Six Ranked Teams and Three Varsity Opponents Highlight Rams' Schedule
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Colorado State University Men's Lacrosse
November 16, 2005
Fort Collins, CO - The Colorado State University men's lacrosse team has released its 2006 spring schedule and, while not as grueling as past seasons in terms of number of games played, will perhaps pose the Rams with even more challenges as they attempt to return to the top of the MDIA mountain. There are six teams ranked in the final MDIA poll from 2005 and three Varsity programs on a schedule that the Rams hope prepare them for a run at a fourth MDIA championship.
Two separate trips to California will comprise the meat of the schedule for Colorado State as they will make visits to both the Northern and Southern parts of the Golden State within a three week span early in the season. CSU will be challenged right out of the gates as they take on reigning two-time MDIA champion UC-Santa Barbara (WCLL) on the road on February 23rd. The Gauchos are tough in Santa Barbara and haven't lost at home since 2002. Two days later, the Rams will travel down to Orange County to play Division III Whittier for the first time in team history.
After their first California trip, CSU has a week to prepare for one of their most heated rivals in Colorado College, another Division III team. CSU has a two game winning streak over the Tigers after a long period of losing in the series. The game will certainly be emotional as both teams have developed a bit of mutual hatred over the past four to five years.
One week later, the Rams are back in California, only now in wine country as they prepare for a three game stretch heading into Spring Break. They will not be greeted kindly at Sonoma State (WCLL) on March 11, where the Seawolves haven't lost a regular season home game in over five years. The games against Sonoma State and UCSB will be played in perhaps the two most hostile environments in the MDIA. CSU takes a day off after Sonoma in preparation for another Varsity opponent as they head into Belmont, CA to take on Notre Dame de Namur (Division II). The Argonauts are rapidly rising as a powerful team in Division II after moving into the top 10 in 2005. The Rams conclude their road trip with a visit to Stanford (WCLL) before starting their Spring Break and a six-game home stand.
RMLC league play begins with a visit from Utah State on March 24th. That weekend will also bring up and coming Arizona State University (WCLL) to Fort Collins, CO on the 25th. Arizona State ended 2005 on a tear by beating their hated instate rival Arizona and appear to be on the upswing as 2006 begins. It will mark the fist time ASU has come to Colorado after CSU made a trip to the Southwest in 2004.
CSU then has a home game against RMLC Division B Northern Colorado before a tentatively scheduled game against the CCLA's University of Indiana on April Fools Day, another team hoping to rise to prominence this season.
One of the most challenging weekends of the season could come on the tail end of the Rams' home stand on April 8th. The CCLA sends another representative out to Colorado on Friday as CSU plays Oakland (MI) for the first time in either team's history. The University of Utah will wait in ambush on Saturday for the Rams. Oakland made it to the MDIA national tournament last year and Utah appears to be only a step or two away from really challenging on the national level so CSU is looking at this weekend very seriously.
Colorado State will conclude their regular season with games against RMLC rivals BYU and Colorado on the weekends of April 15th and 22nd respectively. Both games will be played at neutral sites in Denver as the teams look to shore up the details in the coming months. The Rams hope to work out a doubleheader at the University of Denver (Division I) for the BYU game and will continue the Rocky Mountain Showdown against Colorado at a yet to be named stadium in the metro Denver area.
Providing the Rams make the RMLC playoffs, they will travel to Logan, UT, where Utah State University will play host to a final four event to be held in their University's football stadium. The MDIA is still making plans for where the national tournament will be held.
For more information on Colorado State Lacrosse, please visit www.csulacrosse.com.
COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY 2006 SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT
2/23 at UC-Santa Barbara
2/25 at Whittier College (Division III)
3/4 at Colorado College (Division III)
3/11 at Sonoma State University
3/13 at Notre Dame de Namur University (Division II)
3/14 at Stanford University
3/24 vs. UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY *
3/25 vs. ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
3/29 vs. UNIVERSITY of NORTHERN COLORADO
4/1 vs. UNIVERSITY of INDIANA (tentative)
4/8 vs. OAKLAND UNIVERSITY (MI)
4/9 vs. UNIVERSITY of UTAH *
4/15 vs. Brigham Young University * # (@ TBA)
4/22 vs. University of Colorado * # (@ TBA)
4/28 – 4/29 RMLC PLAYOFFS (@ Logan, UT)
5/9 – 5/13 USL-MDIA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (@ TBD)
* Indicates RMLC League Games
# Indicates neutral site game
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