

Yeah, I think if you look at last year, I I think they were they were about at 50%, which is good, and that's solid. But for them really to make that next step and be really considered for the tournament, the NCAA tournament, they've got to get about win about 75% of those games. I'm sure that's kind of what they're looking at this year.

SPEAKER_02 10:13

Yeah, they got to win those games. So they're they're gonna have to go down and and beat those teams this year. Let's see what Colorado Mesa does then. You know, again, great, great out-of-conference schedule. They've been a beast of a team, and they all Americans there, and they get players out there.

SPEAKER_01 10:30

They've got top three of their four scores returning with James Stankey, A.J. Switzer, and Holter Holcomb, and two of those guys, uh Stankey and Holcomb, they increased their production from the year before. So they're looking up, and they've got some the Eichelman brothers on on defense coming back. They're only juniors. They add in Trey Cork and Caden Hathaway. And so they've got a really good core coming back that I think maybe could get them over the hump.

SPEAKER_02 10:58

But like we talked about, they've got to do that in the Drew Eichelman had 58 ground balls and 16 cause turnovers last year. Kid's a beast.

SPEAKER_01 11:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:08

That kid's a beast. So they got players out there, but they have to go up against Westminster.

SPEAKER_01 11:15

Yeah. Yeah. So let's let's get into the Griffins. 10 and 4 last year in 2022, which was an improvement from 2021. So Westminster continues to improve. They beat Lynn and Belmont Abby, but they lost to Mount Olive and Rollins. And what we already talked about, the swap. One of these teams, Westminster or Colorado Mesa, would love to win all the time in the regular season championship. I think that would help them. They're so close that they kind of flip-flop a lot of times.

SPEAKER_02 11:48

Yeah, but did you see their schedule this year? Their schedule's pretty stacked, too. Their out of conference is brutal. I think it's better than you know Colorado Mesa's out-of-conference schedule, if you ask me. I mean, they're playing U Indy, Maryville, Lynn, Rollins, Tampa, and Florida Southern. And Rockford. Four-ranked teams. Four-ranked teams right there. Yeah. You know, if that team goes 50-50 against those ranked teams, watch out for Westminster.

SPEAKER_01 12:21

Yeah, I think, like we just talked about with Colorado Mesa. I think the Sunshine State Conference games will be telling on how they they stack up at the end of the year.

SPEAKER_02 12:35

100%. I totally agree with that.

SPEAKER_01 12:38

There's some really interesting things if you look at their stats too on it on improvements. They improved their man up. They got that up to 39% last year. So if they can continue that that stretch and keep it, I mean 39% for man up is pretty darn good. Um they get that into the above that, forget about it. They get it to something like limestone can do, which every time they're man up, it seems like they scored. I mean, yeah. Now the faceoffs were about at 45%, a little bit of improvement. You know, obviously they'd like to probably see that get up a little bit higher than that, but they've got some, they lost their top score in Spencer Winery, but Merritt McMahon is back. Um, and they also have a strong LFM on the defensive side. Carson Caps coming back and returning. So once again, I don't see any drop-off from the players they have from last year.

SPEAKER_02 13:28

No, I agree with you. You know, they went five and one in conference, the same as Colorado Mesa last year. And they went 10-4 overall. They're a good squad, Cap. They're a good squad. They are and they and they play big boys, you know, and they they're not afraid to go up against the big dogs. And they've been competitive against big dogs. This team, I I I think they're pretty good. I think they're really good.

SPEAKER_01 13:52

Yeah, once again, and we talked about this with Coach Smith when we had him on last year. It really comes down for these teams in the RMAC showing up in their out of conference. And it's not easy because they've got to do the traveling most of the time. Now, this year, you know, Lynn is going out that way, and so maybe that'll help out and get some reciprocity, but it's tough. It's tough when you're the one that's always got to be on the road. I mean, it's it's it's fun for the kids, I'm sure, but it's it's a grind.

SPEAKER_02 14:21

Yeah, but you know what, that in the beginning of their season, they're playing in weather. You know, they'll travel over and play some GLBC teams, you know, because they're within region there, and they're playing in weather for like the first seven, eight weeks of of their season. So it's tough playing in the RMAC. It's not easy because again, they got to travel and and they're playing in weather. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:45

Yeah. All right, so let's move on to CSU Pueblo, the Thunder Wolves. Thunderwolves. I love saying that. I think they're the best named team in the division. Thunder Wolves. A lot of schools would argue with me, but I love that name. So this is where we talk about yeah, this is where we talk about the the split. Um, you know, the the two other teams, uh, the Thunder Wolves and then Adam State. They're they have losing records. Uh CSU Pueblo was three nine three and nine last year. They beat Quincy out of conference, but Quincy wasn't a strong team, and then they beat Adam State twice. So the good news, I think, for for CSU Pueblo is their leading scorers were sophomores last year, and they're coming back. And they're, you know, they've got to improve on their goals per game versus their goals against average. It was 10.1 to 14, and they've got to improve on their face-offs, I think, because that was only at about 31%. So they've I think those are some things that if you couple that with the lack of cause turnovers, you know, that's where they need the help and the improvement in face-off for them.

SPEAKER_02 15:56

And and they lack depth, you know, they lack depth. But you know what? Arny and Krause put up 59 points for them. Yeah Logan Naves put up 34, and Cameron Hancock, he put up 32. So they got kids can play. They got kids that can put the ball in the, you know, the biscuit in the basket.

SPEAKER_01 16:12

And they're all coming back.

SPEAKER_02 16:14

Yeah, they're all coming back, but they got to clean up some parts of their game and and just mature as a team. I think depth is a big is one of their issues. They can hang for two or three quarters, and then in that fourth quarter, it seems that they just can't hold on. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:34

So and and so I know that their out of conference this year is is getting a little bit stronger. Um they've got uh you know, they're they're they've got a good mix of out-of-conference games. They've got Tusculum, Rockhurst, Minn, Maryville. So they've got some teams now that they're facing that.

SPEAKER_02 16:57

Lynn's going out there. Lynn's going out there. So you've got the Floridians heading out to the Rocky Mountains out there. That's kind of cool. It's about time the East Coast boys traveled out there to play. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 17:08

Exactly. So they've got some they've got some teams that are, I think, better known for their quality of lacrosse, or at least from a record standpoint, with with schools like Rockhurst and Lynn and Tusculum going out there. That's and Meryville, obviously. Those are all going to be real testers for CSU Pueblo, but can make them stronger, especially in conference. Well, let's see what the Thunder Wolves can do this year. They they need a little help.

SPEAKER_02 17:34

Let's see what they can do.

SPEAKER_01 17:35

Yeah. All right. So last team, Adam State, the Grizzlies. One and nine last year. One and nine.

SPEAKER_02 17:43

Oh boy, this team. I don't know, man. This team, they just can't they can't get it together.

SPEAKER_01 17:49

Yeah, so Coach Austin is in his fifth season, and he has a fairly big roster this year. So maybe, maybe this will help with a bigger roster with more depth, but there's there's just some improvement. They I'll tell you, it looks as I looking on their schedule. It could still be in work. When I checked this just a few weeks ago, the only games they had listed were their conference games. And now they've got some out-of-conference games against Maryville and Quincy and Benedictine College. And he they're playing. Talk about a tough road, though. Okay, all three games are played in three days. Meryville on the 20th of March, Quincy on the 22nd, and Benedictine on the 23rd.

SPEAKER_02 18:31

Well, at least it's getting a little warmer by that time. You know, it's not end of January, February. But you know what? They only scored 46 goals all season last year, Kevin.

SPEAKER_01 18:44

Yeah, and they're they only are taking 20 shots per game versus their opponent's 54. And you couple that with um, I mean, their face-off percentage is was at 44 percent, but you you you just gotta be able to get more shots on goal, I think. You gotta have more shots.

SPEAKER_02 19:04

Yeah, they've just they've been struggling for a couple of years. Let's hope the Grizzlies, you know, get get more than one win this year. You know, they they they played 10 games. You want more than one game, you know, one win. But they struggled. Like I said, they couldn't score goals. They they had trouble keeping the ball. They just they need help, Kev.

SPEAKER_01 19:24

Yeah, well, you know, from last year, I remember when we talked about them, their face-off percentage was was not that good. So improving up to 44% is good. They had, you know, they have Matt Fuss and Declan Larm as their anchors on their D last year, and they're coming back, but they just need a little more, just two guys anchoring the D. They've got to come up with a little more help. They've got to stop a few, you know, they gotta stop them before they shoot. They've got to get some more turnovers, get some cause turnovers, and get their ball in the offensive side this year. Um, and hopefully, you know, I'd love to see I would love to see Adam State do a lot better because I'd love to see the RMAC get stronger just as a from a competitive standpoint in conference. Now, that's tough to do with only four teams, so I really think growth is where they need to be in in the RMAC to be able to get that visibility, I guess, nationwide. Yeah, they need players.

SPEAKER_02 20:19

They got to get guys there. I think depth is another problem, you know, roster size, whatnot. So the Grizzlies, you know, Adam State, they've been at the bottom of the rock, RMAC for a couple of years. Hopefully they can, you know, put it together this year and and become more competitive.

SPEAKER_01 20:37

I think that's that would probably be one of their goals. I'm sure they're not thinking, you know, we're gonna win. I hope the players are thinking we can win the RMAC, but I think they've got to have some realistic um goals to to set. Like, you know, we we've gotta and they've gotta be even even down to the different positions, like let's let's get more cause turnovers than the other team. Let's let's win this quarter, or let's you know, they're just things they've gotta think they've gotta do. But you know, it's it's still fun lacrosse to watch. I watched several of their games last year, and it's a good conference to watch, and I think it it'll get better over the years because it's only growing in that area as well.

SPEAKER_02 21:22

Oh, it's definitely growing in that area, but we need we need some more schools to put you know teams together out there, you know what I mean? Like having have men's lacrosse there, maybe draw more more maybe Canadians. I think they get a lot of Canadians to come down. And and you know, Colorado puts together some great youth teams and and some great, you know, um summer you know, travel teams, and and I'm sure they're getting California kids too, and kids from that region. Maybe if they could start reaching out to the East Coast and start bringing those East Coast players out there. That's you know.

SPEAKER_01 22:01

But as always, Danny, in these conference previews, we like to make sure our listeners get to hear from a true professional rather than just the thoughts of us two knuckleheads. So tonight we are fortunate enough to have Coach Sean Blair of CSU Pueblo on with us, which is awesome. He himself has a really interesting story. As he told us, he basically picked up the game by watching it from from a track field and watching it in the other field over. He was a converted track athlete over to the sport. And uh and that's how he picked it up. And he was a football player, and then he became a lacrosse player, and now he has been the coach at CSU Pueblo since its inception. It's an amazing story, so why don't we just bring him on?

SPEAKER_02 22:50

Welcome him in.

SPEAKER_00 23:01

Doing well, doing well. Appreciate you having me on.

SPEAKER_02 23:04

Hey, Coach Sean Blair, CSU Pueblo Thunderwolves. Thank you so much for taking the time with us tonight. I know it's uh kind of early in the Rocky Mountain. Kevin and I forget about that. We're East Coast guys. How's it going out there tonight?

INsert Coach BLair

SPEAKER_00 23:20

You know, it's going

Blair

SPEAKER_00 23:21

pretty good. Uh just adjusting the daylight savings time and the sun peeking behind the mountains. So, you know, it gets dark pretty quick here, but we're adjusting. We make do. Happens every year. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:32

I hear you. I hear you. So, coach, I think you've been the CSU's coach since the program's inception. So can you walk me through, just tell us what that has been like working out for the past, I think, about seven or eight years and what you've seen in your program from when you started, what kind of growth and improvement you've seen over the years?

SPEAKER_00 23:55

Definitely. So um I'm a bit of an elder statesman here in the uh Rocky Mountain region. Um I'm actually going on pushing 10 years of uh being out here. Started the program from scratch. Um, you know, realistically, uh CSU Pueblo and uh the community of Pueblo in general is a big sports community. Um, a lot of success with our football program, basketball, track and field, golf, I mean, you name it, we've had some success in it. Uh with lacrosse, this is a program that I've I've had to take from its infancy, foster and you know, realistically watch growing up. You know, I like to equate my own process, um, you know, having started the program from scratch, as to that of being a parent, which I also am. So um taking something that you've that you've started from nothing, um, you work with it through its infancy, um, you know, those long nights where you know you're dealing with the crying and you're dealing with the screaming as they grow and learn and start to figure themselves out all the way up all the way on up to you know the the program and the kids start walking. They start to figure out how to put right and left together and change direction a little bit, and um, they're getting into stuff. Uh after that, you know, you see them grow and evolve and you see them go to school. So, you know, at this point in time, you know, with us being just about 10 years in, we're we're truly transitioning out of what I term the developmental phase as a program. Um, obviously we'd like to be a little bit further along, but you know, you throw in the wrench of a global pandemic that none of us have ever faced before and navigating around, you know, that realistically puts you know programs like myself that don't you know have the budgets and the fortune of you know division ones to you know hit the transfer portal and you know pick up kids quickly. So for us, it's every kid that comes in, we've we've got to mold them out of clay. And you know, the the caliber of athlete combined with you know the notoriety and understanding that we have program out west has has helped us. So I think being uh that that beacon of consistency here out west has definitely helped with the growth of our program and um the challenges that we've had, you know, they've been different year to year, but you know, we just keep putting one foot in front of the other and growing.

SPEAKER_01 26:02

Fantastic. Yeah, that was a great that was a great metaphor using using you know infancy, being a parent and growing up over the 10 years. Uh, you know, I was fantastic. Yeah, yeah. So do you have just speaking of this year, for you coming out of the development stage, do you have any specific goals for your team this year that you're looking for?

SPEAKER_00 26:27

We are a young team. So for us, it's meshing, you know, the 22 freshmen that we have with all the returners. So, you know, a lot of the conversations that I've had with my guys have you know really been about us getting together and us meshing versus you know the X's and O's and schematics and tactics on the field. Um, realistically, in terms of goals, um, we've got some pretty lofty ones. For us, we've finished third in our conference for you know, the I mean, pretty much since the con the conference's inception, outside of I think one year, maybe the first year, um, we want to get to that final. We want to get to that championship game. Last year we were up on Colorado Mesa at halftime by a goal, and it was a place that we had never found ourselves in. So being able to build off of that, being able to build off of having, you know, arguably, and of course I'm biased, uh, three of the best attackmen um in the RMAC, if not the country, um, returning a goalie who finished top five, returning, you know, starters from a defense that actually led the nation in man-down defense. We've got a lot of pieces that we have returning. Uh it's just a matter of meshing with the young guys and getting us uh to be able to put one foot in front of the other, pass and catch and pick up ground balls.

SPEAKER_02 27:38

How many, how many players are you carrying on the roster?

SPEAKER_00 27:41

Uh right now we've got 41.

SPEAKER_01 27:44

Nice size roster. There you go. That's good. It's interesting when you said I didn't I didn't I looked through your roster. Um, I didn't know that you had 22 freshmen. That's that's impressive. That's a that's all that's almost like a seed change from where you were in a roster uh probably because of the pandemic, you know, the last couple of years.

SPEAKER_00 28:04

Yeah, yeah. No, it's been it's been up and down with uh you know the change that we've had due to the pandemic, due to having you know guys decide that they're gonna graduate early, guys that decide they're gonna take their grad year. Um it's just you know, we're not unique from any other collegiate program and trying to navigate that. And with our roster online, our we're between SIDs right now, so things have kind of gotten by the wayside in terms of keeping that updated.

SPEAKER_01 28:30

Yeah, I'm I'm still looking at the 22 roster. That was one of my questions because I did see that it looked like your you talked about it, your top scores are all returning. Uh, which you like you said, you've got to feel good about that. And and I did not know that your defense was still your core defense is coming back. So it it seems like you can really compete in the Armac to get to that next level. I watched that game you talked about against Colorado Mesa, and and I was like, whoa, the it it it was like you said, it was almost like you guys got through the halftime and were up and then Colorado Mesa took over. It was almost like either you you didn't know how to handle it or or they just there's they're so used to it. It was so cool to see you guys, but now with your players coming back, that's gotta really make you feel like, okay, and now we got some young blood coming in that we mesh in. Who knows what could happen? You could definitely compete for that getting to that championship.

SPEAKER_00 29:30

Yeah, exactly. Um in that game last year, uh just from a comparative standpoint, uh we drafted 25 for that uh conference semifinal, and Mesa had to be upwards around 50 five. So, you know, right then and there we're we're getting outnumbered two to one. And you know, a testament to Coach Smith and the Mesa program, the experience of having been there, having played high-level lacrosse, and their depth allowed them to make that comeback that they needed to uh towards the end of the third quarter there and ultimately run away with it in the fourth. So, you know, for us, it's trying to emulate that, trying to get those types of numbers so that when we're in those situations, it becomes a dogfight all the way to the end.

SPEAKER_02 30:09

Yeah, recruiting went pretty well then if you had 22 freshmen coming in. Uh how how's that working out? How are the freshmen acclimating to your game and and the NCAA game at uh CSU Puebla?

SPEAKER_00 30:23

Well, they realize it's a lot faster than what it was in high school. Um realize quite early on that uh you can't, you know, especially if you're a MIDI, you can't hang on to the ball too long and you can't dance into the middle of the field. Um you're able to get away with that in high school, but you know, once you get into college, once you start dancing into the center of the field, uh a slide's coming, a double's coming, you're gonna wind up losing possession of the ball. So um being able to realize that you don't have as much time and that internal clock has to operate faster, as well as understanding that you're playing with a shot clock, possessions are valuable. So, you know, on the offensive end, getting them to be a little bit more cerebral with their game and show them you know the mistakes that they're making just because of, you know, their the the uncomfortable or how uncomfortable they are with that internalized clock, you know, those are the types of aspects that we need to mold and develop, you know, especially throughout the fall here. Um on top of that, it's like I alluded to earlier, it's a pace of play. Um the college game is much faster. College games even faster in fall when sticks are rusty. I mean, it if it's fast there, imagine what it's gonna be in the spring when everyone's polished. So just getting used to that adjustment period, um, getting used to playing and practicing when you're sore. Um, just our our volume, you know, in terms of working out, you know, we're in the gym three days a week and we're running two days a week in between that. So you're never gonna really feel like you're a hundred percent until you get that collegiate student uh athlete type body. So getting those freshmen you know comfortable with uh this experience and this volume and the load that they haven't experienced before, it's a transition. But you know, it's a hat hats off to them and testament to how hard they've been working with how much they've embraced it, you know, take it, taking it on the chin and just gotten back up for more.

SPEAKER_02 32:06

Wow. So so well put, coach. What part of the game are you looking to improve on on your team this year?

SPEAKER_00 32:15

Quality possessions and you know, getting the ball through no man's land. Um realistically, we needed to improve our midfield, um, going based off of you know some of the the struggles from a depth standpoint last year, you know, being able to transition the ball from defense to offense, you know. I want to say we cleared at around 77-78%, which is okay. We want we prefer to be at that 80 to 82 percent. Um, but at the same time, getting the ball down to the offensive end, settling it, and bringing on guys who can give us healthy possessions. Uh, we want to be in a situation where we're capitalizing on those possessions. Um, and you know, for us, hammering home the fact that our midfield has to get stronger. I mean, that was the the number one point of emphasis over the summer and then into the this fall.

SPEAKER_01 33:01

That's great, coach. I just want to switch a little bit, talk about your out-of-conference schedule. You've got some tough GLBC and Sunshine State competition with Lynn and Rockhurst and Maryville. And then you add in there Tusculum, Davenport, Quincy. Are you using that? Do you hope that will really prep you for conference play?

SPEAKER_00 33:23

Yeah, that's 100% the goal. Um, it's the same formula that we've seen Westminster and Colorado Mesa follow uh in years prior. Um reality is is that in order to, you know, to compete and to be successful against, you know, the the higher caliber teams in your conference, you gotta play higher higher caliber teams. Um we see the same thing in the SEC with college football, where the conference is cannibalistic. You know, that's the same thing we want to emulate in the RMAC, even if we only have you know four teams at this point in time. Uh so being able to go out and play a national schedule is just it's what we have to do, you know, here being out west. Being able to see the success that Westminster and Colorado Mesa have had, you know, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 by going out and playing against GLVC teams, going out and playing against Sunshine Conference teams, Conference Carolinas teams. Um, you have to do it. You have you have to play as strong a schedule as you can in order to get into the RMAC and face each other week after week. Um we get really familiar with each other and what uh what happened wants to do. So there's a lot of intimacy and you know understanding with prepping and scheming. So there's uh quite a few chess matches that go on here once we get in the conference play in April.

SPEAKER_02 34:38

Well, that's a great out of conference schedule. And how the heck did you get Lynn to say, okay, we'll come out west? Usually the West teams come out east. You know, that's that's what it's been like in the past. I've seen, you know, I I've seen Mesa come out east play like Mount Olive. I've seen Westminster come out and play like Wingate. And how'd you get Lynn to go up there?

SPEAKER_00 35:02

Well, that's that I mean, that's hats off to uh Joe over at Westminster. Um, you know, just trying to develop some reciprocity where you know, if we're constantly going back east, you know, we we want to get these teams coming back uh west for us. So I tell uh Joe, you know, hey, if you ever got a team that's on the ropes, tell them that they got two and we'll drive over. You know, a nine-hour bus ride is a lot more uh feasible from an economic standpoint than you know jumping on a plane and getting a target bus over in uh Florida or virtually anywhere else that we'd have to travel to. So being mindful of funding, uh jumping on the bus and riding you know overnight is something that we don't flinch at. And if that means we get a game in region, well, we'll take it.

SPEAKER_01 35:43

That's awesome. That's awesome. Now you talked about the RMAC, and there's only four teams, and we see the growth of the game from the youth level in the West definitely happening. Do you foresee the RMAC growing in in conference with more teams?

SPEAKER_00 36:02

You know, you asked me that question 10 years ago, the answer's yes. Uh, you answered you asked me that question now, the answer is still yes. Um, you know, I think that there's not that I think, I know that there's a lot more uh nuance that goes into adding sports than um the casual fan may even be aware of. Yeah. Um there's a lot of considerations that go into it. Um eighties and presidents are very fiscally minded, especially at the Division II level. Um, the sport has to be a right ad. And, you know, for men's lacrosse, we've been um historically a solid ad for institutions, especially those institutions that have specifically wanted to strengthen the their male population on campus. Um, however, it comes at a cost, uh, especially out west. Weighing you know those factors against just the the amount of money that you need to invest to have a sustainable program that's also competitive, that number goes up quickly. So if you're in a position as an institution where you know those tuition dollars can translate over to the athletic department, you know, the option becomes viable to add the sport. However, if you've got other things to pay for and other uh priorities that are on those growing lists for presidents and athletic directors, then uh you know lacrosse and adding sports isn't isn't the highest priority.

SPEAKER_02 37:17

Yeah, yeah. But you know what? It's good to see it growing at the youth and the high school level out west. You know what? If the growth, if the growth keeps going the way it's going, you'll I think you'll see more institutions uh in the RMAC. I say within the next three to five years you'll see some growth in the RMAC.

SPEAKER_00 37:34

Yeah, you know, I think for for for our conference in particular, it's just you know the the economic stabilization that needs to occur over the next couple of years to recover from COVID. And then at the same time, you know, seeing what trends look like from um an institutional enrollment standpoint, you know, it's not that schools are hurting for students. Um students have different options that they can go into, whether it's you know taking a two-year out of community college and then enrolling in a four-year, but with the volume of student athletes that are looking to play lacrosse and put sticks in their hands, you know, we we we gotta stop being an export region and be more of an import and keeping uh keeping the kids behind the fence, you know, in this region with opportunities to play.

SPEAKER_01 38:15

Yeah. Well, coach, this has been awesome having you on. I will tell you, don't tell Coach Kerwin and don't tell Coach Moyer, but there's nothing more I want to see than you in the championship game this year in the Armac. I think that would be awesome. So thanks so much for coming on tonight.

SPEAKER_00 38:31

We're due. Yeah, absolutely. We're due.

SPEAKER_02 38:36

Coach Blair, CSU Peblo, Thunderwolves, thank you so much. You you were a phenomenal guest tonight. We really appreciate you coming on, taking the time, telling us about the Thunderbolts and talking about the Armac and just talking lax with us tonight. We really appreciate the time. We learned a lot, definitely.

SPEAKER_00 38:52

Thanks for having me. And anytime you want to get me to chop it up and talk a little lacrosse, I'm gaming.

SPEAKER_02 38:58

Oh, definitely. We'll definitely get him back, right, Kat? Yeah, you bet. You bet. Oh, we'd love it. Thanks, Katie. Anytime.

SPEAKER_00 39:04

Anytime.

SPEAKER_01 39:07

All right, Danny. Well, that was great talking to Coach Blair. Wow, what a what a personality, huh?

SPEAKER_02 39:13

Yeah, what a cool guy. What a great speaker. I mean, I could see myself in like a class of him. Like, I I think I do pretty well because he had my 100% attention the whole time and really enjoyed having Coach Blair on. He was he was real interesting. What a great background, you know, track guy, football guy, outside linebacker, you know. Like, I just love those those athletic type of guys. And just just what a great guy. And he's doing the best he can out there. He's been there for 10 years, Kev. And um I'm I'm rooting hard for the Thunderbolts this year. I want to see them do good. I like I like that.

SPEAKER_01 39:53

Yeah, I mean, it would be great. It would be great to have a little more parody in the ARMAC. I I think the way the way Coach Blair talked about it, maybe what Adam State is going through too. It's just a long building process out there, maybe than in other conferences, especially when you only have four teams. Now they know each other very well, which doesn't make it always easy for those the ones on the bottom of the rung. CSU Pueblo and Adam State, because the other ones have their number, and it's it it pretty much goes has gone that way the same thing. But I would love to see that kind of change around and it bec have a little more parody. And and maybe this is the year. Maybe this is the year that uh Adam State squeaks out uh uh uh an RMAC win in conference, and maybe CSU Pueblo does go to the championship game. That would be really cool. Yes, yes. But with that, Danny, I think for our first conference preview of the 2023 season, that's a wrap. That's a wrap, guys.