June 11, 2008

Quotes: What They're Saying About The Formation Of The BIG EAST Men's Lacrosse Conference?

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - It was announced today (Wednesday, June 11) that the BIG EAST Conference will formally begin sponsorship of men's lacrosse during the spring of 2010. The announcement was made official by Commissioner Michael Tranghese, following a unanimous vote by the league's 16 Directors of Athletics during recent spring meetings. With the addition of men's lacrosse, the BIG EAST Conference sponsors a total of 24 sports (11 men's sports/13 women's sports).

"We are looking forward to the excitement that men's lacrosse will bring to the BIG EAST Conference," said Commissioner Tranghese. "We have schools with established and successful programs, which want to come together to compete under the BIG EAST brand."

Providence College will make the move from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) to begin play in the seven-team BIG EAST men's lacrosse league in 2010. The Friars will join Syracuse, Notre Dame, Georgetown, Rutgers, St. John's and Villanova. In BIG EAST regular-season action, each team will play each league opponent once. The BIG EAST will apply for an automatic bid to the 16-team NCAA Championship field.

"This is a major step for our lacrosse program and our athletics department," Providence College Athletics Director Bob Driscoll said. "Our lacrosse program has shown continual improvement over the last nine years and we view this as a logical step as we strive to become one of the top teams in the nation. We have received tremendous support from Father Shanley and the College's trustees, which enabled this to happen."

Syracuse won the 2008 NCAA Men's Lacrosse national title, the program's 10th, after earning an at-large bid as an NCAA Division I Independent. Notre Dame also garnered a berth into the national tournament as an automatic qualifier from the Great Western Lacrosse League. Currently, Georgetown, Rutgers and St. John's are part of the ECAC. Providence is a member of the MAAC and Villanova competes in the Colonial Athletic Association.

The Friars, who have been associate members of the MAAC in men's lacrosse since 1996, have seen unprecedented success under Head Coach Chris Burdick, who recently completed his 10th season on the Providence College sidelines. Providence has captured four MAAC Regular-Season titles and three MAAC Tournament crowns since 2003. In addition, the Friars have earned an automatic berth to the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship in three of the last five seasons (2004, 2006, 2007). In all, the Friars have claimed the MAAC regular-season title and/or the tournament title in each of the last six seasons since 2003. Providence has appeared in the MAAC Tournament eight consecutive seasons, marking a league record. During that eight-year stretch, the Friars have posted an impressive 48-16 (0.750) record in regular-season league play.

The Friars have built a solid foundation in the MAAC under the direction of Burdick, with a championship model predicated on top-notch defense. The Friars have led the MAAC in scoring defense in five of the last six seasons (2003-05, 2007-08). Each of those five season, Providence also sat among the top-10 in NCAA Division I in scoring defense. The Friars concluded the 2008 season ranked second in the nation in scoring defense (6.47) and ninth in man-down defense (0.783). Additionally, a member of the Providence College men's lacrosse program has earned MAAC Defensive Player of the Year honors four of the last six seasons. The Friars also have seen the development of the program's first All-America selections in defenseman Ben Johnston (Branford, Conn.) during the 2008 season and midfielder Michael Farley (Westfield, N.J.) in 2006. Twenty-four Friars have earned All-MAAC recognition under Burdick's tenure a total of 30 times, since garnering PC's first selections in program history during the 2001 campaign. Burdick was recognized as the Anaconda Sports MAAC Coach of the Year in 2008 after leading Providence to a 7-1 league record and a share of the MAAC Regular-Season title.

"We are committed at Providence to building a lacrosse program that is viewed as one of the best in the nation. This is a move that will allow us to continue to grow the program and compete at the highest level in the sport as members of the BIG EAST Conference," Head Coach Chris Burdick said. "I would like to recognize the leadership of Father Shanley , Bob Driscoll and the trustees for their tireless effort to provide the lacrosse program with this great opportunity, as well as extend a thank you to our loyal and supportive alumni who have built the foundation for this move."

The BIG EAST is the largest and most diverse Division I conference in the country. It was formed in 1979 and represents the athletic interests of 16 member institutions including the University of Cincinnati, University of Connecticut, DePaul University, Georgetown University, University of Louisville, Marquette University, University of Notre Dame, University of Pittsburgh, Providence College, Rutgers University, St. John's University, Seton Hall University, University of South Florida, Syracuse University, Villanova University and West Virginia University. The BIG EAST Conference has captured 25 national championships in six different sports and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series. For more information on the Conference and its membership, please visit www.bigeast.org.

What They're Saying About The Formation of the BIG EAST Men's Lacrosse Conference:

Chris Burdick • Head Coach, Providence College "The BIG EAST Conference has taken a leadership role in the advancement of the sport with its sponsorship and commitment to men's lacrosse. The formation of the league demonstrates a shared belief among BIG EAST members of the value that the sport can bring to each campus community. It is hopeful that this move will serve as a model for other major conferences to follow."

"In the fastest growing sport in the country, it's important to provide role models and opportunities for young athletes. The newly formed BIG EAST lacrosse league will provide those role models and opportunities with the addition of top-notch programs, made up of coaches and athletes who represent the game and their institutions at the highest level on and off the field."

Kevin Corrigan • Head Coach, Notre Dame "It's exciting for all of lacrosse to have a conference with the profile of the BIG EAST to be actively involved in the sport. For Notre Dame in particular, we are thrilled with the advantages it'll give us with the quality of schedule and strength of schedule. It'll also allow us to play in the areas where lacrosse is a hotbed. This also puts us under the umbrella of the BIG EAST along with the majority of our other sports here at Notre Dame."

Dave Urick • Head Coach, Georgetown "We are very excited to join the BIG EAST in men's lacrosse. The sport has grown tremendously over the last decade and to have the association of the BIG EAST Conference will be another boost. The current league members who will join to make up the BIG EAST are established programs that will provide instant national excitement."

Mike Corrado • Head Coach, Villanova "We are very excited about the formation of the men's lacrosse league. It is an honor to have a conference such as the BIG EAST take interest in the seven men's lacrosse programs that will join the new league. This is a great step for the future of our program and for the college lacrosse world"

John Desko • Head Coach, Syracuse "I think you have the added excitement of conferences games, and going for a BIG EAST Championship adds something to shoot for."

Jason Miller • Head Coach, St. John's "This is a really huge step forward, not only for our program, but for the sport in general. We've been able to build our program quickly over the past four years by playing in a great league, the ECAC. Moving to the BIG EAST will enable us to continue that growth."

Lars Tiffany • Head Coach, Brown University "This is an exciting announcement for New England and the city of Providence. Providence College has now made an outstanding commitment, matching the commitment and extraordinary efforts the current staff and team have poured forth for years. The rest of college lacrosse now has to be even sharper: PC has awoken and empowered their own sleeping giant."

Mike Pressler • Head Coach, Bryant University "The announcement made by the BIG EAST is great news for the sport of lacrosse. The BIG EAST is a premiere league in all sports, and for them to step up to the plate and sponsor lacrosse speaks volumes for where the game is going."

"This is going to be a great shot in the arm for the program at Providence and for lacrosse in the State of Rhode Island. The BIG EAST schedule is going to be bringing top-notch teams to Rhode Island to compete in league play. This a great moment for the game. I'm so happy for Chris [Burdick] and his program."

Brian O'Rorke • Providence `04 • Three-time MAAC Defensive Player of the Year "The formation of the BIG EAST men's lacrosse conference is really going to continue to help legitimize the sport. The BIG EAST brand lends instant credibility to men's lacrosse. All you have to do is look at the success the league breeds in a multitude of sports, not to mention the likes of men's and women's basketball and football. This is a huge step for Providence College and the sport as a whole."

"For Providence, this is an unbelievable opportunity to compete against some of the best teams and top players in the country. Coach Burdick and his staff have done a tremendous job building the program at Providence, and this move is only going to increase the ability of the staff to bring in top-notch recruits."

John Pynchon • Providence `05 • Also served as an assistant coach for two seasons (2006-07) "Playing under the umbrella of the BIG EAST Conference gives the formation of the lacrosse league instant name recognition. This is an exciting time for the Providence College community, and moment that I had always hoped for during my playing days as a Friar. The league is adding some of the top names in college lacrosse; immediately making the BIG EAST one of the top conferences in the country."

- FRIARS -