How does the NCAA Division III Men’s Lacrosse Tournament work. What are the key matchups and teams to watch in the 2023 tournament. Which teams are the top seeds and favorites to win the championship.
Overview of the 2023 NCAA Division III Men’s Lacrosse Tournament
The 2023 NCAA Division III Men’s Lacrosse Tournament promises to be an exciting and grueling competition featuring the top teams from across the country. With a unique tournament structure and several powerhouse programs in contention, this year’s championship race is shaping up to be highly competitive.
The tournament features a total of 38 teams, with 29 automatic qualifiers from conference champions and 9 at-large bids. The bracket is divided into two main regions, with Tufts and Salisbury earning the coveted No. 1 seeds in their respective halves.
Key Tournament Details:
- First round: May 10, 2023 (6 games)
- Second and third rounds: May 13-14, 2023 (back-to-back games at 8 host sites)
- Quarterfinals and semifinals: May 20-21, 2023
- Championship game: May 28, 2023 in Philadelphia
Top Seeds and Teams to Watch
Which teams are the favorites to make a deep run in this year’s tournament? Let’s examine the top seeds and other contenders:
Tufts University (No. 1 Seed)
Tufts enters the tournament as the top overall seed after an historic regular season. The Jumbos became the first team in NESCAC history to finish undefeated, establishing themselves as the team to beat. Their high-powered offense and championship pedigree make them a serious threat to claim the title.
Salisbury University (No. 1 Seed)
Perennial powerhouse Salisbury overcame an early season loss to Gettysburg to earn the other No. 1 seed. The Sea Gulls showed their resilience by defeating Christopher Newport twice to claim their conference title. With a storied history of success in the NCAA tournament, Salisbury will be a formidable opponent for any team in their bracket.
Other Contenders
While Tufts and Salisbury are the top seeds, several other programs have the potential to make noise in the tournament:
- RIT: A consistently strong program looking to break through for a national title
- Denison: NCAC champions with a talented roster
- Union: Impressive regular season earned them a host site for early rounds
- Christopher Newport: Pushed Salisbury in their conference and could be dangerous
- Washington and Lee: ODAC champions hosting early round games
Tournament Structure and Challenges
How does the NCAA Division III Men’s Lacrosse Tournament differ from other collegiate championships? The tournament structure presents unique challenges for participating teams:
Back-to-Back Games
Unlike many other college sports tournaments, the Division III lacrosse championship features multiple rounds of back-to-back games. This format tests teams’ depth, conditioning, and ability to make quick adjustments between contests.
Roster Management
With the grueling schedule of consecutive games, coaches must carefully manage their rosters to keep players fresh. Depth will be crucial, as teams that can effectively rotate players and avoid fatigue will have an advantage in later rounds.
Travel Considerations
Some teams may face long travel distances between games, adding another layer of complexity to their preparation and recovery. Programs that can efficiently handle these logistical challenges will be better positioned for success.
Key Matchups in Early Rounds
Which early-round games have the potential to shake up the bracket? Here are some intriguing matchups to watch:
York vs. Cabrini
This second-round matchup features two strong programs with championship aspirations. York, the MAC Commonwealth champion, takes on Cabrini, the Atlantic East representative. Both teams have the potential to make a deep run, making this an early test for each squad.
Lynchburg vs. St. John Fisher
Lynchburg earned an at-large bid after a strong season, while St. John Fisher claimed the Empire 8 title. This clash of styles could produce an exciting and closely contested game.
Gettysburg vs. Scranton
Gettysburg, known for their early-season victory over Salisbury, faces off against Landmark Conference champion Scranton. This matchup has upset potential and could reshape the bracket in the Christopher Newport quadrant.
Impact of Conference Strength
How do the various conferences compare in terms of representation and potential success in the tournament?
NESCAC Dominance
The New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) has established itself as a powerhouse in Division III lacrosse. With Tufts leading the way and other strong programs like Williams and Middlebury in the field, the NESCAC is well-positioned for tournament success.
Competitive Depth
While some conferences like the NESCAC and Centennial have multiple teams in the field, others are represented by a single champion. This diversity of conference representation adds intrigue to the early rounds, as teams from different regions and competitive levels clash on the national stage.
Strategies for Tournament Success
What factors will be crucial for teams hoping to make a deep run in the NCAA Division III Men’s Lacrosse Tournament?
Offensive Firepower
In a tournament setting, the ability to score quickly and consistently is vital. Teams with high-powered offenses, like Tufts, have the potential to overwhelm opponents and build momentum throughout the bracket.
Defensive Discipline
While offensive production is important, championship-caliber teams must also play lock-down defense. Programs that can make key stops and limit opponents’ scoring opportunities will have an edge in close games.
Adaptability
With the potential to face multiple different opponents and playing styles in a short time frame, teams that can quickly adjust their game plans will be at an advantage. Coaching staffs that excel at in-game and between-game adjustments could be the difference-makers in tight contests.
Mental Toughness
The physical and mental demands of the tournament format require a strong mindset from players and coaches alike. Teams that can stay focused and composed under pressure are more likely to perform well in high-stakes situations.
Historical Context and Championship Legacies
How does the history of the NCAA Division III Men’s Lacrosse Tournament shape this year’s competition?
Salisbury’s Dynasty
Salisbury University has been a dominant force in Division III lacrosse for decades, winning multiple national championships. Their continued presence as a top seed speaks to the program’s sustained excellence and championship pedigree.
Emerging Powers
While traditional powerhouses like Salisbury remain strong, programs like Tufts have established themselves as new forces in the Division III lacrosse landscape. The potential for an evolving hierarchy adds excitement to each year’s tournament.
Upset Potential
The Division III tournament has a history of memorable upsets and Cinderella runs. Lower-seeded teams enter the bracket knowing that with strong performances, they have the potential to knock off higher-ranked opponents and make history for their programs.
As the 2023 NCAA Division III Men’s Lacrosse Tournament unfolds, fans can expect thrilling action, intense competition, and the crowning of a worthy national champion. With a mix of established powerhouses and rising programs, this year’s tournament promises to showcase the best that Division III lacrosse has to offer.
2023 NCAA D3 Men’s Lacrosse Tournament Details
There were very few surprises in the 2023 NCAA D3 Men’s Lacrosse Tournament bracket this year, while Tufts and Salisbury separated themselves as the No.1 seeds in their respective regions. Tufts finished the regular season without a blemish, becoming the first team in NESCAC history to run the table and finish the regular season undefeated. Salisbury, on the other hand, rebounded from an early season loss to Gettysburg to beat CNU twice to claim their conference title. Kenyon seemed to be the last team in after losing a close game to Denison in the NCAC Championship but owned a regular season win against them.
Unlike the other Divisions, D3 lacrosse has a grueling setup for getting to Championship Weekend. Most games are set up as back-to-backs, so roster management will be a huge thing to watch as the games progress.
There will be six first-round games today. The results of those games feed into the host sites, which will host the second and third rounds on Saturday, May 13, and Sunday, May 14, a grueling back-to-back.
The eight host sites for the Second and Third Rounds of the NCAA Tournament are: Union, Salisbury, Christopher Newport, Tufts, Denison, RIT, Washington and Lee, and Dickinson.
The quarterfinals and semifinals are back-to-back, too, May 20 and 21. The championship will be in Philadelphia on May 28.
To see the full bracket, you can click on the link to the NCAA Site on the NCAA website here.
Pool A
Atlantic East: Cabrini
CCC: WNE
CCIW: IWU
Centennial: Dickinson
CSAC/NECC: New England College
Empire 8: St.
John Fisher College
GNAC: Emmanuel
HCMLC: Colorado College
Landmark: Scranton
Liberty: RIT
Little East: Western Connecticut
MAC Commonwealth: York
MAC Freedom: Stevens
MIAA: Hope
MLC: Lake Forest
NCAC: Denison
NESCAC: Tufts
NEWMAC: Babson
North Atlantic: Maine Maritime
NACC: Aurora
OAC: John Carroll
ODAC: W&L
PAC: Grove City
SAA: Centre
Skyline: USMMA
SUNYAC: Geneseo
United East: St. Mary’s
USA South: Pfeiffer
Pool C
Amherst
Christopher Newport
Gettysburg
Kenyon
Lynchburg
Middlebury
Salisbury
Swarthmore
Union
Williams
Matchups
Second Round (May 13 & 14)
*Hosts second and third round games
Tufts* vs.
Maine Maritime/Emmanuel Winner
York vs. Cabrini
Denison* vs. Illinois Wesleyan/Aurora Winner
Lynchburg vs. St. John Fisher
RIT* vs. New England College/Western Connecticut Winner
Williams vs. Babson
Middlebury* vs. St. Mary’s/Merchant Marine Winner
Union vs. Western New England
Salisbury* vs. Colorado College
Amherst vs. SUNY Geneseo
Washington and Lee* vs. Centre/Pfeiffer Winner
Swarthmore vs. Grove City
Christopher Newport* vs. Hope
Gettysburg vs. Scranton
Dickinson* vs. John Carroll/Lake Forest Winner
Kenyon vs. Stevens
NCAA Men’s Lacrosse – Second and Third Rounds
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90,000 team of Latvia for the first time in history entered the playoffs of the World Youth Championship, Latvians replaced the Russian national team at the tournament – August 15, 2022
Daria Tuboltseva
Complete
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Almost the most striking event of the tournament, which is called the failure of the year.
Recently, a colleague Dmitry Erykalov discussed how the transition of the Riga “Dinamo” in the local championship will affect the development of the Latvian hockey. The positive effect for the national team from the performance of the team in the KHL for 14 years is difficult to prove.
However, by coincidence, right now the Latvian national team has achieved amazing results. At the Youth World Championship, she beat the Czech Republic with a score of 5: 2 – this is the first victory of the team in the history of the MFM, which allowed it to reach the playoffs, of course, also for the first time. Latvians came to the tournament for the seventh time, this year they replaced the suspended Russian team.
Will Latvian hockey die without Russia? Riga “Dinamo” will now play in a weak local championship
The main hero of the meeting was the 20-year-old defender Ralf Bergmanis. He scored a hat-trick, with 5 (3+2) points he is the top scorer of his team, of which he is the captain. The team of the Latvians is young: five people born in 2004, one in 2005. Three are drafted, but there are no bright stars. It is noteworthy that more than half of the composition plays abroad. Who is in Finland, who is in the USA, who is in Canada, who else where. Bergmanis, for example, spent last season in the USHL (4+10 in 50 games), and this year he entered the University of Vermont and will play in the NCAA.
“We’re making history and we’re not done yet!” – said forward Martins Lavins, son of Rodrigo Lavines, who played for Dynamo Moscow, Metallurg Novokuznetsk, and later in the KHL for Dynamo Riga, after the victory. This team is coached by Artis Abols, known in Russia for his work at Lada and Dynamo Riga. The Latvians took third place in their group, leaving only Canada and Finland ahead, while the Czechs and Slovaks were left behind (in the face-to-face confrontation, they barely beat the Latvians with a score of 3:2B). The latter sensationally did not make it to the playoffs. Although, sensationally, the main stars of the team Slafkowski, Nemets and Meshar refused to go to Canada. They preferred to train and prepare for the camp of their NHL clubs. The only consolation for the national team is that no one from the top division is relegated this year.
The fourth place in the group of the Czechs should not be too surprising either – for various reasons, the team missed six people.
If in the best years it was difficult for her to compete with Canadians, Americans, Finns, Swedes and Russians, now even more so. The group stage in Edmonton will end tomorrow – then playoff pairings will be determined. Canada and Finland will meet in Group A and compete for first place. In group B, the Americans won all the matches and will remain the first. The Swedes will play with the Germans for the second line, and the Swiss and Austrians for the third. It is curious that the last two teams have not scored any points yet.
Playoffs start on 17 August. And the main question is whether there will be full stands at the relegation matches. So far, with the attendance of the tournament in Canada, a complete failure. “Rogers Place”, designed for 18,500 spectators, does not collect even a third even at the games of the hosts. 493 people came to the game Latvia – Czech Republic. Even the lacrosse goal (American Logan Cooley performed it), the performance of the child prodigy Connor Bedard, who scores in packs, and the amazing goal of Canadian Ridley Greig do not attract fans.
No one watches MFM even in Canada. But there they scored an amazingly beautiful goal, holding the stick with one hand
Sensations in terms of the distribution of places in the playoffs should not be expected. The favorites (Canadians, Americans, Finns, Swedes) are completely stronger than other teams. If you fantasize what will happen in the semi-finals, then North American teams are preferred here. Not many stars came to this summer MFM – everyone has losses, with the exception of Canada, where all the tops are collected. So it turns out that the entry of the Latvians into the playoffs can become almost the brightest event of the entire tournament.
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The inspiring story of Giovanni Reina: at 16 he moved to Germany alone, Holland replaced his dead brother
In the past year, there were events that motivated us and kept faith in the best.
One of these stories is the amazing progress of the American child prodigy from Dortmund.
The story of Giovanni Reina is about how you can overcome difficulties and losses, no matter how terrible they may be.
Giovanni is the son of American football legend Claudio Reyna. But his older brother taught him football
In 1994, at one of the training camps, the US men’s and women’s football teams trained in the neighborhood and settled in the same hotel. Claudio Reina and Daniel Egan were on those teams – and once accidentally crossed paths in the lobby. He invited her to a pizzeria. She agreed.
After becoming a three-time NCAA champion with the Virginia Cavaliers, Claudio moved to Germany with his future wife as one of the best American players. In the Bundesliga, he played for Bayer and Wolfsburg (1994-1999) and was very imbued with the local attitude to the game. Later, he insisted that his son begin his European career in Germany.
Danielle also played football at the same time, but only at the level of the German third division – and not for very long.
Tired of the constant many hours of traveling by bus, the smell of tobacco smoke in the locker rooms and teammates drinking beer right during the breaks of matches, she ended her career and concentrated on her family.
In 1999, the couple had their first child, who was named Jack. As a child, he followed his father everywhere, was present at all his training sessions, repeating the movements of the players at the touchline, and was the unofficial mascot of the US team when Claudio was called there. “I didn’t see anyone who laughed and rejoiced the way he did,” Claudio recalled in an interview with The Athletic. “Literally everything amused him, and he charged me and my partners with positivity.”
Three years later, Jack had a brother – Giovanni (in his family he was affectionately called Gio).
“Jack was a hero to me,” Giovanni admitted in a monologue for The Players’ Tribune. – Many people think that my father taught me the basics of football. Yes, he gave me advice, but it was the older brother who was the only one who always played with me in the backyard when we were children.
The guys put up portable gates and fought one on one for hours. Jack was older and almost always won. Only occasionally did he deliberately spread his legs wide so that his brother could roll the ball into the goal. Giovanni did not like to lose: he cried, got into a fight, bit and complained to his mother. Later, Gio will say that it was these matches against his brother that made him grow up quickly and awakened the competitive spirit in him.
Giovanni was shy and Jack always took him with him when he went out to play with friends. Both wanted to become professional athletes (ideally, football players, like their father), but after studying at a football school, it turned out that the younger brother was much more talented. Jack also understood this, but he never envied, but on the contrary became even more supportive of Giovanni. He was the first to congratulate him on his victory in school competitions, noted the tricks that he liked, and showered his brother with compliments.
At the age of 10, Giovanni lost his brother and doubted that he would be able to become a professional football player.
In the summer of 2010, 11-year-old Jack was diagnosed with brain cancer. An aggressive tumor the size of a golf ball – the doctors said that Jack had a few months left. He collapsed abruptly: by the end of the year, he had gained weight (a side effect of chemotherapy), had difficulty moving and quickly got tired, and after a while he could no longer get out of bed on his own. 8-year-old Giovanni was always there and looked after his brother – he cooked food, washed dishes, changed diapers when it became necessary. In the evenings, they watched football together, told funny stories to each other, and even in this terrible situation, they tried not to think about the bad.
When Jack was no longer able to speak and could only move around in a wheelchair, he asked his parents to take him to a basketball game with his brother. After watching the game for half an hour, Jack turned to his father and said with a smile: “Dad, it seems there is no one here who would play better than Gio.
”
Both have been big Manchester City fans since their father played 4 seasons (2003-2007). The brothers even spoke Manchester English at one time, but lost that skill when they returned to the US. On May 13, 2012, the day City had their first league title opportunity in 44 years, the whole family, including grandparents, gathered in front of the TV and watched one of the most legendary denouements in Premier League history.
“After Aguero’s goal, we all went crazy,” Giovanni recalled. – They jumped, shouted, hugged – and suddenly they heard someone suffocating in the corner of the room. It was Jack. We rushed to him and saw that he was lying on the floor and gasping for air. He froze for a few seconds, and it even seemed to us that he stopped breathing. Then Jack saw us, broke into a smile and laughed. We understood that he was celebrating the victory with us like that. I will never forget this moment. It was funny and creepy at the same time.”
Jack passed away two months later.
***
For Giovanni it was a powerful psychological blow. In order to somehow drown out the pain, he sought salvation in sports and played all ball games. Basketball, lacrosse, tennis, baseball – Gio tried to escape from the oppressive reality. He became taciturn and withdrawn, but in front of his parents he never showed how hard it was for him. Due to the death of his brother, he did not believe that he could grow into a good footballer. “Jack was my teacher, without him I would never be a professional,” 10-year-old Giovanni told his mother the day after the funeral.
His father brought him back to football. Gio entered the New York City Academy, where Claudio worked as a sports director. In 2017, the 14-year-old Giovanni sparkled in the junior MLS U-17 Generation Adidas Cup tournament, becoming the best player in the competition, and a few months later he won one of the most prestigious youth tournaments at the national team level – Torneo Delle Nazioni in Italy, scoring in final winning goal against England U-15.
When Reina’s parents were first contacted by Borussia a year later, Giovanni was already one of America’s most talented players. At 15, he had a personal contract with adidas, and New York City first-team coach Patrick Vieira compared him to Kaka and Trezeguet. Fans could not forgive Claudio for a long time for allowing his son to leave for Europe, depriving the club of a potential superstar.
Giovanni made his first appearance at Borussia Dortmund on July 19, 2019, on the seventh anniversary of his brother’s death. As part of the American tour, Dortmund played a friendly match against Liverpool, at that time the current winner of the Champions League. Gio gave an assist to Paco Alcacer (Dortmund won 3:2), which greatly pleased his parents, who came to the stadium to cheer for him.
In early 2020, he made his Bundesliga debut with Haaland (became close friends) and scored for the first time for Borussia at the age of 17
Giovanni’s first six months in Germany were uncomfortable.
If his compatriot Pulisic was helped in a similar situation with integration by his father, who lived with him in Dortmund, then Giovanni’s parents were forced to stay in the USA for the sake of their children (Gio’s younger brother and sister were growing up). The 16-year-old guy was not quite ready for an independent life away from his family. For example, for a long time he could not figure out how to wash things so that they did not shrink, so he specially bought himself hoodies and sweatshirts one size larger.
Fortunately, almost everything he did with the ball in the youth team he did much better and delighted the coaches.
From his father he inherited technique and the ability to read the game, from his mother – speed and athleticism. At the beginning of 2020, after only 4 months at Borussia U-19 (13 matches, 8 + 8), Giovanni was taken to the main team. “You have to be blind not to see the talent of this guy,” Lucien Favre said then.
“When I first got into the senior team, I was terribly worried,” recalls Reyna.
– It was embarrassing for me to even ask my partners to give me a pass, so I trained in silence. Over time, the excitement subsided. I felt that I could be a leader.”
Reyna found a kindred spirit in the first team. Erling Haaland was also a newcomer (coming in January from Salzburg), but two years older. The Norwegian to some extent replaced his older brother – he supported, helped in everyday life, gave advice, destroyed everyone on the field and showed the level to which Gio should strive.
“I realized that we are very similar – young guys who have just arrived in an unfamiliar country,” Reina told the official website of the Bundesliga. – We did not have friends in the team and we decided to get to know each other so as not to feel lonely. In addition to talking on abstract topics, we analyzed our games. Erling explained to me how best to act in accompaniment, where to wait for his breakthrough, where and at what moment to give the pass. After that, I read his maneuvers better, and we started to get something.
”
When Giovanni did not yet have a driver’s license, the Norwegian took him to shops and helped him with his purchases. Reina was still shy of his German at that time and was afraid that he would not be understood. They discussed series on Netflix, played FIFA and Fortnite. “Thanks to Erling, I finally feel at home in Dortmund,” Reina told ESPN.
On January 18, 2020, in the match against Augsburg, they made their debut together for Dortmund. Erling immediately started with a hat-trick. Gio responded two weeks later with a masterpiece against Werder Bremen in the Cup, becoming the youngest scorer in the history of the tournament. Now they perfectly complement each other on the field and lead the Borussia game.
At the start of this season, Reina was more likely than any teammate to score goals (took three assists against Freiburg in October – a league record for a 17-year-old). Giovanni has excellent dribbling, through which the team gets out of pressure. About how dangerous it is to leave Gio alone with the ball, says the fact that among all the attacking midfielders of the Bundesliga, he is most often fouled.
If last season Reina came out mainly as a substitute (on average for 20 minutes), then this season he regularly starts (10 matches out of 13 in the championship).
In a 3-4-2-1 formation, he takes the place of one of the two attacking midfielders.
In the 4-2-3-1 scheme – it is on the left flank of the attack.
This place used to be reserved for Thorgan Hazard, but the Belgian has recently missed a lot of matches due to injuries and is now losing the competition to the young American. “I’m just happy to see him play,” Sancho told bundesliga.com. – After every workout, I see how he adds. It’s scary to even think about what will happen next.”
This season, Giovanni scored the first goals in the championship (already 3 + 4), and in the fall he made his debut for the adult US team (and he also scored here – in a friendly match against Panama). So Gio took the first step towards interrupting his father’s achievement – Claudio has 114 games for the national team.
