I hope at some point we can get a few other B1G schools to start Lax...2 more to make an even 8 teams would be ideal. Minnesota/Wisconsin if both add WLax at the same time would be perfect...they could even do Spring Rivalry Weekend the last regular season game. (Hopkins/Maryland, RU/PSU, OSU/Michigan, Wisconsin/Minnesota)
Not a bad idea at all. Interestingly enough, most Big Ten schools field MCLA teams. Some (Minny, MSU, Purdue) are better than others, but lacrosse certainly isn't some considered some strange thing played in far off lands to the north and east for people in places like Illinois, Nebraska, and Indiana.
Having an even number of teams doesn't really matter all that much in lacrosse scheduling. Personally, I'd like to see the league expand west and north. In the next five years, I'd love to see these teams play men's lax: Johns Hopkins, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, and Rutgers. Michigan State had a D1 program not all *that* long ago. Minnesota has the resources and the infrastructure in place to make the leap to D1. Northwestern already has a lax culture in place.
Scheduling would be easy. Eight conference games and five OOC games. The big boys can still play marquee nonconference against other top teams to compensate for the RPI killing newbies and the rest of the teams can schedule as they need to.
None of this will happen, but it's fun to dream.
As a Maryland fan, I'd be glad to give up home games against High Point and St. Joseph's for an excuse to see a game in late-April at one of Northwestern's lake side fields.
