Hofstra Men's Lax

[Mikey77]

If anyone gives a hoot the once proud lacrosse team lost to Rutgers 10 -7. The lacrosse activity on this board just goes to show you. HU is headed for a 3 - 11 or 4 - 10 season. How did it come to this? It's been a steady decline since 17 - 2 in 2006.

[Polito]

Preaching to the choir, and we are the only ones that care. Got 3 years left of this. Then Cole is on the hook to make a BIG move. My advice would be to do whatever it takes to get Joe Amplo back here as head man. Would bet $ that guy has this program in the NCAAT in 3 years or less. Less wouldn't surprise me one bit. When it's time I think everyone should bombard Cole with Amplo calls - that guy can lead this program back to national relevance, not a doubt in my mind.

[HofstraPride1]

If anyone gives a hoot the once proud lacrosse team lost to Rutgers 10 -7. The lacrosse activity on this board just goes to show you. HU is headed for a 3 - 11 or 4 - 10 season. How did it come to this? It's been a steady decline since 17 - 2 in 2006.

Has been plenty of growing pains with young team, but they get a fresh start with CAA play starting Saturday. Bad news is they open at Towson and home against UMass so could easily be 0-2.

[Mikey77]

HU will likely go 3 - 11 tied for the worst record in the 70 year history of the program. We might beat Fairfield and go 4 - 10. The program fell off after Danowski's departure and fell off again after Amplo left . Amplo was apparently a great recruiter. The facts are the facts and the program which once ran with Duke, NC, ND and the other big boys is now largely irrelevant.

[Flying Dutchmen]

HU will likely go 3 - 11 tied for the worst record in the 70 year history of the program. We might beat Fairfield and go 4 - 10. The program fell off after Danowski's departure and fell off again after Amplo left . Amplo was apparently a great recruiter. The facts are the facts and the program which once ran with Duke, NC, ND and the other big boys is now largely irrelevant.

I don't think we're irrelevant, we've beaten some big boys over the years, it's more that we have fallen apart in conference play without fail the last DECADE. Tierney's had us in the top 5 multiple times the past five years, just to fall apart in CAA play. You said it in another post, his legacy will be the one goal loss, almost uncanny.

I think the main issue with Tierney has been his style of play honestly. I don't think our talent matches up with how he wants to play the game. He sits on small leads constantly, which is a terrible idea for a team who is constantly inferior in the faceoff department.

Our talent is debatable, probably not good enough, but hard to say with the system we play, IMO.

[Dutchflid]

I thought this was an interesting post today from a Hopkins forum - I personally believe that a coaches success is mostly from recruiting that practice and game day, you need the horses and I do not believe HU is capable of getting 2-3 top local kids to stay on LI

here is the post -

"Not for nothing, but Tierney is having the same success at Hofstra as Danowski did before he moved on to bigger and better things. I can't imagine Hofstra is an easy place to get recruits. Most of the local LI talent doesn't stay "that local" and what does Hofstra offer top tier recruits who are being courted by the Ivy's and other top programs.

I still contend that the day things changed for Hopkins was the day Tierney left. They were able to succeed in 2007 with the folks left behind, but since Benson has taken hold, they can't seem to assemble a "complete" offense and it's getting old watching top recruits excel as freshman (if they get on the field) and then drop off in subsequent years.

I would be very intrigued with Tierney at the helm, and I think he would be more attainable than Marr or Nadelan (speculation about Nadelan, but I have heard that Marr won't leave after they essentially built that program and facilities for him)."

[Mikey77]

I will concede that Tierney's teams have had their moments. Wins over Hopkins, ND, Cornell, North Carolina and Princeton to name a few. The program however has declined and continues to do so and that is disturbing. I also concede that I don't have an answer for all the reasons stated on this board. The one goal losses are staggering and attributable, in my view, to his inclination to try and sit on a lead. I think this may also get worse under the new shot clock rules where long possessions result in turnovers. Tierney's teams also rarely show any ability in transition especially lately. Once again I'm searching for answers but am troubled how this once proud program has fallen. Sorry, but I'll stick with the word "irrelevant" for now.

[stuball888]

Let me chime in. One thing I have noticed. Maybe it’s just me or does the team lack overall speed. In the past we seem to be faster than our opponents. Now it seems like this is not the case. Maybe this is a reason we don’t score in transition as much. It seemed Danowskis team always had the peddle to the metal

[Flying Dutchmen]

I will concede that Tierney's teams have had their moments. Wins over Hopkins, ND, Cornell, North Carolina and Princeton to name a few. The program however has declined and continues to do so and that is disturbing. I also concede that I don't have an answer for all the reasons stated on this board. The one goal losses are staggering and attributable, in my view, to his inclination to try and sit on a lead. I think this may also get worse under the new shot clock rules where long possessions result in turnovers. Tierney's teams also rarely show any ability in transition especially lately. Once again I'm searching for answers but am troubled how this once proud program has fallen. Sorry, but I'll stick with the word "irrelevant" for now.

I largely agree with you, but let's be honest, Hofstra never was a lacrosse powerhouse. We've never made the final four... Cortland State has more D-1 final fours than us! We're definitely in a down time, and I think it's probably a time for a shakeup, but a run like this isn't unprecedented in school history.

I'm going to the last two home games to see what the vibe is like at Shuart. What's killed the interest in this program more than anything is the earlier season start, and just generally terrible weather in March as of late. I can't blame anyone who doesn't want to sit outside for 3 hours in late Feb/early March on a Tuesday night. I've been to games later in the season the last few years, and we had good crowds, people just don't show up unless the weather is nice.

[Mikey77]

Hofstra was highly ranked in the 50''s, 60's, 70's and then trended downward under Harry Royle. Danowski built the program back up to consistent top twenty and often top ten status, but the program has steadily declined since 2006. I'm concerned that programs that were also never powerhouses as you state or did not even exist ten years ago have passed us. Notre Dame, Marquette, Denver, Michigan, Richmond, to name a few were never lax powerhouses either or did not exist. We are now losing to the likes of Providence, Marist, and other MAAC and NEC teams are giving us trouble. Hofstra should not be where it currently is in my view. I think the recruiting is the worst part of it. As Stuball points out we've lacked speed the last number of years and some size as well at midfield and attack. I was all for the Tierney hiring. He's run a clean program and has had some success so I don't have an answer but I also know that what I'm seeing on the field is generally not good. HU is going to have to make some decisions in the next few years not only for lax but for basketball as well. Does it want to stay mediocre or go to the next level. When Rabinowitz axed football he stated that he wanted Hofstra to only compete at the top level and thought a national championship in men's lax possible (coming off a 17 - 2 season). Well I think its time for Stu to put up or shut up. For example, if a small Catholic school in eastern Washington State (Gonzaga) can become a consistent national basketball power I'm not sure why Hofstra can't follow suit to some degree. This goes even more for the lax program which does have a 70 year somewhat storied past and is situated in an area with the highest population of high school lax programs.

[HU76]

First of all, everything that Rabinowitz said was BS. He just wanted to cut football. Period. I’m not sure what more the school can do to support lacrosse. Just because we’re located where some of the best HS players are doesn’t make recruiting easier. In fact, it can be harder. At lot of kids want to go away. Plus look at the schools we’re competing with. My son went to Ward Melville HS. The best lacrosse program on Long Island. He had a lot of friends on the lacrosse team. The ones with decent grades and SAT scores were going to places like Cornell or Georgetown. If lacrosse could get your kid into Princeton wouldn’t you want him to go there? Hell, even Danowski’s kid went to Duke instead of playing for his dad here. It’s a tough recruiting job.

[Mikey77]

Trust me, never took Rabinowitz at his word, not after the sneaky way he cut football. What you say is true, but it was also true when Hofstra was successful. There is more lacrosse talent now than ever. I don't know what more Hofstra can do either to support lax, thought I conceded that, but the program is clearly in decline and it is troubling, at least to me.

[garyg]

Newsday had their HS lacrosse preview the other day and listed 30 players to watch...of those 30 players ONE had committed to Hofstra

[HUSID74]

Most kids, especially lacrosse players want to go away...that's why all the big teams want to come here and play...that been going on for years.

[Polito]

That's no excuse. There are plenty of kids that also want to stay home. It's about proper recruiting. And the other answer is get the out of state kids who want to leave THEIR hometown. There is MORE than enough lax talent in this country now.

Very true FD, HU was never a 'super' power, but his program was a power - they were routinely a top 15 program that won conf championships and went to the NCAAT. HU was taking down the #1's when I was in school. My biggest gripe at the time with Danowski was he couldn't make the final four that's how far this program has fallen - compare now to being frustrated that the program couldn't get over the hump and make the FF lol.

Nowadays they can't even MAKE the NCAAT. Sure ST has some good wins over the umpteen years he's been here. He SHOULD. This is a flagship sport here in a hotbed of the game - they have had good talent at times, and play a winnable conf. I have admitted that true lax people have set me straight on him, so I'm not about to say he's bad. But this program has sunk under his watch, so the buck stops with the head man.

And I agree completely with Mikey, this program is very irrelevant today in the national landscape. And it was NEVER that way - this is a new low for this program, and it needs to be corrected, not justified or excused. I'm not just talking about this year - I get it, youth and inexperience, it's gonna be a rough one - but this is about the last several years.

Will be 3 more years unfortunately. Get Amplo in here and watch the excuses disappear.

[Jojogunne]

Tough loss today to CAA favs and former #1-ranked Towson Tigers. Hofstra led 7-5 at the half, but Towson scored five unanswered goals in the second half before Hofstra closed it to one.

Brian Herber held his own against one of the nation's premier FOGOs, Alex Woodall. Brian is quietly having a very good sophomore year (watch him battle Woodall for more than 30 seconds at 13:00 in the game video).

Dylan McDermott played for the first time since suffering a broken jaw in Week 3 vs. Villanova, but he appeared to reinjure himself late in the game when he dived in front of the crease and banged his chin on the ground. Eric Wenz, a starting defenseman, left the game early in the first quarter with a non-contact hamstring injury. I think this team is snakebit. See for yourself:

https://www.laxsportsnetwork.com/videos ... on-3-30-19

[HUSID74]

That's no excuse. There are plenty of kids that also want to stay home. It's about proper recruiting. And the other answer is get the out of state kids who want to leave THEIR hometown. There is MORE than enough lax talent in this country now.

Very true FD, HU was never a 'super' power, but his program was a power - they were routinely a top 15 program that won conf championships and went to the NCAAT. HU was taking down the #1's when I was in school. My biggest gripe at the time with Danowski was he couldn't make the final four that's how far this program has fallen - compare now to being frustrated that the program couldn't get over the hump and make the FF lol.

Nowadays they can't even MAKE the NCAAT. Sure ST has some good wins over the umpteen years he's been here. He SHOULD. This is a flagship sport here in a hotbed of the game - they have had good talent at times, and play a winnable conf. I have admitted that true lax people have set me straight on him, so I'm not about to say he's bad. But this program has sunk under his watch, so the buck stops with the head man.

And I agree completely with Mikey, this program is very irrelevant today in the national landscape. And it was NEVER that way - this is a new low for this program, and it needs to be corrected, not justified or excused. I'm not just talking about this year - I get it, youth and inexperience, it's gonna be a rough one - but this is about the last several years.

It's not an excuse, it's a fact, that doesn't mean we can't go out and recruit other areas where lacrosse thrives and we do. Look at the roster, there are kids from Canada, the West and the South...Are they the right kids? I don't know, but we DID lose something like 20 plus kids from last year's team. Tough for ANYONE to replace that much.

Will be 3 more years unfortunately. Get Amplo in here and watch the excuses disappear.

[HUSID74]

That's no excuse. There are plenty of kids that also want to stay home. It's about proper recruiting. And the other answer is get the out of state kids who want to leave THEIR hometown. There is MORE than enough lax talent in this country now.

Very true FD, HU was never a 'super' power, but his program was a power - they were routinely a top 15 program that won conf championships and went to the NCAAT. HU was taking down the #1's when I was in school. My biggest gripe at the time with Danowski was he couldn't make the final four that's how far this program has fallen - compare now to being frustrated that the program couldn't get over the hump and make the FF lol.

Nowadays they can't even MAKE the NCAAT. Sure ST has some good wins over the umpteen years he's been here. He SHOULD. This is a flagship sport here in a hotbed of the game - they have had good talent at times, and play a winnable conf. I have admitted that true lax people have set me straight on him, so I'm not about to say he's bad. But this program has sunk under his watch, so the buck stops with the head man.

And I agree completely with Mikey, this program is very irrelevant today in the national landscape. And it was NEVER that way - this is a new low for this program, and it needs to be corrected, not justified or excused. I'm not just talking about this year - I get it, youth and inexperience, it's gonna be a rough one - but this is about the last several years.

It's not an excuse, it's a fact, that doesn't mean we can't go out and recruit other areas where lacrosse thrives and we do. Look at the roster, there are kids from Canada, the West and the South...Are they the right kids? I don't know, but we DID lose something like 20 plus kids from last year's team. Tough for ANYONE to replace that much.

Will be 3 more years unfortunately. Get Amplo in here and watch the excuses disappear.

It's not an excuse, it's a fact about kids leaving Long Island. There are new areas of growth for the sport and Seth has recruited well in such places as Canada, the South and the West...this year replacing something like 20 kids was too much for the program to handle.

[Mikey77]

Another one goal loss. Another loss where Hofstra plays only 3 quarters of lacrosse. Sameo, sameo, sameo.

[Hofstra]

Another one goal loss. Another loss where Hofstra plays only 3 quarters of lacrosse. Sameo, sameo, sameo.

Once they are outfitted by Nike, I can only hope they play all 4 quarters.