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Syracuse women's head lacrosse coach Lisa Miller was part of the Big East coalition trying to add independent Loyola into the conference last year. Now the Big East's newest member will look to make Miller sorry she even asked.
Loyola, formerly an independent, became the sixth team in the conference, replacing Boston College and joining the Big East - which already features three teams ranked in the Top 25. Greyhounds head coach Kerri O'Day hopes the move will bring more credibility to her program. The Orange visits Loyola on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
After a 5-11 record last year, some questioned the decision to bring Loyola into one of women's lacrosse's most dominant conferences. But the Greyhounds have a stronger track record than last season's performance would indicate, including trips to the NCAA Tournament nine of the past 10 years, a 17-win season and No. 1 ranking in 2003 and a 14-4 record in 2004.
A team of Loyola's caliber - formerly of the Colonial Athletic Association but bumped out for several different reasons - was not going to stay an independent for long. The Big East picked them up on the recommendation of Miller and other conference teams.
"I had spoken with some of the other Big East coaches about the possibility of bringing in someone else," Miller said. "There aren't that many independents right now, and Loyola is the strongest. They give you strength of schedule and they increase your RPI. They bring a lot of good things to the table."
So far in 2006, Loyola has held its own, beating Rutgers on March 12 and losing to No. 10 Notre Dame, 13-9. Miller characterizes the Greyhounds as a dangerous team - one that should keep Saturday's game close. O'Day said the new conference opponents haven't affected her team much so far.
"We've been going fine; we just prepare for any other teams the same way it just gives it some added pressure," O'Day said.
Loyola is familiar with Syracuse (7-3, 1-1 Big East), playing SU three times for a 2-1 record. The Orange beat Loyola last year, 11-9, in the Carrier Dome.
With the Greyhounds (4-6, 1-1) inclusion the Big East now has four prominent names - Georgetown, Syracuse, Notre Dame and Loyola - as well as important geographical distribution, ranging from Maryland to New York. Finding a school in the strong Southern lacrosse market was imperative for the conference after losing Virginia Tech to the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2003.
"We knew we were losing Virginia Tech, but then all of a sudden we lost to BC," Miller said. "I know (Loyola) had a rough year last year and they're off to a bumpy start, but traditionally they're a strong program."
Loyola also seeks to benefit from the move, hoping its inception into the Big East may help in luring recruits that may not have liked the idea of playing for an independent. O'Day believes the conference's name alone should attract more young players.
"I'm sure we'll see an improvement," O'Day said. "It's important to be part of a conference and not just an independent."
A boost in Loyola interest may adversely affect Syracuse, which has six players from Maryland, and recently seems to have established a connection with the Old Line State's deep talent pool. But Miller doesn't think this will cause any problems.
"We've overlapped on a couple kids but recruiting is a weird thing," Miller said. "This school is so much bigger than Loyola; it takes a different type of kid to go to that school. We both have very different things to offer."
Some of SU's Maryland natives said Loyola's independence did not weigh in to their decision to look elsewhere, but believe the program's move into the Big East can't hurt their chances at recruiting.
"If they can be just as successful in a big conference then it will definitely help their recruiting," sophomore defender Shannon Brushe said. "It helps our program, too. If their program becomes more successful, ours will have to compete. It just brings up the whole sport in general."
Sophomore defender Stephanie Bissett played in high school with five Loyola members. She said her choice to come to Syracuse was based on her desire to go to school farther away from home.
"Everyone goes to Maryland schools who play lacrosse," Bissett said. "I wanted to go somewhere different. I think it helps a lot of people who look there now, though."
Saturday's matchup will be a homecoming for those six Orange, but it will also serve as a big indication of whether Loyola is a good fit for one of the nation's most competitive conferences. Miller believes the Greyhounds can only improve the Big East's competitiveness, which is why she asked to put them in. O'Day is happy her program got the call.
"The Big East is a great conference," O'Day said. "All of the teams are very strong - academically as well as athletically. I'm glad we fit in."
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