The Ledger rated & ranked what it viewed were the top seniors if this season was played based on their previous play. Substitute for an all-state list. Rutgers had three commits on the 1st team & one on the 2nd. Glad to see us getting some of the top Jersey talent. Hope that this represents the start of a trend that continues to grow.
Lacrosse Men's Lax recruits
- Thread starter rudad02
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"Top" Jersey talent? Hmm, not exactly. Inside Lacrosse's Top 100 included 9 kids from New Jersey schools. None will be attending RU.
16 Virginia
22 Duke
28 UMich
34 Yale
42 Navy
64 Princeton
73 UMass
81 Maryland
99 Syracuse
And on that S-L list you have an RU legacy who is going to Cornell while his brothers transfer to RU from Lehigh and Villanova. Go figure, huh?
But, hey, Brecht is paid to win games, not the mythical recruiting title. Let's see if he can, you know, patch together some transfer talent and last season's under-achievers and actually make the tournament in Year #10. The trend line isn't good the last 3 seasons -- 9-6, 7-8 and 2-4 -- after 10-4 in 2017.
16 Virginia
22 Duke
28 UMich
34 Yale
42 Navy
64 Princeton
73 UMass
81 Maryland
99 Syracuse
And on that S-L list you have an RU legacy who is going to Cornell while his brothers transfer to RU from Lehigh and Villanova. Go figure, huh?
But, hey, Brecht is paid to win games, not the mythical recruiting title. Let's see if he can, you know, patch together some transfer talent and last season's under-achievers and actually make the tournament in Year #10. The trend line isn't good the last 3 seasons -- 9-6, 7-8 and 2-4 -- after 10-4 in 2017.
Should be noted that while top 100 lists are cool, and fun to be on, they mean only so much...they are pretty much biased to the east coast kids because guys that put those lists together spend 80% of their time watching lacrosse in NY, NJ, PA (Eastern), MD, VA, Culver, and Hill...the other 20% of the time they see everyone at summer events...and they can only be at one event at a time...lists are fun, but not the end all be all...and I don't criticize guys that build ranking lists...they can't possibly see everyone...the lists are probably fairly accurate...maybe 50/60%...but you got a lot of talent out there that they never see...
I know a kid that wasn't on anyone's list, arrived as a freshman last fall at a top 10-ish national program, proceeded to beat out multiple "east coast" kids (that were older with college experience) for a starting attack job, and started all 6 games of his freshman year, getting better each week...and he's from a non-traditional area...
find guys that can win...ranked or unranked
I know a kid that wasn't on anyone's list, arrived as a freshman last fall at a top 10-ish national program, proceeded to beat out multiple "east coast" kids (that were older with college experience) for a starting attack job, and started all 6 games of his freshman year, getting better each week...and he's from a non-traditional area...
find guys that can win...ranked or unranked
Cali, the Ledger termed it an all-senior boys lacrosse team. RU bound 1st Teamers are:
Jack Aimon-- Hunterdon Central, Attack
David Burr-- St Augustine, Attack
Shane Knobloch--Morestown, Midfield
2nd Team:
Rob Zevzadjain-- St Joseph Montvale, Goalie
Jack Aimon-- Hunterdon Central, Attack
David Burr-- St Augustine, Attack
Shane Knobloch--Morestown, Midfield
2nd Team:
Rob Zevzadjain-- St Joseph Montvale, Goalie
Golfer - my point is that the original post said Rutgers was getting some of the top NJ talent. Well, zero for the top nine according to one reputable list. Now, I'm sure that the RU staff had its own list and maybe it had those 3 N-L all-stars rated above those 9 kids. But it's more likely that going into Year 10, Brecht still can't attract the truly elite NJ kids ... or more likely their parents ... to their home state U.
Hate to say this, but if the kid's parent's can afford it, Cornell will win out over RU more often than not. But remember, Cornell would likely win out over PSU, OSU and Michigan as well.
This is simply the Ledger's guess based on last year. I would not put too much stock into what it says in either list. There are several stories about that IL list that people do not know. I have seen or coached against every kid on that list and I can tell you that Russo is as good as any middie in the state, he went a little under the radar because he did not play at a big school for lacrosse. Aimone is a good player as is Knobloch
O'Connell (81) is not a Jersey kid he is a LI kid who is spending his senior year at Blair
Stephenson (28) was committed to Rutgers and flipped to Michigan
Freer (64) and Drago (99) are nasty
Craven (42) probably a little over rated as Barr was 1st team all State and goalie of the year last year.
O'Connell (81) is not a Jersey kid he is a LI kid who is spending his senior year at Blair
Stephenson (28) was committed to Rutgers and flipped to Michigan
Freer (64) and Drago (99) are nasty
Craven (42) probably a little over rated as Barr was 1st team all State and goalie of the year last year.
I think the point is that while there are some good kids we are not getting the best talent by an stretch
Obviously someone thought that they were very good. Just glad that we are getting Jersey kids who can play.
I don't know who this comment is directed at. If me, I suggest you buy a copy of the Ledger & take it up with them. All the other kids on their first team were going to top ranked schools. As I said, I'm happy we are getting Jersey kids who can play. Looks like a positive to me.
Fair enough...I don't have a feel for the recruiting dynamics in NJ as I don't live there...so I don't know if their is a stigma, a bias or whatever with parents, player, etc...but more often than not, with all recruiting, their are underlying reasons for a kid to choose...and parents can definitely influence...sometimes unintentionally
Case in point....some of you know I live in Michigan...I've raised two boys that play lacrosse...I have a strong dislike for all things University of Michigan...strong. I'm a Spartan. So as my boys developed and D1 lacrosse was all of the sudden in the equation for them...well both said they didn't want to go to Michigan...now I never told them they couldn't go to Michigan...I actually went on a recruiting weekend with one of them to UM...ultimately they both eventually made their own decision to head east to play...but my guess is my dislike of Michigan pushed them subliminally to pass on the home state school...and the fact that they wanted to play for better programs :). So even though I never said a word in the process...I know my attitude (towards Ann Arbor) for the first 16/17 years of their lives impacted decisions.
So that happens and it's real...I'm not proud of it...but I still hate Michigan :Sly:
One final note...if you bring any Ivy into the mix....I would tell you it's generally a game changer. RU is a fantastic school...but if you have an opportunity to go to Cornell, Princeton, Penn...that will always be tough for RU to beat...and that is NOT a knock on RU...my youngest was pursed heavily late by Harvard...he was torn...but he stuck with his original commitment as he felt a sense of loyalty...he's happy...it's his decision...but it's tough to say no to an Ivy...just my opinion
The new facilities can be game changing...I believe.
I know the staff is high on these kids. A few of them have been committed for a very long time.
I hadn't seen Burr before. That kid is a player. He's a late addition flip and a real nice add.
Regarding rankings, as Golfer said, I don't read too much into them. This isn't the NFL draft rankings. Some of these kids are seen a ton, and some not at all. It's always funny to see the rankings from 5-10 years ago. The are usually a couple of can't miss kids that everyone agrees with are coming in college ready. Beyond that, there is a lot to be desired on these lists.
Regarding rankings, as Golfer said, I don't read too much into them. This isn't the NFL draft rankings. Some of these kids are seen a ton, and some not at all. It's always funny to see the rankings from 5-10 years ago. The are usually a couple of can't miss kids that everyone agrees with are coming in college ready. Beyond that, there is a lot to be desired on these lists.
With respect to recruiting dynamics in NJ. Although it's softened a bit over the last 5-10 year, RU had problems with parents whose kids were going to public universities. It was, and to an extent still is, unlike UM, MSU, OSU where it was a matter of pride to send your kids there. I go back to the old joke about Texas "Your kid's going to Harvard ? Didn't he get into UT-Austin?" as a 180 degree difference. As opposed to RU, parent's would want their kids to go out of state prestige schools, UNC, UVA, Wisconsin, or to "boutique, cool" schools like Vermont or Delaware.
Any NJ parent sending their kids to UVM or UDel over RU are morons. Paying double or even triple in tuition for an inferior degree OOS.
I think we are starting to see a change in this regard. Hopefully it continues. As I mentioned in another post, Maryland was in a similar place as it relates to not getting private school MIAA kids. That’s changed.
Supporting the program and facilities matters. Winning matters. Kids will come when these things come together.
Supporting the program and facilities matters. Winning matters. Kids will come when these things come together.
No argument from me. But that's the way it had been and to some degree still is.
I couldn't justify sending my kid to an OOS public school unless they're one of the elites like UCB, UCLA, Michigan, UNC, or UVA. Sending them to a school equal to RU academically like PSU, Pitt, or UMD or worse than RU academically like UDel, UConn, UVM, or Temple for OOS tuition at best is asinine.
I would take Michigan off your list and substitute Northwestern or Stanford or Vandy...Michigan isn't on par with those three....although they do a hell of a job marketing to east coast parents making them think Michigan is better than an Ivy...it's not. RU is a GREAT school...I wear my RU gear all over the place here in Michigan...and I love the odd looks I get...especially from the Walmart Wolverine crowd...
Again, my opinion is skewed as it relates to UM...can you tell :Sly:
Hard for me to understand the comment about Vermont and Delaware...I'd send my kids to RU all day...
Then again, I live in Michigan and my boys go to RU and Loyola MD...I'm probably a bad example
But I'll say this...if my guys were not athletes, they would be in East Lansing
Rutgers compared to Vermont or Delaware isn't even a comparison on any level. Any parent advocating for that just isn't very bright. Now, maybe the kid loves to ski or something and that changes the calculus. But other than something like that, it's apples and oranges.
Vermont, skiing cool and undergrad emphasis for upscale families. UDel, I have no idea but undergrad emphasis.
Your comments were interesting on marketing to east coast parents. Stanford was always considered a west coast Ivy. Northwestern underrated and Vandy badly underrated although it has risen in recent years. UM, UNC and UVA were always (and still are) places where east coast parents said their kids are going because they got "affirmative actioned" out of an Ivy school. UNC and UVA also get a lot of kids from the top east coast boarding schools if they fall short of Ivy. UNC hit the jackpot 60+ years ago when they opened up their very exclusive Moorhead Scholarships (full ride) not only to the to NC high schools but to the top 50 US boarding schools.
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