Too Soon? – Part 2
February 24, 2026
PART 2
Last week I tried to address the question of “How early is too early?” when it comes to the start of the college lacrosse season. I talked about the disastrous start of this year’s college schedule (the weekend of January 30-February 1 had more than 15 cancellations and/or postponements) and I also dug up some ancient RTD archives when I discussed this same question back in 2015, 2018, and again in 2022.
ICYMI, here is the link to last week’s piece: (11) Too soon? - by Dan Witmer - Road Trip Dad, which included thoughts from 2015 – more than 10 years ago.
Moving ahead, here’s an excerpt from the 2018 article:
2018 (February 12 “It’s Go Time”)
Whether we like it or not, the D-I men’s teams seem to prefer a schedule modeled after NCAA or even NFL football – play one game a week, commit plenty of time to working with scout teams and film sessions, and allow time for injuries to heal and for student-athletes to go to class. It’s probably a little more expensive to operate that way, and the proliferation of not only turf fields but indoor practice – and playing – facilities have allowed them to start earlier than they did in the good old days, and fit in a league playoff weekend (or two) at end of the season, before NCAA berths are announced.
Nothing really new here, except the mention of the conference championships – which didn’t exist back when you and I played – and now shorten the end of the season, eliminating regular-season games in the month of May.
And in 2022, just four short years ago, when Bellarmine and Mercer broke the January barrier down for – I believe – the very first time…
2022 (January 31 “The 2022 College Season Has Begun!”)
(after Bellarmine opened the season playing Mercer on Saturday, January 29…)
Bellarmine, a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN), plays again this Saturday, at Michigan.
Mercer, of the Southern Conference (SoCon), the only D-I team with a 2022 win in its pocket, is scheduled to play Bucknell at home on Saturday.
Saturday’s Bellarmine vs. Mercer was the season’s first game, but on Wednesday, Tusculum (TN) travels to Young Harris (GA) for the first D-II game of the year. And on Friday, Robert Morris plays at Duke, and on Saturday – February 5! – there are no fewer than 13 D-I contests scheduled, not to mention 13 more D-II games and – you guessed it – 9 D-III games!
Because, the truth is, what the D-I coaches do, the D-II and D-III guys will do, too.
No wonder why no one has seen NCAA Referee-in-Chief Tom Abbott in weeks!
By my count, that’s 35 NCAA games on Saturday.
I’ve written about the “February crawl” before – how lacrosse has slowly but surely snuck its way into our winter sports season. If I’m not mistaken, until this year, February 1st was the earliest starting date – but not any longer.
January 29, 2022… wow.
I’ve written before about how lacrosse players were returning to their respective campuses early, before spring semester classes started, to start preparing for their spring campaigns.
I’ve blamed the winterization of college lacrosse on the control-heavy D-I coaches, who want it all – every game they are allowed to play, but no mid-week games. They want their conference tournaments to last two weeks, and – for now at least – they want to keep their national championship on Memorial Day Weekend.
That means the schedule can only expand in one direction – into January.
So, as I’ve said before, break out your woolies.
With a few minutes of research on www.insidelacrosse.com, I found the following interesting tidbits about this year’s NCAA “spring” lacrosse season:
Duke has 17 games on their schedule, not including ACC and NCAA tournament contests. They have seven (7) games scheduled in February.
Seven. Games. In. February.
I realize that I’m looking at this from an Upstater’s point of view. February is cold around here, and so is March and, often enough, the first half of April. Yes, we’ve gotten snow in May. And there aren’t a lot of programs that can play lacrosse games indoors. Sure, Syracuse makes the most of their Dome, and Hobart and other Upstate teams have taken advantage of facilities like the Pinnacle Athletic Campus in Victor, but not everyone can start scheduling games in February (let alone January!).
I guess I have no problem with programs like Jacksonville, Florida Southern, or Tampa wanting to start their seasons while we’re still shoveling out our mailboxes, but just because they start their seasons early, it doesn’t mean they finish up any earlier; they’re still targeting Memorial Day Weekend like everyone else. And I’ll admit that front-loading the slate of games has its advantages – it allows for rest and recovery in the second half, and it leaves room for re-scheduling if that becomes necessary.
But I’m more interested in Upstate lacrosse, so let’s look at some of our local programs’ starting dates.
Inside the balmy confines of the Dome, Syracuse kicks off the greatly-anticipated Gary Gait/Dave Pietramala era on Friday, February 12 against Holy Cross. Compared to Duke’s schedule, SU has just three games slated for February – after Holy Cross on the 12th, they also host Maryland on February 20 before finally stepping outdoors for Game #3 – at the University of Virginia, so they should be safe from Old Man W.
Overall, the Orange has 14 games on their schedule – eight in the Dome and six on the road (Virginia, Hopkins, Stony Brook, Notre Dame, Albany, and North Carolina). The Notre Dame and Albany games are in April, so they may not even need their UA Heat Gear this spring.
Alphabetically, let’s look at some other Upstate D-I schedules…
Albany opens up at Cornell on February 19. BYOHW (bring your own hand-warmers).
Army plays host to UMass on February 12. Could be a little chilly on the banks of the Hudson.
Binghamton plays host to Marist on February 12, which means the Red Foxes are actually traveling a few degrees north to open their 2022 season.
Canisius is scheduled to start on February 12 when they travel to Hobart. I think Hobart has an indoor option on their campus – hope it’s available!
Colgate opens up at High Point (NC) on February 11. Smart move; don’t forget the sunscreen.
Cornell opens up at Schoellkopf Field against Albany on 2/19 – after about two weeks of practice. Gonna be chilly sitting in the Crescent.
Hobart gets things going when they host Canisius on February 12. For what it’s worth, in 1980, when the Statesmen started their string of 12 consecutive national championships, they opened on March 12. Jus’ saying.
Siena plays it smart when they open up on February 12 – at Long Island University. Hey, South is south.
Finally, St. Bonaventure plays it smart and safe as well, set to open their 2022 season at St. Joseph’s in Philadelphia.
In D-II, defending national champion LeMoyne has an interesting first half of their schedule. They open up on February 20 against Wingate (NC) – at Johns Hopkins’ iconic Homewood Field; can’t think of a better neutral site! Their next game is against Mercyhurst (from global warming-challenged Erie, PA), but that game is also set for a neutral site – the Pinnacle Athletic Campus in Victor. The Dolphins’ next four games are on the road, including a spring break trip to Lakeland, FL to play Florida Southern College, and then they finally play their first true home game on March 26 against Southern New Hampshire. Like SU, they may not need to break out their long-sleeves and turtlenecks.
Meanwhile, Roberts Wesleyan kicks off its season at Post University (CT) on February 22 and then is set to host its next three games – Wheeling Jesuit on 2/26, Chestnut Hill on 3/2, and then LeMoyne on 3/9. Hope they have Pinnacle’s phone number…
The College of St. Rose travels to Long Island on February 16 for a game at Molloy, followed by a game at Mercy (Dobbs Ferry, NY, in Westchester County) on February 19. They are scheduled to open their home slate on February 26 against Georgian Court (NJ).
There are too many Upstate D-III programs to list everyone, but here are a couple of schedules worth noting:
Defending national champions RIT (how cool does that sound!) pays no attention to the weather history of Upstate and opens its 2022 season with two home games in February – vs. Muhlenberg on 2/19 and Bates on 2/27. The Tigers travel out of state for four games this spring, to the balmy, “southern” climes of PA, OH, and NJ.
With a cursory look at a bunch of Upstate schedules, it appears that February 19, is the starting date for several of our D-III neighbors. Ithaca hosts Alfred, St. Lawrence journeys across town to Canton (brrr!), and Nazareth takes its chances with a trip to Springfield.
By the following weekend, it seems like everyone joins the fray. Cortland hosts Skidmore on February 26, while St. John Fisher travels to Ithaca, Nazareth hosts Endicott, Oswego plays at Hartwick, SUNY Poly plays at Potsdam (yes, presumably outdoors), and Sage plays at Plattsburgh (ditto).
This Saturday’s 35 NCAA games aren’t all being played on Florida or Carolina beaches. I see games scheduled for Lycoming, PA and Springfield, MA. Even York, PA might be on the chilly side this weekend, but it looks like the rest of the games are scheduled for warmer climes.
But what about Saturday, February 13, when UIndy plays at Lake Erie? What does the Farmer’s Almanac say about that one?
For you curious old-timers out there, shaking your heads and sighing, Daylight Savings is Sunday, March 6. The first day of spring is Sunday, March 20. High school lacrosse practices begin the following day, on Monday, March 21...
Again, that was four years ago. I find it interesting that, even with the controlled “sunny and 70” weather conditions in the Dome, even Syracuse wasn’t playing until February 12 back then. And while February 26 appeared to be the unofficial start for Upstate’s D-III programs in 2022, this year it was a week earlier – almost everyone played this past weekend, including Oswego State. So, in just four short years, SU kicked off its season two weeks earlier this year, and even the “little guys” have moved towards a more winter-centric schedule.
Truth be told, Oswego is set to play 15 games over a 10-week period – five midweek games and ten Saturdays. My guess is most D-III programs in Upstate NY have something similar. We’ll manage…
But someone has to draw the line for the D-I eager beavers who want to play as soon as possible. I don’t know if it’s the ADs, the Conferences, or the coaches themselves, but someone has to stand up and say, “Enough.”
Some people are suggesting possible solutions.
I’ve heard some talk about warm-weather sites – or even the JMA Wireless Dome – hosting multiple teams over a February weekend. Maybe the Pinnacle Athletic Campus in Victor, or the Stiles Field at Hobart. Neutral site small stadiums or host colleges down South. Stable playing conditions, maybe two games in three or four days, and make it a big deal. Sure, maybe no one gets a home game out of it, but getting two early-season, non-league games under one’s belt -in stable, player and fan-friendly conditions – might be worth it.
Because what happened earlier this month was a Gong Show. Teams played indoors with bad lighting and no spectators. Other teams played indoors on shorter fields. Where are we headed there? What gets compromised next?
The easiest solution is to simply have teams play more midweek games. Even conference games – usually reserved for those untouchable, sacred Saturdays – can be played on a Tuesday or Wednesday, especially against the local rivals. UNC/Duke? Hopkins/Maryland? Hofstra/Stonybrook? Albany/Binghamton? Iona/Marist? Sacred Heart/Quinnipiac?
You get the idea.
Or you could allow the NCAA championships to take place in the first or second week of June. Push back the national championship. Baseball and softball do it, and I think track and field do it, too. Sure, the Memorial Day Weekend tradition has been a college lacrosse staple, and the attendance numbers grew exponentially for years, but dare I suggest that now those numbers have not only plateaued, but dropped? Exceptional TV coverage and NFL stadium prices have allowed people like me – who attended Memorial Day Weekend championships for almost 35 consecutive years – to stay home, watch the games on TV, and save hundreds of dollars.
The PLL might not be in favor of college lacrosse extending into June, but they can always consider midweek games, too.
The NHL and NBA play three or even four games a week. The President’s Cup and other box lacrosse championships feature teams playing six games in seven days.
Apples and oranges, you say?
Then so is D-I lacrosse and the NFL.
If a June national championship isn’t a viable option, you could shorten the NCAA playoffs by having teams play (gasp!) midweek games – or play in four-team pods like the D-III teams do. That’s right – in D-III, 40 teams play to a championship in the same amount of time it takes 18 D-I teams to crown their champs… and I don’t hear the D-III coaches complaining.
And really, the disdain for midweek games is so hypocritically inconsistent. “We don’t want our kids to miss classes,” coaches say. Take a look at college basketball schedules – or college baseball...
The goal that every D-I team is shooting for is to play in Championship Weekend, and yet the schedule for Memorial Day Weekend includes four teams playing two games in (dare I say it?) three days! With the national championship at stake! I don’t remember players – or even coaches – complaining about that format…
Before 1971, there were no national championship games. Then, when there were playoffs, there were eight-team fields. The game grew and we wanted access to the national championships, so we fought for AQs, and as result, the college game grew. No arguments there; no regrets. But the cost of that means no more regular season games in May. Lacrosse season used to be March into May; now it’s February into April.
To me, that makes sense.
But January?
Enough already.
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Happy New Year and best wishes to Road Trip Dad readers everywhere! Please, drive carefully, and put down that cell phone! Donate blood. Get vaccinated. Volunteer. Stay safe, stay smart, and stay kind. Help someone in need – and be sure to take care of your crew!
- Dan Witmer
Dan is the author of four books: The Best of Road Trip Dad – The Laker Lacrosse Collection is an accumulation of 45 articles written for www.JustLacrosseUpstate between the years 2012 and 2018, about the history and traditions, the people, and the stories of the Oswego State men’s lacrosse program. … and piles to go before I sleep – The Book of Wit is his memoir describing his 33-year career teaching HS English and coaching at Hannibal Central School. His third book, The Best of RTD – A Lacrosse Coach’s Handbook contains more than 55 weekly Road Trip Dad blogs spanning 2012-2020, featuring Xs and Os, highs and lows, and even some Dos and Don’ts, and plenty of advice for coaches of all levels. His latest book, The Best of Road Trip Dad – On the Shoulders of Giants: Upstate’s Lacrosse Founders and Legends, profiles more than 50 icons who helped grow the game in Upstate NY. All four books are available at www.amazon.com.
Dan grew up in Lynbrook, NY before coming to Oswego State to earn his teaching and coaching certifications. He then taught English at Hannibal High School for 33 years before retiring in 2015.
In addition to coaching the Oswego State Laker men’s lacrosse team part-time from 1982-2010, Dan also coached JV and varsity girls’ soccer at Hannibal for 16 years, girls’ ice hockey at Oswego HS for 8 years, and boys’ JV and varsity lacrosse at Oswego HS for 12 years.
Dan is now in his 18th year assisting Summit Lacrosse Ventures with their various tournaments, especially the annual Lake Placid Summit Classic, and he worked for 3d Lacrosse for three years as well. He has served on the staffs of the 2014 FIL World Games in Denver, the 2015 FIL Indoor Championships in Syracuse, the 2018 FIL World Games in Netanya, Israel, the 2022 U21 World Championship in Limerick, Ireland, and the World Lacrosse Championships in San Diego in 2023. He was the game ops staff director for the World Lacrosse Men’s and Women’s Box Championships in Utica in September of 2024, and he served as the field manager at the World Lacrosse Men’s U20 championships in Jeju, South Korea in 2025. In 2023, he created Witmer Solutions LLC, a lacrosse event staffing and internship offering service that he hopes will get his foot – and others’ – in the door at lacrosse events worldwide.
Dan served as the Community Service Coordinator for the Oswego State athletic department from 2010-2023 and has been a certified lacrosse referee for the past seven years. He has also been the Volunteer Event Organizer for the annual St. Baldrick’s fundraiser in Oswego for the past 18 years, raising more than one million dollars for childhood cancer research.
In 2023, he returned to the Oswego State coaching staff as an assistant coach, where he currently serves as defensive coordinator and alumni liaison.
Dan and Sue Witmer live in Oswego, while their older son Brian, his wife Jane, and son Benji live outside of Prague, Czech Republic, and younger son Eric lives in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado.
The hope is for many more road trips to come.