Colorado State Announces 2010 Spring Schedule
For Immediate Release – CSU Lacrosse
Fort Collins, CO – The Colorado State University men’s lacrosse team has announced an ambitious 16-game 2010 schedule that features 11 teams ranked in last year’s Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association Top 25 poll. The Rams, who were derailed in the MCLA tournament’s first round by Chapman in 2009, will play conference champions from six of the MCLA’s nine conferences in 2010 as well as their always challenging league schedule which features perennial rivals Brigham Young, Colorado and Utah.
Under first-year head coach Alex Smith, Colorado State will kick off its campaign in Greeley, CO against MCLA Division II opponent Northern Colorado on Feb. 17 before bussing to Colorado Springs, CO to play NCAA Division III Colorado College on Feb. 20. CSU’s longstanding rivalry with CC will see a new chapter as both the Rams and Tigers have new head coaches in 2010 – the Rams with Smith and the Tigers under the new leadership of Guy Van Arsdale.
The Rams then take their first out of state trip of the season to St. Charles, MO, where the Lindenwood Lions and Texas Longhorns await on Feb. 26 and 27. Both teams won their respective conferences in 2009 and will be stiff competition for CSU, who last tripped to Lindenwood in the spring of 2007. CSU and Lindenwood met last season in an 11-8 victory for the Rams at Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium.
Back in Colorado the following weekend, the Rams will entertain two teams who have never been to Fort Collins as Simon Fraser and the University of New Hampshire come to town on Mar. 5 and 7. CSU and SFU have not played since 2004 while the Rams last saw UNH in the 2001 national tournament. Simon Fraser continues to be a program on the rise and both the Rams and Clan hope they can revisit the 1999 national championship tilt between the two schools.
After the brief home-stand, CSU will embark on their most challenging road-trip of the season, taking on Arizona State, Arizona and Chico State on Spring Break. ASU, who lost their 2009 season due to school sanctions, will be a tremendous challenge in Tempe, AZ while U of A always presents problems in Tucson, AZ. CSU plays Chico State in a nice out of conference match-up at a local Phoenix high school before heading for the home stretch.
Colorado State must quickly regroup from Spring Break, taking on three straight RMLC league games in a ten-day span. Utah and Utah State will be in Fort Collins on Mar. 24 and 27 while the Rams will bus to Denver for the annual Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Showdown against the University of Colorado on Apr. 3. The Buffaloes got their first win since the 2000 season last year, but will be under a new coaching regime as well in 2010. The game is tentatively scheduled as part of a doubleheader with the University of Denver and the second game of the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Showdown.
Next up for CSU are three straight non-conference home games against three very good opponents. Minnesota-Duluth is first on Apr. 9 and the Rams hope to exact revenge for a tough 9-8 loss against the Bulldogs last year. Then on Sunday, Apr. 11, two-time MCLA champion Michigan pays their bi-annual visit to Fort Collins. Last season, the Wolverines handled CSU 15-5 and the Maize and Blue haven’t lost a game against anyone since the spring of 2007. Another CCLA team, Michigan State, comes to town for the first ever meeting between the two “State” schools on Apr. 18.
Finally, the Rams conclude the home docket with a battle against the Brigham Young Cougars. BYU is yet another in the long line of schools with new coaches in 2010 and Matt Schneck appears ready to continue the winning tradition in Provo. The Rams haven’t defeated BYU since the 2006 national semifinals and CSU will look to break out of a funk that has seen them lose six straight times to their rivals from the west.
Colorado State University Men’s Lacrosse 2010 Schedule
Wed, Feb. 17 @ Northern Colorado – 4:00pm
Sat, Feb. 20 @ Colorado College (Div. III) – 1:00pm
Fri, Feb. 26 @ Lindenwood – 7:00pm
Sat, Feb. 27 vs. Texas (St. Charles, MO) – 4:00pm
Fri, Mar. 5 vs. Simon Fraser – 7:00pm
Sun, Mar. 7 vs. New Hampshire – 1:00pm
Sat, Mar. 13 @ Arizona State – 7:00pm
Mon, Mar. 15 @ Arizona – 4:00pm
Wed, Mar. 17 vs. Chico State (Phoenix, AZ) – 7:00pm
Wed, Mar. 24 vs. Utah – 4:00pm
Sat, Mar. 27 vs. Utah State – 7:00pm
Sat, Apr. 3 vs. Colorado – 4:00pm @ Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium
Fri, Apr. 9 vs. Minnesota-Duluth – 7:00pm
Sun, Apr. 11 vs. Michigan – 12:00pm
Sun, Apr. 18 vs. Michigan State – 1:00pm
Sat, Apr. 24 vs. Brigham Young – 1:00pm
Fri, Apr. 30 and Sat, May 1 – RMLC Playoffs (Provo, UT)
Tue, May 11 – Sat, May 15 – MCLA National Tournament (Denver, CO)
