Spring Break
Blue Jays gear up for another Championship run
Hungry from last year's near-win, the Jays get ready to take it all the way
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But Hopkins lacrosse hasn't won an NCAA Championship since 1987 -- back when Head Coach Dave Pietramala was just beginning his celebrated career as a defenseman for the same team he now coaches.
Not to mention that the Blue Jays' schedule was voted the strongest in Division I lacrosse by Faceoff Magazine. The team will face each of the three teams from last season's Final Four, NCAA quarterfinalists Princeton and Towson, as well as all four ACC foes. If nothing else, the 2004 season promises to be quite a challenge for Pietramala and his boys.
Hopkins fans will get its share of excitement as well. The Blue Jays will play host to Maryland, Princeton, North Carolina, Syracuse, Towson, Penn and Albany at Homewood Field. Department of Athletics officials have decided to allow fans to make advanced ticket orders over a month before the season has even begun, whereas advanced orders in the past have been limited to the week before each game.
The season begins Feb. 24 when Penn comes to Baltimore for the season opener.
"We are very excited to take on the challenges that our 2004 schedule will present," Pietramala told http://www.hopkinssports.com. "We will have the opportunity to welcome some of the top lacrosse teams in the nation to Homewood Field and test ourselves with road games in some hostile environments."
The April 17 match up against Maryland marks the 100th time the two teams have met, capping off what many have deemed the greatest rivalry in college lacrosse. Reserved and general admission ticket prices for this game have been raised slightly, as attendance is expected to be immense. When the two teams met last season, the Blue Jays won a nail-biter, taking the victory in overtime, 6-5, off then-junior midfielder Joe McDermott's sudden death goal.
The upcoming season was nearly marred by several disputes, including controversy over the eligibility of senior goalie Rob Scherr. The status of Scherr's freshman year as a redshirt season was nullified by the NCAA as the result of 15 minutes of playing time he saw during the Lacrosse for Leukemia Tournament, effectively ending his collegiate career.
Throughout this struggle, the Athletic Department battled with NCAA officials over the lacrosse program's Division I standing. Hopkins, a Division III institution, has been able to maintain Division I status for men's lacrosse since 1983, when it obtained waivers that allowed the program to remain in the top division for reasons of tradition or historical significance.
Had the legislation proposed been passed, Hopkins would have been forced to either cease providing lacrosse scholarships in accordance with Division III policy, or move entirely to Division I.
The proposal was rejected in January when delegates at the annual NCAA Convention in Nashville, Tenn. voted 296-106 against it.
Despite the loss of Scherr and January's close call, expectations for this season are high. Junior co-Captain Chris Watson said, "We lost some great seniors last season, but coach has done a great job recruiting, and team chemistry has been good [during the pre-season]. Last year's loss was definitely miserable, but hopefully it's something we can redeem ourselves for this season."
Watson feels that the freshman class is especially strong.
"They're really good players and they'll definitely help us out on the field, but the biggest benefit that they provide right now is a breath of fresh air," said Watson.
"They've all got great personalities and they've brought a lot of enthusiasm to the program."
Freshman defenseman Eric Zerrlaut added that team unity is high, perhaps driven by the annual expectations bombarding Hopkins lacrosse players.
"The team acts as a family when we're out there; expectations may be high, but we do what we have to do, regardless of what anyone who isn't a part of the team may say or think," Zerrlaut said. "Everyone knows we'll all have to work hard if we want to achieve our ultimate goal...and I don't think I need to say what that is."
