We’re just days away from the start of our season, and this year certainly will be a special one for the MCLA. We’ve hit the 20-year mark of providing a quality lacrosse experience to student-athletes at colleges and universities across the nation.

Think about that: 20 years. We’re going to be getting a second generation of MCLA players here pretty soon as our initial class of players nears 40 years of age.

More importantly, being around for two decades is a testament to the hard work of the players, coaches, conference directors and executive staff. This is my 20th season coaching at Georgia Tech, so I’ve seen it all, and none of this gets done without numerous dedicated individuals. We should consider ourselves fortunate for a lot of the groundwork that has been laid before us.

There have been a lot of changes and challenges during that time, but we have weathered them together and pushed past them. The most recent obstacle was getting our website back up and running. It was down far longer than we hoped and the Executive Committee truly appreciates your patience as we rebuilt the site. We’re back online and excited about the site’s potential for 2016.

The website – and our digital media presence, in general – will be aided by the addition of a Director of External Affairs. Jac Coyne, a long-time writer for Lacrosse Magazine with a background in public relations, became the first-ever employee of the MCLA in November and he’s excited to bring our exposure to the next level.

Thanks to some great sponsors, our student-athletes in both divisions will gain exposure on a weekly and monthly basis this spring. Under Armour, which has been a great partner for the MCLA, is sponsoring the “Commanding Performance of the Week,” with the winner earning a new Under Armour Command Head while US Lacrosse has the naming rights to the MCLA Player of the Month, which will come with a one-year membership to USL.

The jewel of our season is obviously the MCLA National Tournament powered by Under Armour, and that will take place in Southern California for the third straight season. The tournament will run from May 9-14 with the first two rounds played in Irvine, Calif., and the semifinal and finals occurring at Chapman in Orange, Calif. If this championship provides the kind of excitement we saw last spring, it will be a can’t-miss event.

Whether you have 10 more days until your first game or a couple of weeks, enjoy the ride and best of luck to everyone. The tournament will be upon us before you know it.

Ken Lovic
MCLA President
Head Coach | Georgia Tech

(Photo: Cecil Copeland/The Athletic Image)