Big Ten Lacrosse Tournament 2018: Thrilling Action and Championship Glory

How did the 2018 Big Ten Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse Tournaments unfold. Which teams emerged victorious in the intense competition. What were the key moments and standout performances that defined the tournaments.

Men’s Tournament: Johns Hopkins Claims the Crown

The 2018 Big Ten Men’s Lacrosse Tournament showcased fierce competition among the conference’s top teams. Held at the University of Michigan Lacrosse Stadium in Ann Arbor, the tournament culminated in a thrilling championship game between Johns Hopkins and Maryland.

Semifinal Showdowns

The semifinals on May 3rd set the stage for an exciting finale:

• #1 Maryland defeated #4 Rutgers 12-9
• #2 Johns Hopkins edged out #3 Ohio State 6-5 in a defensive battle

Championship Glory for the Blue Jays

In a stunning upset, #2 seed Johns Hopkins triumphed over #1 seed Maryland with a 13-10 victory on May 5th. This marked Johns Hopkins’ second Big Ten Tournament title, with their previous win coming in 2015.

What led to Johns Hopkins’ success? Cole Williams played a pivotal role, leading all scorers with an impressive five goals and one assist. Goalie Brock Turnbaugh’s stellar performance, making 14 crucial saves, earned him the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award.

Women’s Tournament: Maryland’s Dominance Continues

The women’s tournament, also held at the University of Michigan Lacrosse Stadium, saw the top-seeded Maryland Terrapins continue their reign of dominance in Big Ten lacrosse.

Path to the Final

The semifinal matchups on May 4th set up an intriguing championship game:

• #1 Maryland overpowered #4 Johns Hopkins 16-11
• #3 Penn State pulled off an upset, defeating #2 Northwestern 21-16

Terrapins Secure Three-Peat

Maryland’s women’s team showcased their prowess in the championship game on May 6th, defeating Penn State 21-12. This victory marked their third consecutive Big Ten Tournament title, cementing their status as a lacrosse powerhouse.

Who was the standout player for Maryland? Megan Whittle delivered an extraordinary performance, netting eight goals to lead all scorers. Her dominant play earned her the tournament’s Most Valuable Player honors.

Tournament Logistics and Fan Experience

The Big Ten Conference ensured a smooth and enjoyable experience for fans attending the tournaments:

• All-session passes were available for $14
• Single-session tickets for adults were priced at $8
• Group discounts and student pricing made the event accessible to a wide audience

How did the Big Ten keep fans engaged beyond the stadium? The conference utilized social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to provide real-time updates and exclusive content throughout the tournaments.

Impact on NCAA Tournament Berths

Winning the Big Ten Tournament carried significant implications for both Johns Hopkins (men) and Maryland (women), as each team secured an automatic bid to their respective NCAA Tournaments.

When were the NCAA Tournament selections announced? Fans eagerly awaited the NCAA Selection Shows, with the men’s broadcast on ESPNU and the women’s on NCAA.com, both airing on the Sunday evening following the Big Ten championship games.

All-Tournament Team Honors

The Big Ten recognized outstanding individual performances throughout the men’s tournament with the selection of the All-Tournament Team:

• Logan Wisnauskas, Maryland, Attack
• Connor Kelly, Maryland, Midfield
• Matt Neufeldt, Maryland, Defense
• Brock Turnbaugh, Johns Hopkins, Goalie (MVP)
• Kyle Marr, Johns Hopkins, Attack
• Cole Williams, Johns Hopkins, Attack
• Patrick Foley, Johns Hopkins, Defense
• Robert Kuhn, Johns Hopkins, Defense
• Alex Bronzo, Rutgers, Defense
• Erik Evans, Ohio State, Defense

Media Coverage and Access

The Big Ten Conference ensured comprehensive media coverage of both tournaments:

• All games were broadcast live on BTN (Big Ten Network)
• Media credentials were available for journalists covering the events
• Scott Kemps served as the championship media coordinator for the men’s tournament
• Kurt Svoboda, associate athletic director, handled media inquiries for the women’s tournament

How did this extensive coverage benefit the sport of lacrosse? By providing widespread visibility, the Big Ten helped grow the sport’s fanbase and showcased the talents of these student-athletes on a national stage.

Historical Context and Conference Impact

The 2018 tournaments added another chapter to the rich history of Big Ten lacrosse. For the men’s competition, Johns Hopkins’ victory marked their second title in the tournament’s history. On the women’s side, Maryland’s three-peat demonstrated their continued dominance in the conference.

How has the Big Ten Tournament evolved since its inception? While the tournament is relatively young compared to some other conference championships, it has quickly become a prestigious event in the college lacrosse calendar, attracting top talent and passionate fans from across the region.

Looking Ahead: Impact on Program Development

Success in the Big Ten Tournament can have far-reaching effects on lacrosse programs. For teams like Johns Hopkins and Maryland, their victories not only secured NCAA Tournament berths but also provided valuable momentum heading into the national championship hunt.

How might these tournament results influence recruiting and program growth? Prospective student-athletes often look to join successful programs, and strong performances in conference tournaments can be a significant draw. The exposure and prestige associated with Big Ten success can help attract top talent and build stronger lacrosse programs across the conference.

Additionally, the competitive nature of the tournaments serves to elevate the overall level of play within the Big Ten. As teams strive to match the performance of perennial powerhouses like Maryland, the quality of lacrosse across the conference continues to improve, benefiting players, fans, and the sport as a whole.

Emerging Rivalries and Storylines

The 2018 tournaments also highlighted some intriguing rivalries and narratives within Big Ten lacrosse:

• The Johns Hopkins-Maryland rivalry in men’s lacrosse, already steeped in history, gained another memorable chapter with their championship clash.
• Penn State’s women’s team showed they could compete with the best, reaching the final as a #3 seed and challenging Maryland’s dominance.
• Ohio State’s narrow loss to Johns Hopkins in the men’s semifinal demonstrated the competitive balance within the conference.

These developing storylines add depth and excitement to the Big Ten lacrosse landscape, creating compelling narratives for fans to follow in future seasons.

Player Development and Professional Prospects

Strong performances in high-pressure tournament situations can significantly boost a player’s profile. For standout athletes like Cole Williams of Johns Hopkins and Megan Whittle of Maryland, their tournament heroics may have caught the eye of professional scouts and opened doors for post-collegiate careers in lacrosse.

How does success in the Big Ten Tournament translate to professional opportunities? While college lacrosse remains the highest level of competition for many players, the growing professional leagues in both men’s and women’s lacrosse are increasingly looking to college stars to bolster their ranks. Impressive showings in conference tournaments can serve as a launching pad for these aspiring professional athletes.

Community Impact and Youth Engagement

Beyond the immediate excitement of the tournaments, events like the Big Ten Lacrosse Championships play a crucial role in growing the sport at the grassroots level.

How do these high-profile college tournaments influence youth lacrosse participation? By showcasing the sport’s excitement and skill at the collegiate level, the Big Ten Tournament can inspire young athletes to take up lacrosse or pursue it more seriously. Many youth lacrosse programs in Big Ten states may see increased interest and participation in the wake of thrilling tournament action.

Additionally, hosting the tournament in Ann Arbor provided an opportunity for the local community to engage with high-level lacrosse. Youth clinics, autograph sessions, or other community outreach events often accompany these tournaments, further strengthening the connection between college programs and aspiring young players.

Economic Impact on Host Cities

Hosting a major collegiate sporting event like the Big Ten Lacrosse Tournaments can provide a significant economic boost to the local community. Ann Arbor, as the 2018 host city, likely saw benefits in several areas:

• Increased hotel bookings from out-of-town fans, families, and media
• Higher foot traffic and sales for local restaurants and businesses
• Potential tourism spillover, with visitors exploring the city beyond the lacrosse venue

While specific economic impact figures for the 2018 tournaments are not provided, similar collegiate championships have been known to generate millions of dollars in local economic activity.

Technological Innovations and Fan Engagement

As college sports continue to evolve, technological advancements play an increasingly important role in enhancing the fan experience, both for those attending in person and those following from afar.

What innovations might have been employed during the 2018 Big Ten Lacrosse Tournaments? While specific details aren’t provided, it’s likely that the events utilized various technologies to engage fans:

• Mobile apps for real-time stats and updates
• Social media integration for fan interaction and behind-the-scenes content
• Advanced broadcast technologies for high-quality TV and streaming coverage
• In-stadium displays and entertainment to enhance the live experience

These technological elements not only improve the viewing experience but also help create a more immersive and interactive environment for lacrosse enthusiasts.

Data Analytics and Performance Tracking

Behind the scenes, teams and coaches increasingly rely on data analytics to gain competitive advantages. During tournament play, this becomes even more crucial as teams face unfamiliar opponents and need to make quick tactical adjustments.

How might data analytics have influenced tournament strategies? Teams likely utilized advanced statistics and video analysis to:

• Identify opponent tendencies and weaknesses
• Optimize lineup decisions and substitution patterns
• Adjust tactical approaches based on in-game performance metrics

This data-driven approach to the game adds another layer of complexity and strategy to tournament play, contributing to the high level of competition seen in the Big Ten championships.

Legacy and Future Outlook

The 2018 Big Ten Lacrosse Tournaments left an indelible mark on the conference’s lacrosse history. Johns Hopkins’ upset victory in the men’s tournament and Maryland’s continued dominance in the women’s competition set the stage for exciting developments in the seasons to come.

How will the results of the 2018 tournaments shape the future of Big Ten lacrosse? Several potential outcomes could emerge:

• Increased parity in the men’s competition, with other programs looking to challenge Maryland and Johns Hopkins
• Continued growth of the women’s game, with teams studying Maryland’s success and striving to reach their level
• Enhanced recruitment efforts across the conference as programs seek to build championship-caliber teams
• Greater national recognition for Big Ten lacrosse, potentially leading to more NCAA Tournament berths for conference teams

As the Big Ten continues to establish itself as a lacrosse powerhouse, the annual conference tournaments will likely grow in prestige and national importance. The excitement and high level of play demonstrated in the 2018 editions set a strong foundation for this ongoing development.

Continuing Education and Player Development

Beyond the competitive aspects, events like the Big Ten Lacrosse Tournaments provide valuable learning experiences for student-athletes. The pressure of high-stakes games, media attention, and rigorous competition schedules all contribute to personal and athletic growth.

How do these tournaments prepare players for future challenges? Participation in conference championships can:

• Improve players’ ability to perform under pressure
• Enhance time management skills as athletes balance tournament play with academic responsibilities
• Provide experience in dealing with media and public attention
• Foster leadership development as players guide their teams through intense competition

These experiences serve players well, not only in their athletic careers but also in their future professional endeavors beyond lacrosse.

As we reflect on the thrilling action and memorable moments of the 2018 Big Ten Lacrosse Tournaments, it’s clear that these events play a crucial role in the growth and development of the sport. From showcasing top talent and fostering rivalries to inspiring young players and uniting communities, the impact of these tournaments extends far beyond the final scores. With each passing year, the Big Ten lacrosse programs continue to raise the bar, promising even more excitement and outstanding performances in future tournaments.

2018 Big Ten Men’s Lacrosse Tournament

BIG TEN MEN’S LACROSSE

Records & History

Tickets

Statistics

Johns HopkinsHomeRosterSchedule MarylandHomeRosterSchedule Ohio StateHomeRosterSchedule RutgersHomeRosterSchedule

TICKETS

Tickets for the 2018 Big Ten Men’s Lacrosse Tournament are on sale through the Michigan Ticket Office. All tickets will be general admission.

Buy Tickets

All-Session Passes
– All Passes: $14

Single-Session Tickets
– Adults: $8
– Groups (10 or more): $3
– Students: $1 at the gate (must present ID)

Contact the Michigan Ticket Office at (734) 764-0247 or (866) 296-MTIX, or email [email protected].

Media Credentials: For media interested in gaining a credential to cover the men’s tournament, please contact Scott Kemps, championship media coordinator, at [email protected].

Follow the Big Ten: The field hockey pages on bigten.org will feature championship information, links to results and a full recap following the events. Fans can also track the Big Ten Men’s Lacrosse Tournament in real-time by following the conference on Twitter @BigTenChamps and @BigTen, or become a fan of the Big Ten Conference on Facebook or Instagram and receive exclusive updates.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The No. 2-seeded Johns Hopkins men’s lacrosse team won the 2018 Big Ten Tournament title after posting a 13-10 win over No. 1 seed Maryland in the championship game at University of Michigan Lacrosse Stadium on Saturday night.

The Blue Jays’ Cole Williams led all scorers with five goals and one assist. Maryland was led offensively by Connor Kelly with two goals and two assists.

Johns Hopkins won its second Big Ten Tournament title and the first since 2015 earning the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Selection Show will air on ESPNU Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.

Johns Hopkins’ goalie Brock Turnbaugh was named tournament Most Valuable Player after making 14 saves.

The complete Big Ten All-Tournament Team is listed below:

Logan Wisnauskas, Maryland, Attack
Connor Kelly, Maryland, Midfield
Matt Neufeldt, Maryland, Defense
Brock Turnbaugh, Johns Hopkins, Goalie
Kyle Marr, Johns Hopkins, Attack
Cole Williams, Johns Hopkins, Attack
Patrick Foley, Johns Hopkins, Defense
Robert Kuhn, Johns Hopkins, Defense
Alex Bronzo, Rutgers, Defense
Erik Evans, Ohio State, Defense

MVP: Brock Turnbaugh, Johns Hopkins, Goalie

2018 Big Ten Conference Women’s Lacrosse Tournament

BIG TEN WOMEN’S LACROSSE

Records & History

Tickets

Statistics

Johns HopkinsHomeRosterSchedule MarylandHomeRosterSchedule NorthwesternHomeRosterSchedule Penn StateHomeRosterSchedule

TICKETS

Tickets for the 2018 Big Ten Women’s Lacrosse Tournament are on sale through the Michigan Ticket Office. All tickets will be general admission.

Buy Tickets

All-Session Passes
– All Passes: $14

Single-Session Tickets
– Adults: $8
– Groups (10 or more): $3
– Students: $1 at the gate (must present ID)

Contact the Michigan Ticket Office at (734) 764-0247 or (866) 296-MTIX, or email [email protected].

Media Credentials: For media interested in gaining a credential to cover the women’s tournament, please contact Kurt Svoboda, associate athletic director, at [email protected].

Follow the Big Ten: The field hockey pages on bigten.org will feature championship information, links to results and a full recap following the events. Fans can also track the Big Ten Women’s Lacrosse Tournament in real-time by following the conference on Twitter @BigTenChamps and @BigTen, or become a fan of the Big Ten Conference on Facebook or Instagram and receive exclusive updates.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The No. 1-seeded Maryland women’s lacrosse team won its third consecutive Big Ten Tournament title after posting a 21-12 win over No. 3 seed Penn State in the championship game at University of Michigan Lacrosse Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Terps’ Megan Whittle led all scorers with eight goals, while Kali Hartshorn contributed three goals and one assist.

Maryland won its third consecutive Big Ten Tournament title, earning the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Selection Show will air on NCAA.com Sunday at 9:30 p.m. ET.

Whittle was named tournament Most Valuable Player for her performance.

The complete Big Ten All-Tournament Team is listed below:

Haley Crosson, G, Johns Hopkins
Julia Braig, D, Maryland
Lizzie Colson, D, Maryland
Kelly Daggett, D, Penn State
Mackenzie Heldberg, M, Johns Hopkins
Sheila Nesselbush, M, Northwestern
Katie O’Donnell, M, Penn State
Kali Hartshorn, A, Maryland
Caroline Steele, A, Maryland
Megan Whittle, A, Maryland
Selena Lasota, A, Northwestern
Maria Auth, A, Penn State
Madison Carter, A, Penn State

Most Outstanding Player: Megan Whittle, Maryland

2018 Men’s Lacrosse Season in Review

June 4, 2018 Five Big Ten squads finished the season ranked in the top-20 of the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association’s final poll. Maryland checked in at No. 2, while Johns Hopkins and Rutgers were close behind at No. 7 and No. 11, respectively. Penn State checked in at No. 19.

NCAA Tournament: Johns Hopkins and Maryland were selected to the 2018 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament, as announced on the NCAA Selection Show. For more information, click here and here.

Maryland earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season after posting a 12-3 regular-season record, including a 4-1 Big Ten slate. The Terrapins earned the outright Big Ten Championship for the fourth consecutive season. The Terrapins made their 41st appearance in the NCAA Tournament and 16th straight trip. Maryland advanced to the NCAA semifinals in Foxboro, Mass. before falling to Duke.

Johns Hopkins earned the No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament after finishing the regular season with an 11-4 record, including a 3-2 mark in Big Ten play. Johns Hopkins made its record 46th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and fifth straight. The Blue Jays advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals where they fell to Duke.

Regular-Season Crown: The Maryland men’s lacrosse team secured its fourth consecutive Big Ten Championship on April 28 following an 8-7 triple overtime win against Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland. The victory also secured the top seed in the Big Ten Tournament for the Terrapins who completed Big Ten play at 4-1. For the full release, including the Big Ten Tournament bracket, click here.

Big Ten Tournament Title: The No. 2-seeded Johns Hopkins men’s lacrosse team won the 2018 Big Ten Tournament title after posting a 13-10 win over No. 1 seed Maryland in the championship game at University of Michigan Lacrosse Stadium. For more information, including the All-Tournament Team, click here.

End-of-Year Awards: The 2018 Big Ten men’s lacrosse All-Conference teams and individual award winners were announced May 1, with Maryland’s Connor Kelly earning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year honors from the conference’s coaches. The Scarlet Knights’ Michl Rexrode was tabbed the Defensive Player of the Year, Penn State’s Gerard Arceri earned Specialist of the Year honors, while the Buckeyes’ Justin Inacio was named Freshman of the Year. Maryland’s John Tillman and Ohio State’s Nick Myers received Big Ten Co-Coach of the Year honors. For the complete list of All-Big Ten selections, click here.

USILA-Nike All-American Team: Ten Big Ten men’s lacrosse students were named to the 2018 USILA-Nike Division I All-American Team as announced by the association. For the complete list of All-America honorees, click here.

Academic All-Big Ten Honorees: The Big Ten Conference recognized a total of 1,906 students competing in spring sports who have been named to the Academic All-Conference team. The list of honorees features 95 men’s lacrosse students. To be eligible for Academic All-Big Ten selection, students must be on a varsity team, as verified by being on the official squad list as of May 1 for spring sports, who have been enrolled fulltime at the institution for a minimum of 12 months and carry a cumulative grade-point average of 3. 0 or higher. For the full list of honorees, click here.

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Big Ten Thursday Lunch Club Memo – April 25, 2019: Rivalry Weekend

To – Big Ten Thursday Lunch Club members

Re – Rivalry Weekend

Hey everyone, how’s it going? Welcome back to another Big Ten Thursday Lunch Club meeting. I hope everyone had a great Easter & Passover.

As we near the end of April time is running out for teams and their postseason hopes. Indeed, Selection Sunday is ten days from today and the Big Ten Tournament starts a week from today. The regular season music is about to end and three of the four chairs for the Big Ten Tournament are already taken. Penn State & Maryland clinched a spot in the B1G Tournament last weekend. Additionally, while Rutgers is 2-2 in the conference, they are assured a spot in conference tournament due to Big Ten tiebreakers.

Essentially, aside from seeding, the only thing left to figure out about the Big Ten Tournament is whether Ohio State or Hopkins gets a spot in the conference tournament. If you want a clearer understanding of all the issues involved with the Big Ten tiebreakers and potential seeding this weekend, check out this great Twitter thread by Chris. Additionally, Matt Kinnear of Inside Lacrosse also posted an informative article about what needs to happen for Ohio State to get a bid to the Big Ten Tournament.

Bottom line: Hopkins is in the conference tournament with a win this weekend versus Maryland and Ohio State is in with a win this Friday versus Michigan, plus a Hopkins loss to Maryland and a Rutgers win over Penn State. As you can see, there’s a lot on the line this weekend for the Blue Jays & Buckeyes.

Moving on to this weekend, you can find the Big Ten Thursday Lunch Club Big Board for April 25, 2019 directly below. Links in the 2019 Overall Record column will take you to that team’s official 2019 schedule page. Links in the Last Game column will take you to the recap of that team’s most recent game, while links in the 2018 Overall Record column will take you to Chris’ 2018 Year in Review post for that particular team.

Big Ten Thursday Lunch Club Big Board For April 25, 2019

You know a rivalry is true when both teams can’t decide when the series started or the overall series record. According to Hopkins’ game notes from their last meeting with Maryland (the 2018 Big Ten Tournament title game) the series began in the 19th century:

This week’s game between Johns Hopkins and Maryland will be the 117th in a series that dates to a 10-0 Johns Hopkins victory in 1895. The Blue Jays lead the all-time series 71-44-1.

Maryland has a more progressive view on the issue. According to Maryland’s game notes from the same game the series didn’t start until 1924.

Maryland and Hopkins are the two most storied lacrosse programs in the nation, with the rivalry beginning back in 1895 as Hopkins defeated the Maryland Agricultural College. The Blue Jays (44) and Terps (40) have played in the first and second most NCAA Tournaments since the event began in 1971, respectively. Maryland and Hopkins have also produced the most first team All-Americans in the history of lacrosse dating to the first awards in 1922.

While this will be the 117th meeting between the two schools, Maryland’s official record vs. Hopkins is 45-64-1. The first seven meetings between the two occurred before lacrosse was recognized as an official varsity sport at Maryland.

Of course Hopkins won last year’s Big Ten Tournament championship game giving the Blue Jays a 72-44-1 advantage or a 65-45-1 advantage in the series, depending which SID you talk to. Anyway, you get the picture, these two have played each many times. This is the sport’s biggest rivalry and a match-up that always delivers.

If you’re going to the game, please be advised that Saturday is Maryland Day at College Park, so expect some delays and plan for traffic as the school is expecting big crowds all weekend.

Michigan can’t turn back the clock on their underwhelming 2019 campaign, but they can make a lot of UM students, fans, & alums happy with a victory over their heated rivals this weekend. OSU vs. Michigan is a big deal in every sport, so you can put Michigan’s 3-9 record to the back of your mind, as the Wolverines will definitely be treating Friday’s game like it were an NCAA Tournament match-up.

It’s pretty simple for the OSU. Win this Friday and keep your dreams at making the Big Ten Tournament alive through the weekend. Lose and you’ll be out of the conference tournament discussion before the weekend even officially starts.

This is going to be an interesting game. Penn State will be favored, but will they play all their starters? Will the starters play the entire game? This game has no impact on PSU’s position in the Big Ten Tournament, as the Nittany Lions have already captured the number one seed. If PSU rests some of their players you could see RU come out with the win in Happy Valley.

Hopefully you will have a chance to watch some of the action this weekend. The fun begins on Friday night with OSU vs. Michigan. Catch you next week with another Big Ten Lunch Club memo. I’ll see you out there.

Very truly yours,

@Eri_Barrister

2021 #BIGEASTmlax Championship Kicks Off Thursday Night

Story Links

PROVIDENCE, R.I.  –  NCAA Tournament berths are the storyline for the week as the 2021 BIG EAST Men’s Lacrosse Championship presented by JEEP starts up in Providence, R.I. on May 6. The semifinals, which start at 5:30 p.m. ET will air on CBS Sports Network with Jason Horowitz on play-by-play and Steve Panarelli as the analyst. No. 1 Denver, squares off against host-school No. 4 Providence in the first semifinal. No. 2 Georgetown, the two-time defending champions, face No. 3 Villanova in the night cap at 8:30 p.m. ET.
 
The winners of the semifinals will face off in the final which will air on CBSSN on Saturday, May 8 at 3 p.m. ET. The BIG EAST Champion will earn the league’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. Brent Stover will replace Horowitz in the booth for Saturday’s final.
 
Georgetown has won the last two championships (2018, 2019). The Hoyas are one of four schools to win the BIG EAST Championship title. Only three other schools have done so previously: Syracuse (2012, 2013), Denver (2014, 2015) and Marquette (2016, 2017).
 
The BIG EAST Championship returns to Providence’s Chapey Field at Anderson Stadium for the second time. The last time was in 2017. The men’s lacrosse championship has only ever been held at two other locations: Villanova (2012-15, 2018) and Denver (2016, 2019).
 
The BIG EAST Championship in men’s lacrosse began in 2012. The BIG EAST starting sponsoring men’s lacrosse in 2010.
 
Semifinal 1: No. 1 Denver at No. 4 Providence
5:30 p.m. ET/CBSSN
Live Stats
In The BIG EAST Championship: Denver leads the series, 1-0. Last meeting 2016 Semifinals, Denver won 17-8.
2021 Regular-Season: Denver won both meetings, 23-10 (Feb. 27) and 19-11 (March 27).
 
Thursday is Denver’s seventh straight appearance in the BIG EAST Championship field. The Pioneers share a piece of the league title with Georgetown (9-1) and earned the No. 1 seed for the seventh-straight year. Denver has won two BIG EAST Championship titles: 2014 and 2015 and has been runner-up three times: 2016, 2018 and 2019. The only time Denver has not made the championship game was 2017, the last time the championship was hosted at Providence. Denver is 7-4 in the BIG EAST Championship. Providence is making its fourth appearance in the BIG EAST Championship (2016, 2017, 2019, 2021). The Friars are 1-3 in tournament games. Providence was runner-up in 2017 the last time the Friars hosted. Providence finished tied for fourth in the standings at 3-7.
 
Semifinal 2: No. 2 Georgetown vs. No. 3 Villanova
8:30 p.m. ET/CBSSN
Live Stats
In The BIG EAST Championship: Series is split, 1-1.
2021 Regular-Season: Georgetown won both meetings, 16-1 (Feb. 21) and 8-7 (March 27).
 
Georgetown is the two-time defending BIG EAST Champion, having won the 2018 and 2019 titles. Georgetown has finished runner-up once, 2015. The Hoyas are 5-2 overall in the BIG EAST Championship and 2021 is their fifth appearance in the field. Villanova is 2-9 in the BIG EAST Championship, having finished as runner-up in 2013 and 2014. It is Villanova’s ninth appearance in the tournament field. Villanova and Georgetown have met twice before in the BIG EAST Championship with the Wildcats earning a 15-12 victory in the 2013 semifinals and the Hoyas winning 13-10 in the 2018 semifinals en route to the tournament title.
 
BIG EAST Men’s Lacrosse Championship Presented by JEEP
Chapey Field at Anderson Stadium ~ Providence, R.I.
 
Semifinals – Thursday, May 6
No. 1 Denver at No. 4 Providence, 5:30 p. CBSSN
 

#1 Maryland Battles Hopkins in Big Ten Championship Saturday

Story Links

#1/1 Maryland (11-0) vs. Johns Hopkins (4-8)
May 8, 2021
Panzer Stadium
8:00 pm EDT

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The #1 Maryland lacrosse team has advanced to the Big Ten Championship game this Saturday, May 8 at 8 p.m., and will face #6-seed Johns Hopkins (4-8) in the final. The game will be broadcast on Big Ten Network. 

The Terrapins defeated #5-seed Michigan 16-8 in Thursday’s semifinal matchup, led by a historic eight-goal, 10-point performance from senior Jared Bernhardt.

This will be the first time in 115 meetings that Maryland and Johns Hopkins have met three times in the same season. Maryland defeated Hopkins in both meetings of the “The Rivalry” this season, topping the Blue Jays 18-10 in College Park on March 6 before rallying for a 14-13 win at Homewood on April 24.

JOHNS HOPKINS STORYLINES

UNBELIEVABLE BERNHARDT

• With his 10-point outburst against Michigan, Jared Bernhardt is now Maryland’s all-time leader in career points with 263. With his first assist of the day in the second quarter, Bernhardt passed Matt Rambo (257) for the all-time record.  
• Jared Bernhardt’s career-high eight goals against Michigan in the semifinals set a Big Ten Tournament record for goals in a game. Bernhardt is the first player in Maryland history to total eight goals in a game, which sits third on the single game list behind Bob Evans (10 – 1929) and Dick Corrigan (9 – 1958)  
• Jared Bernhard’s 10 points (8G, 2A) vs. Michigan were the most in a game by a Terp since Connor Kelly (2G, 8A) tallied 10 against Notre Dame in 2018. The 10 points set a Big Ten Tournament record.  

BIG TEN TOURNEY HISTORY

• Maryland is 6-3 all-time in the Big Ten Tournament, which includes back-to-back tournament championships in 2016 and 2017. Saturday marks the fourth Big Ten title game all-time that Maryland has advanced to. 

SEVEN TERPS LAND ON ALL-BIG TEN TEAM

• Jared Bernhardt was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year while Nick Grill was named the Defensive Player of the Year as the duo headlined Maryland’s seven-player All-Big Ten selections announced by the conference this week.
• The seven All-B1G selections ties the most-ever in a single season for Maryland (2016) while the four first team honorees also ties a yearly program high (2015).
• Bernhardt and Grill were joined by attackman Logan Wisnauskas and defenseman Brett Makar on the first team. Short stick defensive midfielder Roman Puglise, midfielder Kyle Long and goalie Logan McNaney were second team selections.
• The seven selections brings Maryland’s all-time total to 34 since the inception of Big Ten lacrosse.

GOOD THINGS COME IN 10’S

• Maryland has reached 10 wins for a NCAA-leading 18 consecutive 10-win+ seasons, including 11 under head coach John Tillman. 
• Maryland has put together 11 different runs of six or more goals this season, and at least one 6+ goal run in 10 of 11 games. The Terps longest scoring run of the season came against Michigan on April 10, scoring 16 straight goals in the 18-12 victory.    

HOT START

• Maryland completed its first undefeated regular season in 34 years. Maryland last finished a regular season undefeated in 1987, when the Terps started 12-0 and advanced to the NCAA Semifinals. Maryland has had eight undefeated regular seasons total in program history.  

Click here for this week’s game notes.

No. 6 Men’s Lacrosse Heads to Big Ten Tournament

Story Links

PISCATAWAY, N. J. – No. 6 Rutgers men’s lacrosse will head to Penn State this week for the 2021 Big Ten Tournament. The No. 2 seed, the Scarlet Knights earned a bye in the opening round and will face sixth-seeded and No. 20 Johns Hopkins in the Semifinals on Thursday night at 7:30 pm. The game will be televised by the Big Ten Network with Joe Beninati and Mark Dixon the call. WRSU will also provide a radio broadcast of the contest.
 
ABOUT RUTGERS

The Scarlet Knights enter the Big Ten Tournament at 8-2 overall. The eight conference wins and .800 conference winning percentage both mark program bests since joining the Big Ten. The 8-2 record through the regular season marked the first time RU had less than three losses in the regular season since 1982.

“I’m proud of the team for all the hard work they’ve put in and the sacrifices they’ve made to get to this point,” head coach Brian Brecht said. “They’ve committed to being the best version of themselves. We have great senior leadership and mentorship. Our success has been through a balance of good defense and goaltending with offensive production. I’m proud of what they’ve done in the regular season and excited to see what we can do in the tournament.”

Rutgers set program records in the release of the All-Big Ten awards with six all-conference selections. The team had three major award winners as Colin Kirst was named Big Ten Specialist of the Year, Shane Knobloch was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Brian Brecht was named Coach of the Year. Rutgers was represented on the First Team by Colin and Connor Kirst alongside Adam Charalambides, while Jaryd Jean-Felix, Kieran Mullins and Ethan Rall were on the second team.

Rutgers was the lone school with its entire starting attack named all-league. The trio (Charalambides, Connor Kirst and Kieran Mullins) has combined for 89 goals this season. Each member of the attack line has at 24 goals and has surpassed 40 points. All three rank in the top-five in the conference in points per game. Kirst needs just two goals and six points to set new career-highs offensively.

As a team, RU ranks in the top-ten in the nation in man-up offense (third, 52.2%), scoring offense (fifth, 15.3), points per game (seventh, 24.2) and clearing percentage (eighth, 89.2%).

“This group has done a really great job of understanding the day-to-day commitment it takes to be great, starting all the way back in the fall,” Adam Charalambides said. “That shows with the extra effort in practice. We have a great senior class, we have a lot of older, experienced guys. We’re all pushing each other. We have great chemistry and its fun to be around this group. We’re in a good spot, we’ve had good practices and we’ll be ready to go for the Big Ten Tournament.”

RECORD CHASING

Adam Charalambides enters the tournament with 140 career goals and 190 career points. He needs one goal to tie for third most all-time in Rutgers history and four to tie for second. He is currently 10^th in program history in points and can move into sixth place with seven more points.

 
Kieran Mullins needs two assists for 100 for his career. He would become the first player in Rutgers history to reach 100 goals and 100 assists in their career. He is eighth all-time at RU in both goals and assists and is on the verge of climbing up both of those rankings.

  
TOURNAMENT HISTORY

Rutgers is making its fourth appearance in the Big Ten Tournament since joining the league in 2015. RU is the No. 2 seed for the second time, the highest seed for the program since 2016. The Scarlet Knights are 1-3 all-time in Big Ten Tournament action. A victory would move RU into a tie for the third most Big Ten Tournament victories all-time.

2019: No. 1 Penn State 18, No. 4 Rutgers 6

2018: No. 1 Maryland 12, No. 4 Rutgers 9

2016: No. 2 Rutgers 14, No. 3 Johns Hopkins 12

2016: No. 1 Maryland 14, No. 2 Rutgers 8

Rutgers will be looking for its first win in the Big Ten Tournament since 2016, when RU defeated the same team it faces on Thursday, Johns Hopkins. In that contest, RU earned its first postseason win since 1990 with a 14-12 victory over the Blue Jays. The only two student-athletes to play in that game that are still on the roster each made big impacts in that win. Adam Charalambides, that season’s Big Ten Freshman of the Year, scored five goals to lead the Scarlet Knights in the game. Zackary Franckowiak, then a true freshman who subsequently left RU for two seasons for a LDS Mission Trip, had his lone career multi-goal game with two scores in that contest and was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament team.

ABOUT JOHNS HOPKINS

No. 6 seed Johns Hopkins enters the matchup following a 15-7 win over No. 3 Penn State in the Quarterfinals. That improved their record to 3-8 on the season, having finished the season tied for fifth place in the Big Ten, but losing a coin flip to Michigan for seeding. The No. 20 Blue Jays are 6-3 all-time in the Big Ten Tournament, with their six all-time wins in the tournament are the most by any team in the league. The team is led offensively by Connor DeSimone, their lone all-conference selection, with 24 goals and 18 assists. JHU ranks last in the nation in saves per game (9.0), with Tim Marcille making the last two starts in goal. On faceoffs, Matt Narewski is at 54.4 percent.

ABOUT THE SERIES

The game marks the 43^rd meeting all time between the two squads, with the Blue Jays holding a 34-8 lead. In 2015, both teams joined the Big Ten, with the Scarlet Knights entrance into the conference leading to the league adding Johns Hopkins as an affiliate member. Since both teams became conference rivals, Rutgers has won four of the eight meetings. The Scarlet Knights won both regular season meetings this year against JHU. Earlier this season, the Scarlet Knights went to Homewood Field and captured a 15-9 win over No. 14 Johns Hopkins behind an explosive 7-1 outburst in the final quarter to capture the win. Kieran Mullins led the way with five goals and three assists in that game. In the second matchup, Rutgers hosted the Blue Jays on Senior Day and finished the game on a 6-0 run over the final 21 minutes in a 17-11 win. Adam Charalambides had six goals and two assists in that contest. A victory for RU would represent the first time in the series history that the Scarlet Knights won three straight contests. This will be the first ever meeting between the teams to occur on a true neutral site, as Rutgers’ 2016 Big Ten Tournament victory over Johns Hopkins came when the Blue Jays hosted the event at Homewood Field. 

 

90,000 Game number one. How football won other sports

In modern times, only two sports events stand out sharply from all the rest: the Olympic Games and the World Cup. According to preliminary estimates, the 2018 Winter Olympics in Korea cost $ 12.9 billion, and the football tournament currently taking place in Russia – $ 11.8 billion.FIFA expects $ 6.1 billion in revenue from the 2018 World Cup, while the income of the International Olympic Committee ( IOC) from the London 2012 Summer Games was $ 5.2 billion.

According to FIFA estimates, 3.4 billion spectators will watch the 2018 championship. The London Olympics were watched by about 3.6 billion people. At the same time, the program of the Olympic Games includes several dozen types of competitions, one of which is football. Other sports can only dream of such an audience.

Why football has become popular

Oddly enough, one of the reasons for the demand for football is the optimal size of the playing field. Dimensions of 105 by 65 meters provide a large and convenient view for both TV viewers and fans in the stands, and a convenient configuration of a simple rectangle allows you to accommodate the maximum number of spectators without compromising visibility.

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The size of the field also determines the relatively unhurried pace of the game. This allows fans to have a good look at the field combinations, attack deployments and all other elements of the match. There is no impetuous moment of hockey, when untrained spectators do not have time to figure out the intricacies of attack, fast puck transfer and player movements. And a small puck cannot be seen in comparison with a large ball.

In addition, the ball is always in sight – it is not held in the hands as in American football or rugby.The flight paths are much more varied and longer than in basketball or volleyball. This gives football a spectacular picture on the TV screen, whether it is a goalkeeper throwing the ball into play or a free kick.

The second factor that helps football to be in demand is the number of players. In this indicator, football surpasses most other team ball games, which implies a significant variety of playing situations and combinations. At the same time, football players do not create a “crush” as in American football or rugby.Unlike baseball and cricket, all players participate in the mast at the same time, rather than waiting for their turn on the sidelines.

Third, football is relatively simple. Almost every spectator has a minimal personal experience of the game: every one at least once in his life kicked the ball. The gaming experience has a positive effect on the viewing of the game – it is easier for the observer to imagine himself in the player’s place.

Not only the rules are simple, but also the arrangement of the field. You can make a semblance of a gate from trash cans, backpacks or a bench.It is much more difficult to simulate a basketball hoop or a huge goal for American football. In addition, for all the simplicity of the rules, football opens up the opportunity for many combinations, unlike, for example, volleyball.

Finally, fixed play times help the record-breaking soccer ratings. Two halves of 45 minutes each are convenient for television shows: such a layout is neither too fast nor too protracted, and the obligatory break allows broadcasters to make money by selling advertising time.

As a result, the objective characteristics of the game (that is, the combination of simplicity, entertainment and convenience) make football attractive to the spectator. But there are also subjective factors that bring football to the rank of the # 1 international game.

What stands in the way of other sports

Great Britain is home to not only the industrial revolution, but also sports. This country has spawned many sports disciplines that have become popular in the 20th century. From there come football, cricket, lacrosse, polo, rugby and many other sports.Cricket proved to be extremely popular at home and in the former British colonies. In India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia and the Caribbean, cricket is valued far above football.

However, within England, cricket has not become as profitable a game as football. There is much lower cash turnover and a smaller aggregate audience. On the Forbes 100 Highest-Paid Athletes list, three of the top five represent football, and there is only one cricketer, and then in 83rd place.This is Virat Koli from the Indian national team.

Football pushed aside its competitors and became a global power at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Since that time, the football industry has worked to maintain the special status of this game.

Players from amateurs have turned into professionals with revenues of $ 100 million a year, clubs have acquired billions of dollars in budgets. Last year, Manchester United (Manchester United) revenues reached $ 737 million, and the estimated value of the British team reached $ 3.7-4 billion, the Spanish Real Madrid and Barcelona show a comparable scale.

A separate industry has emerged in the football accompaniment industry: coaches, doctors, sports massage therapists and even specialized journalists have been able to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars from the public’s love for football.

Hundreds of billions of dollars are now spinning in world football. These are professional clubs, specialized media, equipment manufacturers (child labor in Pakistan to sew balls is a headache for human rights defenders), and the production of souvenirs, and the publication of football literature, and the construction of stadiums, and much more.

At the moment, the leading clubs in Europe are comparable in importance to large industrial or financial corporations: for example, the Prada and Armani brands are cheaper than MU.

The work of the president of the club is not inferior in complexity to the management of a large city, holding or bank. Now it is not only the purchase and sale of players and the selection of a coach, but also the work of hundreds of employees, the maintenance of the stadium and training facilities, advertising contracts, the sale of commercial rights, transport issues, public relations, the maintenance of football schools, communication with fans and a host of other aspects.

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With such financial and marketing power behind football, other sports have little chance of winning a massive audience.

Why the USA doesn’t like football

There is a big and important exception on the world map – the USA. As you know, “classic” football, which in America is called soccer, is not in great demand in the United States.

Over the past twenty years, the major US football league, called MLS (Major League Soccer), has achieved some success, but it’s still impossible to say that football has caught up with the “big four”.The Big Four are the most popular sports in the United States: American football, baseball, basketball, and hockey.

However, economically, hockey is sharply inferior to the other three games in terms of profitability, American Forbes does not even include its teams in the list of the most expensive sports teams in the world. And this list is very indicative.

Among the first fifty clubs were 29 representatives of American football, including the most expensive sports team on the planet, the Dallas Cowboys. There are only seven football clubs in the ranking: four English, two Spanish and one German. The rest is roughly equally divided between basketball (exclusively American) and baseball.

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Right now in the world of sports there are two universes: the USA and the rest of the world. There are many football clubs on the planet, but for the most part they are “poor”; American football clubs are few, but rich. The relationship between these two worlds is very peculiar.

The United States still remains “closed” to football, which, although it has entrenched itself in the country after the 1994 home world championship, is not able to squeeze out the old people. In terms of financial indicators, soccer is inferior even to hockey.

Today, the average cost of NHL teams is $ 594 million, and the maximum (in the case of the New York Rangers) reaches $ 1.5 billion. In the MLS, the average cost is $ 223 million, and the highest (Los Angeles Galaxy ) – $ 315 million

With such numbers, making long-term predictions about the fate of European football in America is an unreliable business. In the nineties of the last century, even the invitation of the famous Pele to the New York “Cosmos” did not change the attitude of the Americans towards soccer.

Jack Kemp, a great American football player and later a congressman, once said that this sport is most consistent with the mentality of Americans as an individualistic game, while European football is a team game, which means it is socialist. It was a joke, but a revealing joke.

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The main obstacle to the spread of football in America is rooted in tradition.The history and habits of the United States have imbibed important attributes of baseball and American football. They have become something of an ersatz religion: a unifying symbol that connects different generations of Americans.

The NFL Super Bowl is the most watched television show in the United States, and watching American football matches has been part of the November Thanksgiving tradition for more than half a century. Many families who get together for the holiday do not sit down to the table until they watch the main game.With this cultural background, American football doesn’t have to fear competition from outside soccer.

Inertia and viewing culture

A logical question arises: why the rest of the world, which since the middle of the 20th century openly borrows American values ​​and adopts everything from jeans to jazz to cinema from the United States, did not become imbued with baseball and American football? Basketball and ice hockey have at least taken some narrow niche, while the two main sports of the United States are played only in neighboring Mexico, Canada and Cuba, as well as in Japan, which has fallen under the influence of the Americans.

I think the reasons are the same as in the case of cricket. Baseball and American football are difficult to understand: to fully enjoy the game, viewers need to understand a lot of subtleties. Americans watch matches due to the fact that since childhood they are immersed in the specifics of the game.

A distant observer might say that American football is inferior in entertainment to similar rugby. No lengthy passes or complicated combinations; the player ran a meter, they knocked him down, again a meter, they knocked him down again.Baseball seems to Europeans to be extremely boring at all: the players are released one at a time, the untrained fans do not have a feeling of universal involvement.

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To read a game drawing, you need to see what is invisible at first glance. Naturally, this is not a problem for Americans. They perceive the same baseball not as a show, but as an important ritual of unity with previous generations and the spirit of free America.

This division clearly indicates that the sports business is an extremely conservative substance.Trends here take hold for a long time, and viewers’ habits and tastes are reluctant to change.

Baseball was successfully implanted in Japan and Cuba, but in one case it was the result of military defeat and occupation, and in the second – the same occupation and strong cultural domination. Even in Cuba’s neighborhood in the English-speaking West Indies, cricket remains the undisputed favorite.

Therefore, attempts to transplant either American football or baseball onto Russian soil are doomed to failure. They require huge investments in the formation of the corresponding subculture.It should be admitted: in the foreseeable future, nothing threatens the status of football, either in Russia or in the world. Inertia will give him a solid top spot in viewership.

Casus Smolova and Mancini against everyone: what you need to know about the Russian championship :: Football :: RBC Sport

On Sunday, May 13, the Russian Football Championship ended.For the second time in a row, gold went to a team that, before the start of the season, was not even among the top three contenders for the title, and the richest club again did not even make it to the Champions League.

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Photo: Globallookpress.com

How Lokomotiv became the champion after 14 years

Railwaymen became Russian champions one round before the end of the championship – Lokomotiv won at Zenit at home and was able to celebrate gold with their fans. Lokomotiv came out on top in the table after the 14th round and has not lost its leadership since then.

Lokomotiv lost only seven points out of 24 in matches against the teams that took places from second to fifth (and only four points out of 18 in matches against Spartak, Zenit and CSKA). One of the key moments was the away victory of Lokomotiv over Zenit – Yuri Semin’s team finished the first round by defeating the main favorite of the championship with a score of 3: 0, came out on to a clear first place and after that did not go down any lower.

Lokomotiv celebrates its championship

Semin became the oldest winner of the Russian Championship as a coach – he won at the age of 70.Prior to that, the oldest champion was Dutchman Dick Advocaat, who won the year he celebrated his sixtieth birthday.

Who became the top scorer of the Russian Championship

Even a round before the end of the championship, Spartak player Quincy Promes and Krasnodar player Fyodor Smolov were fighting for the title of the best sniper. The first in the race was Promes, who scored 15 goals in a season. The result was worse than in the previous two seasons – before that Smolov became the top scorer twice in a row with 20 and 18 goals, respectively.

Who will play in the Champions League

Quincy Promes and Luiz Adriano

(Photo: FC “Spartak”)

Three teams from Russia will play in the Champions League next season, not two as this year.One round before the end of the championship, Spartak ensured that the main European Cup was won – the team defeated Rostov and guaranteed itself a place in the top three.

Zenit, the richest club in the championship, which bought almost two dozen new players before the start of the season, including stellar ones, could not get into the top three. The most that Roberto Mancini’s team managed to achieve was a four-point lead in the middle of the first lap. During the season, Zenit lost to all its main competitors and made it only to the Europa League.

Who will play in the Europa League

Photo: TASS

Russia will field three teams in the Europa League, but the choice of these clubs turned out to be unusual.Unlike most European countries, Russia will not be able to nominate the winner of the national cup in the tournament – Tosno did not apply for licensing to participate in European cups, and, although it won the Russian tournament, it will not participate in the European one. The reason was the lack of funding – the club is experiencing financial problems, it has a fairly large debt and it simply would not be licensed by UEFA.

Instead of Tosno in the Europa League, it will not be the finalist of the Russian Cup, which is Avangard from Kursk, will play, but the sixth team of the championship, which will be Ufa.The Ufa club entered the European Cup for the first time. Also, the Europa League will play Krasnodar and Zenit, which took fourth and fifth places, respectively.

Who departed from the RFPL and will play in the FNL

Tosno vs. SKA-Khabarovsk

(Photo: FC “Tosno”)

The first loser of the championship was SKA-Khabarovsk.In the 27th round, the army team lost to Dynamo and were eliminated from the tournament directly. The second club, which went directly to the FNL, was determined only in the last round of the championship. It was “Tosno”, which lost to “Ufa” with a score of 0: 5 and could not get around “Anji”.

Anji and Amkar will play in the play-offs – the Permians had a chance to leave 13th place in the championship, but despite a lot of chances to score, they could not beat Akhmat at home.

Who joined the RFPL from the FNL

Andrey Tikhonov, coach of Wings of the Soviets

(Photo: FC Krylya Sovetov)

The championship in the National Football League was won by those clubs that left it a year ago.Krylya Sovetov and Orenburg secured the first and second places ahead of schedule and in the last rounds played only the title of the winner of the FNL – the gold went to Orenburg.

In the play-offs against Amkar and Anji, Enisey and Tambov will play, which also guaranteed third and fourth places even before the last round. None of this pair has ever played in the Premier League.

Of these four clubs, three are headed by coaches who have made a great playing career: Dmitry Alenichev coaches Enisey, Andrei Tikhonov coaches Krylya Sovetov, Andrei Talalaev coaches Tambov.

Which of the grandees of the Russian Premier League broke up with the coach

Roberto Mancini, now the former coach of Zenit

(Photo: Globallookpress.com)

From the top five of the Russian championship, two clubs will start the next season with different coaches. Krasnodar changed the mentor before the end of the championship – the place of Igor Shalimov was taken by Murad Musaev, who until the end of the championship remained acting head coach, and from next season will become a full-fledged team leader.Musaev replaced Shalimov five rounds before the finish, and Krasnodar played these five rounds very successfully – they beat Zenit and Lokomotiv among other things, defeated Arsenal and SKA-Khabarovsk and drew with Rubin …

Zenit the day before the end of the championship announced parting with Mancini – the match against SKA was the last match for the Italian in Russia. Mancini has already agreed with the Italian Football Federation and from July will begin to prepare the national team of his country for the Euro qualifying tournament. Zenit did not insist that the Italian fulfilled the contract to the end – it is obvious that Mancini could not fulfill the tasks assigned to him and there was no point in keeping him.

Lokomotiv did not seek good from good, and even during the season extended the contract with Yuri Semin. The agreement will be valid for another year, while the parties can extend it for another season.

Rumors about the resignation of Spartak coach Massimo Carrera circulated throughout the season – the red and white started unsuccessfully, the Italian had a conflict with the team leader Denis Glushakov and assistant Roman Pilipchuk, but Carrera eventually completed the task and got into the Champions League, so that for now it is he who remains the coach of Spartak.

CSKA also did not see the point in changing the coach – the army team went farthest from the Russian clubs in European competition and advanced to the Champions League, despite the fact that they had the shortest bench among competitors.

Seasonal injuries

Alexander Kokorin in the match against Leipzig

(Photo: FC Zenit)

In the course of the season, several leaders of the leading teams of the championship were seriously injured and were out of action for a long time.Spartak suffered the most from injuries – due to a ruptured knee ligament, he lost four base players at once. The start of the season was missed by Roman Zobnin, who was injured last May, and during the season Spartak lost Artyom Timofeev, Georgy Dzhikia and Georgy Tigiev. The last two will not be able to play at the World Cup.

CSKA was left without defender Viktor Vasin in winter, who was also out of action for six months. He will not be able to play at the World Cup – due to the injuries of Vasin and Djikia, the Russian team lost the entire center of defense, and there was, by and large, no one to replace them.

In the spring, Zenit lost two players – first defender Emanuel Mammana broke down on a hard field in Rostov, and then forward Alexander Kokorin injured his knee. They will not go to the World Cup either, but if the Argentine national team finds someone to replace the defender, then Stanislav Cherchesov now has virtually only one candidate for the center-forward position, Fedor Smolov.

How Zenit lacked two dozen newcomers for the season

Artem Dziuba scores a goal against Zenit

(Photo: FC Arsenal)

Before the start of the season, Mancini asked to buy him two dozen new players, but although his request was fulfilled, throughout the season the Italian complained about the lack of players in all lines.During the winter break, Zenit’s management acquired several more players, including the Russian national team players Magomed Ozdoev and Anton Zabolotny, but Mancini was still dissatisfied.

At the same time, during the winter season, Zenit leased Artyom Dzyub and Oleg Shatov – both left the club, as their game did not suit the head coach. Both Dziuba and Shatov scored against Zenit in the second round and took away the points from the club, which he did not have enough to get into the Champions League, and both Mancini, he said, was going to return to Zenit.But now the decision on the fate of the players on loan will be decided by another coach, apparently.

What else you need to know about the Russian Championship

“Amkar” this season could not play two home matches at once at the stadium in Perm, although an artificial pitch was laid there just to be able to play at home in any weather. The workers of the stadium, cleaning the arena, together with the snow, raked the rubber crumb, which is necessary on the lawn, together with the snow, and the field became unsuitable for use by the RFPL teams.It was only possible to fill in this crumb when the temperature was above zero, so at the beginning of the spring part of the championship, “Amkar” had to play outside Perm. The match against Arsenal took place in Ufa, and the game against Lokomotiv took place in Moscow. The future champion thus gained an advantage over the competitors, as he was able to play one more match at home, but did not take advantage of this – Amkar won in the capital.

Dynamo managed to part with Pavel Pogrebnyak, who played only one match for the blue and white this season, but at the same time received the highest salary in the club.Dynamo announced that Pogrebnyak violated the terms of the contract – he left for the Juventus – Inter match while Dynamo played with Anji, and also played for the veterans of the Spartak academy in the form of a company that there was no sponsorship agreement with Dynamo. After that, the club unilaterally terminated the contract with Pogrebnyak, the footballer responded by suing the team, and he himself moved to Tosno, with which he won the Russian Cup. He also won the court against Dynamo.

Card to Fedor Smolov in the match against Arsenal

(Photo: FC Krasnodar)

At the end of the season, Andrei Budogossky, head of the refereeing department, lost his post.This resignation was preceded by a scandal in the Krasnodar-Arsenal match. The referee of this match, Artem Chistyakov, showed Fedor Smolov a yellow card for the simulation, and because of this warning Smolov missed the match against CSKA. After watching the FTC, the RFU admitted that the judge was mistaken and there was no simulation, but he did not cancel the yellow card, since there is no point in the championship regulations on which the warning can be canceled. Instead, the RFU announced the need for changes in refereeing, and fired Budogossky.

Federation with a twist

Today there are 133 National Federations worldwide as members of the FEI. Most of them, of course, do not represent all eight disciplines. For example, at the international level, representatives of only 22 countries compete in reining competitions, 23 in vaulting, and 30 in driving. international levels.Some of them have received official status and are managed by the equestrian associations of their FEI member countries. Others developed according to a different scenario and merged into their own, separate, international federations.

You don’t have to go far for exoticism, because one of the disciplines that are not included in the FEI “classic eight” exists in our country. Dzhigitovka – the Cossack martial art of owning a horse – is becoming very popular today and is developing in several regions of Russia and, moreover, is “exported” to other countries, which even makes it possible to hold a world championship.The All-Russian Federation of Equestrian Tricking and Tent Pegging has existed as part of the FKSR since 2013 under the leadership of E.V. Seregin. By the way, due to the similarity of the exercises, trick athletes can easily perform in tengtegging (more on this discipline later).

If you study the equestrian federations of European countries, then here France will be the most variegated in terms of the composition of national disciplines. In this country, championships are held in 18 (!) Equestrian types, including the generally accepted ones. Moreover, we do not even consider the topic of racetrack tests.The rules of some disciplines are so strange that at first it is difficult to believe in their official status. But the scrupulous French have prescribed regulations for everyone, and every year they bring competitions according to them into a single calendar. Here are some examples.

The Ride & Run is a doubles discipline in which one athlete is on a horse or pony, and the other runs alongside and must not lag behind. During the route, the athletes change places several times. The winner is the pair (or, more correctly, the three, if the horse is also counted), which will reach the finish line the fastest.

Equifeel – competition, the purpose of which is to show the maximum understanding between man and horse or pony, their interaction. There is no rider as such – the athlete works from the ground. Only a halter can be worn on a horse. In this form, she fulfills the commands of her bipedal partner. For example, a horse should step backward from a motionless person, stepping over the lying poles.

Equifun is a sequence of exercises that are performed on horseback for a while.For example, you need to go “snake” between the cones or remove a bicycle tire from one barrier and put it on another. In this form, maneuverability is very important.

TREC – equestrian sport tourism competition. Consists of 3 tests.

Stage “PO” – orienteering in unfamiliar terrain using a compass and a map at a distance of 12 to 60 kilometers, depending on the level of the competition.

Stage “PTV” – a bunch of 300 m to 2 km from natural or artificial obstacles: chest, pedestrian bridge, ford, gate, low branches.The judges evaluate the effectiveness of the controls and the style of the couple.

Stage “MA” – indicative gaits. From 100 to 150 meters, the rider must show the judges the fastest and most rhythmic step his horse is capable of, followed by the slowest and most rhythmic canter.

The French Equestrian Federation also patronizes such disciplines as horseball, skijoring, equestrian archery, children’s horse races and pony races, lady’s saddle riding, Icelandic riding and others.

Oddly enough, Germany has nothing to surprise us with in terms of exotic species, but there is a clearly formed “classic eight” disciplines, in each of which German horsemen are among the leaders.

A similar situation is with Belgium, but in the national federation of this country, as well as in France, there is still horseball and TREC.

The Dutch, who are also recognized leaders of classical disciplines, have their own national one, which is called Aangespannen .This is a kind of cocktail of driving and dressage. Harnessed horses are judged at the trot: how far and high their front legs go, and how actively the hind legs work. Horses can be harnessed in singles, in pairs or in fours. If there are several horses in the harness, the synchronization of their movements is assessed, as well as the “caliber” – how much they are equal in color and type.

Traditions of the United Kingdom

The Equestrian Federation of Great Britain follows the traditional imperial principles of the United Kingdom, uniting in its structure 19 independent organizations – 15 full and 4 associate members.In addition to individual areas in all disciplines of the FEI, it includes, for example, associations of grooms, riding schools, manufacturers of equestrian goods BETA.

As for exotic equestrian sports games, the British did not do without them. The first is polocross . It is based on equestrian polo and lacrosse, a sports game between two teams using a small rubber ball. Lacrosse was first played in 1932 in London. Since then, the game has changed somewhat in form, but not in essence.The polocross is played by two teams of six, each with a long-handled racket with a net at the end. A soft rubber ball is played: it is caught in the racket’s net and passed to other players by throwing it or bouncing it off the ground. The game is divided into six chake, each lasting eight minutes.

There is another applied military command discipline with rather complex rules with many variations. In the original language, it is called Mounted games .The field is divided into straight lines, like lanes in a pool – each team has its own. Participants of several teams start at once, which looks very dynamic and exciting. At a fast canter, they perform various exercises either on the track itself, or on short, steep turns during a change of direction. Arrange or move objects from one pedestal to another, pick up the rings with a special “lance”, insert flags into special cones, perform a dismount-sit on a change of direction, grabbing an object from the ground – this is only a small part of what needs to be done to win , which goes to the team that completes all exercises first.Dexterity and even daring is definitely indispensable here.

On the two banks of Gibraltar

The Spanish equestrian cocktail also has a classic base, with the addition of a couple of exotic ingredients. There is also sports equestrian tourism. As in many countries, pony sports are singled out in a separate direction here. But the main asset of Spain is, of course, the traditional dressage Doma Vaquera . This style, pioneered by Iberian shepherds, was cultivated in the Andalusian Riding School.Horses are appreciated here, which react with lightning speed to the rider’s commands, which can quickly stop, perform, for example, a pirouette or other figures – and all this in complete submission and at high speed.

“Cousin” Doma Vaquera from neighboring Portugal, the discipline, which received the international name Working equitation (or “working dressage”), has become so popular all over the world that it has grown into an independent WAWE International Federation.The first European Working equitation Championship was held in 1996 in Italy, and today the sport is played in 19 countries.

On the other side of the Strait of Gibraltar is Morocco, an African country with a fairly high level of equestrian sports. Only four disciplines develop here: dressage, show jumping, distance running and Tbourida, or Fantasy . The latter is, rather, not a sport, but an ancient military tradition of the Barbary horsemen, which has turned into a unique show that cannot be seen in any other country.

The first Phantasia took place in 1818 and was attended by 1.5 thousand horses. “Riders in embroidered, surprisingly thin clothes are armed with Moorish rifles. Each horse has a head ornament made of drape or velor, very bright with a long fringe that practically covers the eyes. The horse’s neck is covered with a piece of red drape, decorated with a garland of shiny ovals, and small purses with amulets are hung around the neck. The horses, full of fire, are held only with the help of austere Arabian iron, nothing else would have helped, “- this is how a European who witnessed the holiday described the holiday 200 years ago.Outwardly, nothing has changed since then.

The meaning of everything that happens is an imitation of a battle: a team of 7-19 riders, called “sorba”, line up in a straight line and synchronously begins to gallop along a straight line 200 m long, at the end of which they simultaneously shoot blank cartridges from special rifles and turn sharply. The most important thing is exactly the synchronization, the shot should sound like one big loud explosion. If you are ever in Morocco, be sure to plan attending this unique show.

Non-Cowboy America

In recent years, Americans more and more often occupy the podiums of the largest international equestrian tournaments. In the TOP-10 of the FEI world rankings in all disciplines of the “classic eight”, except for distance runs, athletes from the United States are included. But it would be strange if such a huge country, which united the traditions of dozens of peoples, did not create its own unique equestrian sports. The United States Equestrian Federation offers 10 such disciplines.The rules in them are simple to the point of banality.

For example, Parade Horse is literally nothing more than a showcase of bright and unusual ammunition. English Pleasure (lit. “English entertainment”) – a very boring action, invented by the Americans, as if in a mockery of English stiffness. Outwardly, it is a walking ride without any intelligible elements, in which the horse’s obedience and smooth transitions from one gait to another are assessed. Carriage Pleasure Driving – a type of driving with additional requirements for the crew itself. It must be either actually antique or replica. There is also the Hunter , which is a sort of low jumping style, the Roadster is a hybrid of dressage and trotting, and the competition for the best riding position.

All this looks rather boring and does not at all resemble the reining with which we are used to associate the national flavor of equestrian America.

If we continue to look for a highlight in the national equestrian federations of countries located in regions with a seemingly distinctive culture: Latin America, Central Asia or the Middle East – alas, we will be disappointed. Neither in Brazil, nor in Japan, nor in India, the composition of the disciplines does not even gain the full “package” of the FEI. And if somewhere national equestrian competitions are held, then they do not have the official status of a sports discipline.

Outside FEI

Historically, a number of internationally recognized horse sports have not been managed by the FEI.They went their own way and united themselves into independent federations, whose tasks include organizing international tournaments, including world championships, improving the rules, refereeing and other global issues. In addition to the already mentioned WAWE (World association for working equitation), there are international federations of horseball (FIHB), tent pegging (ITPF) and, of course, equestrian polo (FIP).

In the map above, we have marked the countries that are members of these largest – outside the FEI – equestrian federations.

The International Equestrian Federation dates back to 1921. The first pillars were Olympic show jumping, dressage and triathlon. In 1970, they were joined by driving, in 1983 – vaulting, in 1992 – distance races, in 2000 – reining. After Princess Haya, as President of the FEI, took the Paralympic Driving and Dressage Federation under the Federation’s wing in 2006, the disciplines have not changed.

As we can see, this does not prevent enthusiasts from engaging in completely diverse, sometimes even strange, sports using horses in different parts of the world.Who knows, maybe after a few years they will become so popular that the next FEI head will think about expanding the range of disciplines of the main regulatory body in world equestrian sports.

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