BLOG: No. 3 Terps Prep for Big Ten Play
3/26/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
By Eli Davis, Maryland Athletics Student Assistant
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - When the No. 3 Maryland men's lacrosse team welcomes Michigan to Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium on Sunday at 5 pm, they will be doing so for the first time as Big Ten lacrosse foes.
With the addition of Maryland and Rutgers to the Big Ten, as well as Johns Hopkins as an affiliate member, the newest NCAA lacrosse conference will officially commence this weekend.
The Terps are excited to see a new batch of teams on their conference schedule.
“We have a lot of really good teams,” said junior midfielder Bryan Cole. “There are some pretty good teams in Division I, so we're looking forward to getting a good battle against those guys.”
Along with the new slate of opponents, the inaugural Big Ten lacrosse teams are serving as pioneers for the game.
“It just grows the game, especially toward the Midwest region,” said sophomore defensive midfielder Isaiah Davis-Allen. “I think it's going to be a little different for us being out of ACC play, but it's important to have a lot more conferences to get more kids playing lacrosse.”
The addition of the three newcomers along with Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State gives the conference enough teams for the postseason tournament winner to be awarded an automatic qualifier into the NCAA tournament, something the ACC previously did not have.
“Traditionally we've done pretty well during the season,” Cole said. “[The AQ] is not something we really look forward to, but it is something that will help us if that does happen. I think just the way our season is going right now, if we continue to work hard I think we will be alright.”
In addition to playing the long-standing Big Ten schools, Maryland's rivalry against Johns Hopkins will have even greater implications as conference foes.
“I think it's something that the state overall looks forward to in terms of lacrosse,” Cole said. “Actually having Johns Hopkins in our conference now, it doesn't make it that much more important. It is another game on our schedule, but that rivalry has been going on for so long that it is nice to have them in our conference now.”
As for goals heading into conference play, the Terps are looking to prove they can reign supreme in the Big Ten.
“We just want to set an example and set a statement for the program coming into the Big Ten,” Cole added.
