UVSC continued Domination. (League Expansion)

by **canalacrosse** on Mon Apr 03, 2006 11:30 pm

So I was trying to find the archive of the RMLC champions from years past. Does anyone know where to find the past champions listed? I know UVSC has won it the last two years and maybe Fort the year before but for the most part UVSC has been pretty dominate in our league. My question is does everyone think this will continue? What are peoples opinion on why Kevin Perkins and UVSC keep putting together a winning program.

Not saying they should move up but it has been discussed at meetings and rumored or discussed before so I was wondering has UVSC thought of going Div. A, would they compete there? What would be the ups and downs of them going there?

In the same token divison A has been a smaller division for sometime (2 my knowledge), is there any schools looking to join there or any possibilities of expanding?

**Sponsor**

by **dunkonu25** on Mon Apr 03, 2006 11:59 pm

I heard with the addition of Coach Goodhand to Westminster I’m sure he wants them to go Div A with possible NCAA hopes. Also John Westfall Coach of New Mexico said in another forum that Northern Arizona has the talent to play Div A. I don’t know how UVSC is so competitive I don’t think they can hang with the RMLC Div A though. I do however enjoy them in the Div B it gives us a dominate team that everybody wants to beat. As for the league next year I have heard that New Mexico, Westminster, Weber State, Metro State, and Northern Arizona all want into the league. So maybe in 2007 the league might look something like this.

Div A.
1. CSU-F
2. CU
3. Utah
4. Utah State
5. Northern Arizona (if all the hype is true)
6. Westminster (going to very well coached)

Div B
1. Utah Valley State (Has potential to move up if needed)
2. Northern Colorado
3. Fort Lewis
4. Colorado School of Mines
5. Western State
6. Montana State (Very competitive the last 3 seasons)
7. Wyoming
8. Regis
9. Colorado State at Pueblo
10. Weber State
11. Metro State (Has Div A potential with huge HS talent pool in a couple years)
12. New Mexico

by **AflacLax** on Tue Apr 04, 2006 9:51 am

I believe that Westminster is a smaller school, so they will be div B. Also, don't forget BYU up in div A.

by **mcneito** on Tue Apr 04, 2006 1:06 pm

UVSC is a very good team and will continue to do well because they have a VERY LARGE (20,000+) student body in comparison with the rest of Div B schools. They also get a decent amount of out-of-state players because of the fact that a lot of kids want to go to BYU or be around a Mormon-heavy community.
Also, a VERY big factor is Coach Perkins. He is very organized and runs a tight ship.
All this being said, I think it is very tough to think that UV would ever move up to Div A. Utah, BYU, CSU, and CU in the same division makes the decision to stay down at Div. B an easy one. Utah had a hell of a season last year and barely squeeked in the national tourney because of the CSU blunder....
hats off to the great competition, talent, and coaching in the RMLC. A great conference.

by **dunkonu25** on Tue Apr 04, 2006 2:27 pm

Wow i didnt know that Utah Valley had that many students. That dosnt even compare to what we gat at Western 2,500

by **John Westfall** on Tue Apr 04, 2006 10:23 pm

Northern Arizona has told me that they are going to get things right with the WCLL and join that conference. But where ever they go they will dominate.

New Mexico is in a complete transition right now from a Men's Club Team to a College Team and it will take 1-2 years to really get the ball rolling. We are also working on getting a City High School League going for Albuquerque but it is all uphill. This next year will be a total rebuilding season and we will take our lumps. But give it a couple of seasons and we will be up there in Division A where we belong. I can honestly say that the University of New Mexico project and rebuilding is the hardest coaching project I have ever taken on. The biggest thing is changing the whole structure of the UNM program from a Men's Club to a College Team. It is an out with the old and in with the new mentality and it is a bit painful.

We have a great group of kids and I look forward to the future. Next years's schedule will have 13-15 games with 3 Charter Bus trips to Oklahoma, Colorado and Utah.

It is all good,

by **Sonny** on Wed Apr 05, 2006 8:00 am

NAU has a team that folded multiple times over the last 10-15 years. Let's see if they can make all their committments, on and off the field, a few consecutive seasons before we award them a championship trophy.

by **John Westfall** on Wed Apr 05, 2006 10:05 am

Sonny:

I totally agree with you. But you have not seen this program face to face from Georgia like I have. They have a lot of that in state talent that is now being developed in Arizona and they can play some ball let me tell you. I'm not a betting man but they can beat the likes of Tennessee, Georgia, Auburn, Clemson, Wake Forest or Vandy from the SELC right now and would give a good run at Florida or Virginia Tech. Believe me since Mickey Miles Felton left the University of Arizona he has been working hard to develop an in State network of High School, Middle School and Youth Lacrosse in Arizona and NAU is just a by product of Mickey's success. The NAU squad is loaded with in state talent and a few kids from back East.

As for their problems with the WCLL, Troy told me that they don't really know or understand everything that happened over the years but they are willing to work with the WCLL and the USL MDIA and clear the Northern Arizona name and build a solid program for the future at NAU. If they get the right Guy to Coach that program in Flagstaff and continue with solid leadership you will be handing them a Trophy some time in the future.

All the best,

by **mcneito** on Thu Apr 06, 2006 5:35 pm

a few consecutive seasons before we award them a championship trophy.

Well said Sonny
I don't know if you realize Mr. Westfall, but the past two national Champions have come from the WCLL. To dominate that conference at the A or B division will take a lot of work.

by **canalacrosse** on Thu Apr 06, 2006 5:43 pm

Tommy,
What have you been up to post college? Have you been keeping up with the league in person or just on the net? Have you seen any lsm's like yourselve that cause a team to strategy around shutting them down? You always made my faceoffs a hassle with you streaking in.

by **mcneito** on Thu Apr 06, 2006 5:53 pm

Can,
I have been keeping up with UVSC going to as many games as I can.
As far as the LSM position is concerned, SD has a pretty good one, #8. UVSC has a good one as well. He is also #1. He was a freshman last year, and playing good this year.
Keep rockin

by **lil lady lax fan** on Thu Apr 06, 2006 6:58 pm

mcneito wrote:Can,
I have been keeping up with UVSC going to as many games as I can.
As far as the LSM position is concerned, SD has a pretty good one, #8. UVSC has a good one as well. He is also #1. He was a freshman last year, and playing good this year.
Keep rockin

I'll agree with the comment about SD's #8, he always gets the fun job of shutting down the toughest ones--like Claremont's #8. This weekend he has the singular honor of going up against the #1 scorer in Division A--Nick Dean--when they play UCSD. Should be quite a challenge.

by **BigheadTodd** on Fri Apr 07, 2006 5:09 am

#8 is Steve merrill, a utah kid out of West HS, a hs teammate of Ute goalie Jeremy Johnson, and NDNU Argonaut Matt Marr. He was always really smooth in transition, even back in his hs days.

by **lil lady lax fan** on Fri Apr 07, 2006 10:44 am

BigheadTodd wrote:#8 is Steve merrill, a utah kid out of West HS, a hs teammate of Ute goalie Jeremy Johnson, and NDNU Argonaut Matt Marr. He was always really smooth in transition, even back in his hs days.

His brother Cory Merrill is a freshman middie for the Utes (#11). He's been getting some time on the field already and should be a big contributer in the next year or two.

by **John Westfall** on Fri Apr 07, 2006 2:43 pm

Mcneito,

I know how competitive the WCLL is. From my experience playing NAU they have a lot of promise and it is good to see a program develop the way they have. I hope they are able to get back to the US MDIA next year. If they are coached right look for some real positive things from Northern Arizona.

All the best,