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Coaching Carousel: DII to DI (Part 2) · In the Crease

• 0:10
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome, welcome, welcome to another episode of In the Crease with Danny and Kevin, a coast-to-coast discussion of D2 Men's L Cross.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your co-host, Kevin Stentrom, and with me as always is my esteemed Long Island cohort, Danny Moran.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: Hey Danny, how you doing?
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_02: I'm doing great, Kevin.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_02: How's everything going tonight in Northern Virginia, my friend?
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_00: It's going well, going well.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: No complaints.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: You know, as we're ending the end of summer, we're getting there pretty closely.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_00: We're recording this mid-August right now, but uh it's coming close.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: You know, our our daughter's gonna be heading back to school pretty soon, so we're wrapping some of the summer stuff up.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, my son left yesterday, uh, arrived this morning in school, got a call about four o'clock, said dad, I gotta get an area rug.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_02: I'm like, oh my god.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_02: When I was in school, when I was in school, the last thing I thought about was an area rug.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_00: The fact that he said area rug gives me pause, Danny.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: That's all I'm gonna say.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: Comes from my wife, you know that.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_02: You know that school's starting.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_00: Everybody in the south is pretty much getting there, freshmen are in and starting to see that on Instagram and the the teams coming back, and and fall ball probably gonna get kicked off.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: It's it's pretty cool.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: But we are right now in the second of our series of D2 coaches who moved on to take jobs in D1.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_00: And we are staying right in your neck of the woods there, Danny.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, sir.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: This week we're bringing back the other coach that made that jump after bringing his team to the NCAA D2 championship.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_00: And he didn't have to travel far, unlike Coach Ryan in his transition.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_00: He moved about an hour south from Mercy to LIU.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: So let's welcome him back, Coach Jordan Levine, head coach for the LIU Sharks.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: Hey coach.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_02: How's it going, guys?
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_02: Hey coach, good to have you back.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_02: How are you doing, man?
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_02: You look good, nice and tan.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_02: You've been sitting on those lacrosse fields all summer long, 10-hour days in the sun, sitting in that beach chair.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_02: I know, I know.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_02: How are you doing?
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_03: I'm doing well.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_02: You look good, you look great, actually.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_03: Appreciate that.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_03: Just enjoying uh enjoying August right now, some downtime.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, it's been busy.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: It's great to have you back on without a doubt.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: Um, like we said last podcast, we've kind of entered uncharted waters.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_00: Now we're talking to the big wigs in D1.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: This may not last too long, but we're really excited to have you back on and see you and get to talk to you.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_00: Let me start off.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: We asked Coach Ryan this exact same question because I'm just fascinated to know how it kind of goes about.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_00: How did going from mercy to taking the job at LIU all transpire?
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: How did that occur?
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_03: That's a good question.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_03: Um it happened, uh, it happened pretty quickly.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_03: Um, you know, their current coach was uh had had left for for another job, and um, you know, they they there was, I think myself and a couple other candidates that they they had on campus, um, and just the situation of it, they had to move quick, which was stressful for me because you know, you have to make a decision quick.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_03: But understanding the situation, I think when I got to LIU, we probably had over 20, 20 of our guys were were on the transfer portal, and it was the you know, I think it was the end of June.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_03: So, you know, it was really time to to move fast and and make sure that you could keep as many of the current players on campus and and try to keep the team intact.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I guess, I guess it's gotta be, you know, a little stressful making that jump and then being in that position right away where wow, I might be losing guys to the portal.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_02: I got to get going right away.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_02: Well, what was that like?
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_03: Danny, it was it was uh it was a whirlwind.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, I was at Mercy College, right?
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_03: I was the head coach there for 10 years and I was I was there before they even had a men's lacrosse program.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_03: So 14 years was a long time.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_03: And obviously, we just you know was on the heels of our most successful season, competing national championship.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_03: And and a lot of those guys were were coming back the next year.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, it wasn't really something that I was thinking about.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_03: Um, and it just the opportunity kind of just presented itself, and everything happened so quickly.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_03: Like we, you know, the end of May were playing in the national championship game, and you know, um almost exactly around the end of June, June 30th, I think, you know, I'm I'm I'm at LIU.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_03: So everything happened really, really quick.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_02: Coach, I completely understand that.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_02: You know, life, life is funny sometimes.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_02: I always say to my kids, hey, there's the train of life, you're getting on the train.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_02: And on those trains, on that train are opportunities.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_02: And sometimes we take the opportunities and we regret not taking opportunities.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_02: So it looks like uh an opportunity came your way and it was a good thing for you and your family.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_02: And I, you know, I commend you.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_02: You did what you thought was best for you and your family.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_02: And and you know what, that's what I call an opportunity.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_02: And what you did at Mercy was not gonna go unforgotten.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I mean, you you've really let some some groundwork there at Mercy, and and they've been a great team.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_02: And you have your players from Mercy talk about you like you should be on Mount Rushmore, man.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_02: They they love you.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_02: I'm telling you, they love you.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we heard that several times last year.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_00: It kind of got a little uh sickening, don't you think, Danny?
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_02: No, you know what?
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_02: It's great, right?
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_02: No, you're right.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_00: In fact, I was gonna I was gonna say that really quickly, just to add to that.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: I saw um an article with your assistant coach Troy Ray, who said that you bring a positive vibe to the organization.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_00: And we saw that in Mercy, and I think that's what your Mercy players fed off of as well.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_00: So I mean, I mean, that's uh just to add to what Danny was saying, that's definitely a truth.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: And and we had a few mercy players we talked to last year.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_00: And and I think the other thing we'd say to that is like, as you probably, and that's one of my questions, it look seems like one of your first tasks at LIU was trying to almost uh keep it sold, keep those players that were in the portal at LIU.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: And I know I heard a bunch of stories of potential mercy players gonna do the same thing because you were leaving, but I think what you left there was a real love for that program and that school, and everyone stayed, as far as I know.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_00: So I think that's a testament to what you did.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_00: 100%.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_03: I yes, no doubt.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_03: I appreciate it.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_03: And I'm glad that they all still you know stayed together.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_03: Obviously, Ryan McSpadden was my assistant coach and one of the greatest players in the program to keep it in-house with him and Coach Karassi still on board.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_03: And um, obviously that the the amount of talent that they brought back that they and they do, they how much they care about it, you know, that means a lot.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_03: And I'm glad that they got you know another year and they kept the the ship together and all those guys stayed on board.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and they had a really good year as well, you know, Kipnis, Gibbons, Amano, that uh what a squad, man.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_02: They're a really good squad.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_02: I I love watching them play.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_02: And TJ Heider had himself a year last year, man.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_03: TJ, yeah, man.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_03: TJ took that next step.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_03: And I watched from afar, and I was actually at a couple games.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_03: Um, I was at yeah, they they had the the ability.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_03: It's just the way when you play playoff lacrosse against really good teams.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_03: Like I tried to explain, I know some of those guys were disappointed.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_03: I'm like, listen, you lost to St.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_03: Anselm by a goal, and that's a great team, and you guys were a great team.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, we beat Seton Hill by a goal.
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_03: We could have easily lost that game.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_03: You know, when you get to the playoffs, it's that you go either way, and you know, they were right there and had their opportunities and had a great year.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: So um proud you said it, coach.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_00: I look back at some of those scores in the playoffs.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_00: You looked at Mercyhurst, every game they won by what was by one goal to get to the championship.
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: And some luck has to be on your side to get to it.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_00: It's not that you're not deserving, but to get to the final, there's there's some luck involved.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_03: Has to has to be Kevin.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, we and I was talking about 2022 when we beat Seton Hill in the quarterfinals by one goal.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_03: That could have gone either way.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_03: Lemoyne, I mean, we were down a goal with 12 seconds left, you know.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, it could have gone either way, and we ended up winning that game by one goal.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_02: So I was at that game.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_02: That was sick.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_02: That was great game.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_03: That was electric, man.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, that was that was a wild game.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_03: And now they're coming up to division one, right?
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_03: So yeah, in my conference.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_03: So we'll get to see those guys again.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_03: Maybe not this year.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_03: I think the NEC comes back in 2025.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_03: So we'll we'll be in the league with them in 25.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_02: You know, let me ask you a question, Coach.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_02: When you see a division two team like a Lemoyne make that jump to Division One, what do you think that does for D2?
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_02: See, I think it stinks personally.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_02: Because, you know, you you want the Lemoines, you want the Mercy's, you want those high-end teams that set the bar.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, those are the that's what I, you know, we aspire to be like or aspire to play like.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_02: And when a team like that goes to D1, what do you think that does to Division II?
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_03: It's it's tough, man.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_03: I could tell you if if if I'm still at Mercy, I'm disappointed.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_03: And I know those guys are too.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, that's the game.
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_03: I think that's the game for us that like kind of put us on the map.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_03: I remember first time we ever played him in 2017 at Mercy, you know, we played him competitively and that gave us a great deal of confidence.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_03: And then we beat him in 2019 for the first time.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_03: And, you know, that's the gold standard of Division II lacrosse to lose a program like that is is tough.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_03: And I can tell you, our guys were always motivated to play against the best.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_03: So to lose a team like that, and obviously LIU and Queens and Lindenwood, uh, you know, it's opportunities.
• 10:05
  SPEAKER_03: Merrimack, yeah, it gives opportunities for some of these other programs.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_03: Honestly, it's it's just and you look at it at from the top down, like the the power five schools and all the conference shuffling and then the division twos going division one, there's so much change in college athletics right now, and you lose those rivalries, which I which which I think is sad.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_03: It's almost like even when I was at Mercy and LIU in New York Tech was a big rivalry in a Delphi and LI, like Adelphi lost all, you know, all those Long Island Dowling, all those schools.
• 10:35
  unknown: Right.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_03: I'll say the one thing when I first started though in 2010 was our first year.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, the South was not as strong as it is now.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_03: The South is, I mean, you you could say the South might be stronger than the North now.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, they right, uh, you know, they've won the last couple national championships, and it was never that way.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_03: And now you're kind of seeing a shift where Lemoyne is gone, Merrimack is gone, Lenore Ryan, Wingate, all the Florida schools, they're all they're all, you know, limestone's been good for a long time.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_01: Yep.
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_03: So where you lose some of those traditional powers, but you you know, you're also gaining some of those programs that hadn't, you know, that weren't around 10, 15 years ago.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_02: They're they're starting to make their mark now in division two.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_02: They're getting that they're getting their shot on the ladder, yeah.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_00: And what you said is kind of what, and it surprised me because Danny, out of the two of us, is always Mr.
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_00: Optimistic.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_00: And so I always say to him, Look at Danny, yeah, I I agree with you.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_00: I hate to see those schools go, but we see the level of talent that's coming in D2, and some of these programs that aren't there yet can take that step and get to that next level and then be the next Lemoyne, the next LIU, the next Merrimac.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it's you know that that's I think a natural progression.
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if they were still there, I think it if LIU, Merrimack, Lemoyne, Lyndon would, if they were still up there, it makes it even tougher for those schools to get there.
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_00: But I think it almost gives an opportunity to some of those schools.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_03: No doubt.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_00: So let me ask you this, and that was one of my questions.
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_00: The LIU used to be a very, very good D2 program and moved to D1.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_00: So, what has that been like?
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_00: Is that still something that the transition that you still see, or is it or you know, I'm just curious of that because we look at it like personally, how I look at it like I all I want is to see LIU, Merrimack, all the former D2 schools do well, do well, yeah.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_00: And I know it takes time, it's not like you can't get there in a day.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so how how is that transition going for the school?
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_00: Is it do you think it's there?
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_00: Are you is there still building blocks you have to work on?
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, there's always building blocks.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_03: Um you know, if you look at geez, what when did they go division one?
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_03: So after the 2019 season, so 2020, you know, the COVID shortened year.
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, but then you saw them take steps in 21 and 22.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_03: And this year, just with some of the attrition with the coaching change and some, you know, some turnover with guys transferring before that, I you know, maybe we took a step back.
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_03: Like this past year, we we only returned, I think, one starter from 2022.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_03: Um, so a really inexperienced team.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_03: And you know, we were one game.
• 13:14
  SPEAKER_03: What we we finished four and five in the max, we were one game from making the playoffs, and it came down to the last day of the season.
• 13:20
  SPEAKER_03: So we were in it till the end.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_03: You feel better now because you know, I I think you know, Coach Hayes, Coach Troy, my you know, my staff and myself brought in a good class, and we bring back, I think, eight of ten starters, plus a really deep recruiting class.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_03: So we feel good about where we're going in the future.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_03: I think it you know it happens quicker than than you think.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_03: And like the the top level of Division II, I like I think Lemoyne is gonna step in and be fine.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_03: You know, I think the tough thing for them in 2024 is they don't have a conference, right?
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_03: They're an independent year one, which is tough.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_03: Um, but yeah, I mean, if they were just to jump in the Mac or the NEC, I think they would be, you know, super competitive.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_03: And I and I can even recall like being at Mercy, we would scrimmage division one teams and be really successful.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_03: So and again, we're not uh it it's hard for me because I'm looking at you know the who we're playing, and maybe it might be different if we're playing Duke or Virginia, but I I I think that you know, I think we're in a place right now that we can be successful, and it's realistic that we could compete for a comp, you know, I'm not saying we're going to, but I think it's in the realm of possibilities and realistic that, and our guys believe it, and that's a big part of it that we could compete for a conference championship and play in the big dance on Espn.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_03: And that's right, that's that's that's the goal.
• 14:37
  SPEAKER_03: And and I think it's it's certainly achievable where we were in a lot of close games.
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_03: And I mean, we beat Siena last year, and Siena was in the conference championship.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_03: So I I don't think we're far off.
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, right.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, some of the games you were in that you lost, you won, you know, one goal, two goals.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, the Rutgers game was one thing, but that was the first game of the season.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_02: And but other than that, you yeah, El Jerone, you know, yeah, we're in the mix with the with the coaching changes and and guys in the portal, maybe being a little shortchanged, you know, in depth and that type of stuff.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_02: But you guys tell your own, it's gotta make you feel good.
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, you get a good recruiting class, you come in, hopefully, maybe get another transfer or two that look to come in and and and contribute right away.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_02: And I don't see LIU being that far off at all.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, so let me ask you this, Coach, just a little bit different.
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_00: What are the differences, or are there any differences between the Mercy program and LIU?
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_00: And maybe that's a D1, D2 difference, but I'm just curious if you see it from any difference or if it's really the way you build it, it's the same way.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I mean, there's there's definitely some differences.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_03: I I think at least going through like the recruiting process, right?
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_03: Um, a lot of a lot of kids out there do chase that division one dream.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I think there's more there's more options, and I think it it is super competitive.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_03: And uh the the biggest difference to me, honestly, is in recruiting, like at Mercy, it was you're putting in that same time and effort.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_03: I think maybe at times there's more students that are interested in you because you're division one.
• 16:21
  SPEAKER_03: Um maybe you have to say no to some guys that you think are really good, right?
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_03: You can't have you can't take everybody, and um, I I think that's the biggest difference where like at Mercy, like you look at our like our our our our best players, like Brady Kernan, like he could have played almost anywhere, or Jack Kitness or Tom Yumano, or I mean PJ Argeros.
• 16:43
  SPEAKER_03: He did play at UMBC and started there as a freshman.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_03: So like those guys could go and play almost anywhere.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_03: I would say like outside of like one through 15, like your top 15 players on a division one roster, maybe like 15 and 40.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_03: Like, there's there's so many guys that have a case that are like so similar, where there was a drop-off after that, maybe that first group and depth now, which makes your job tough, right?
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, recruiting, like you really have to spend a lot of time because like I call it like that gray are where there's so many guys that are kind of similar to make that decision and how to differentiate differentiate and choose who you want and like those qualities that you want.
• 17:22
  SPEAKER_03: And it's like that even more in practice.
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_03: Like every week, like the lineup could change, or guys have a little case that they could be in the lineup.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_03: It makes practice super, super competitive because you have so many guys that are right there in the mix.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_03: That to me, that was the biggest difference.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_03: Where at Mercy, and you had guys surprise you and develop, but for the most part, like you kind of knew what your lineup was going to be week in and week out.
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_03: And and to a certain extent, you still do with division one.
• 17:49
  SPEAKER_03: And again, I only have a year of experience, but I could tell you that there is a lot more guys that are similar and have that can make that case where they're really pushing to be in the mix.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_02: That's interesting, and it makes perfect sense.
• 18:03
  SPEAKER_02: Let me let me ask you this what was the biggest thing that you've learned in the jump to Division I?
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_02: What's the you know one real super surprising thing and that helped you to make you know decisions at that next level?
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_02: As he thinks he's a thinking man.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_03: There's a couple of things.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_03: I I mean, I think one there's how do I say this?
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_03: Uh ever every game could go either way.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_03: Really.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_03: I mean there is no and again in our conference and our we played what nine conference games and five non-league games every single game.
• 18:47
  SPEAKER_03: If you don't show up, even if you're more I mean there's so many teams that are so similar.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_03: Like I look at our at the Mac conference, and like like I said, I think I think Kineshius finished last and Marist won it, and Kenesius beat Marist in the regular season.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_03: Like in Division II conferences, you don't see the last place team knocking off the first place team.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 19:06
  SPEAKER_03: On any given day, there's so many teams and so many kids out there that are kind of similar that if you are not bringing your A game, you're gonna get you're gonna get knocked off.
• 19:15
  SPEAKER_03: So every single game is is especially in our league, is is like a dogfight because you're looking at, you know, we play nine games, so 10 teams in the league that are that are pretty, pretty similarly um talented, well coached, it's a lot of similar teams.
• 19:29
  SPEAKER_03: So that to me, that was the biggest difference where you know you would see a drop off maybe in talent after the first couple teams, and not to say you couldn't take them lightly, but there was some lobsided games in in our league.
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_03: You don't you don't really see that a whole lot.
• 19:44
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, you got you got St.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_02: Joe's, Bryant, Hobart, Marin Mount.
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_02: So that was Mount that was in 22.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_03: So this year, uh 23 is Maris, Mount St.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_03: Mary's, Manhattan, Siena.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_03: Okay.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_03: So we switched to the Mac in 23, yeah.
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, okay, okay.
• 20:03
  unknown: Okay.
• 20:03
  SPEAKER_02: See, I'm not up on division one.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_02: I'm all about G2 podcast.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_00: It's really interesting, coach.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I think it's it's I think one of the things you said that struck me right off the bat was they had to make it a decision quickly, trying to get you in or a coach, they obviously wanted you, and and your I think your first task, correct me I'm wrong, was like to try to keep some of those guys that were in the portal to come back.
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_00: Is that correct?
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, no doubt.
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_03: I'm thinking I better, I hope I made this move.
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_03: I hope I have a team to coach here.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so I mean, uh, so like you you talked about this, it it's a whirlwind.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_00: So, what did you have something?
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_00: Uh a list of goals?
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_00: How did you go about after you get through that?
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I just think I I would be like, you're just running from one thing to the next to begin with, just to try to get up to speed, probably through fallball, right?
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_00: Is that correct?
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, did you did you have any goals?
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_00: Do you have any things you're thinking about?
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_00: It's like I gotta learn names of people.
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_03: No, I mean, I did my research through the interview process and felt like I had a good idea of the guys.
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_03: I'll tell you, a huge help too was Troy Ray, um, who had just gotten hired in January.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_03: So he was still relatively new, but at least had an idea, and he stayed on and is still with me now.
• 21:22
  SPEAKER_03: And um, he was a huge help in giving me the rundown on certain guys and putting me in contact with them.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_03: I at first, I yeah, I mean, I had a plan, but I think things were on hold there.
• 21:35
  SPEAKER_03: It was I'm recruiting, right?
• 21:37
  SPEAKER_03: And at the time, too, it was, you know, so I'm I'm there in July.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_03: There was only one commitment in the 23 class.
• 21:43
  SPEAKER_03: So I'm trying to recruit a 23 class simultaneously, trying to keep recruiting, yeah, right 23s, and trying to recruit the current guys that are in the transfer portal.
• 21:51
  SPEAKER_03: So it was it was so stressful.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_03: Um, but basically, I mean, it was what you're just building relationships, telling them your vision and how you think the program's going to go and how the role you see and just getting to know them and following up and um you know and it it's it's a tough situation for them too because they're kind of in a situation where they don't know what's going to happen and they didn't get and or who was going to be their next head coach.
• 22:16
  SPEAKER_03: So you know you kind of un understand that and you just try to put their mind at ease and yeah it almost felt like I was starting over like year one at Mercy.
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_03: Like we didn't you know obviously I guess I had a track record at Mercy for these guys.
• 22:28
  SPEAKER_03: And some of these guys it's funny I actually coached against like the fifth year they were at LIU when I was at Mercy and we played them in the championship that year.
• 22:35
  SPEAKER_03: So I knew just from competing against them.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_03: But it was almost like at Mercy we were a brand new program when I started there and it was like kind of like they have to trust you and believe and get you know gain that trust that you know be successful and to to want to stay so we kind of had flashbacks to 2008 nine shooting for mercy um trying to get those guys and convince them I know I haven't been here and but we're going to be successful and kind of just letting them get comfortable with me and have an understanding of who I am as a person and and as a coach and and get that comfort level.
• 23:09
  SPEAKER_02: So what do you think about your freshman class coming in this year?
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_03: Great.
• 23:14
  SPEAKER_03: It's a big class I think a lot of talent um and I think it's going to help us I I think they're going to compliment our returners because I it's hard to put into words like and I I'm saying it now and I could laugh about it now, but I wasn't laughing this time last year when I was going through all this.
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_03: Those guys that stuck it out and believed in me like I have so much respect for them and I and I want to do right by them and I you saw the like for what the our lack of experience or some of the the guys that we lost from a talent perspective like those guys that stayed they got better and they gave me their heart and they worked and they accepted me and they made my job a lot easier.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_03: So um it it's my job to to make sure that I'm helping them be as successful as possible.
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_03: And I think we did that by developing them and then bringing in a really really strong recruiting class where I think we are going to be in a in a much better position besides like the experience they got the improvements they made and how hard they work and the talent we're bringing in just I it just the comfortability understanding my system and what we're looking to do and me understanding them better as people I think is going to help us be positioned to be more successful next year.
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_03: No doubt.
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah yeah well and whoever whoever does LIU oh it's Tyler Pizimente does LIU's Instagram stuff wingate connection right yeah dude but he's good he's very good stuff that he he produces for LIU is top notch stuff I mean and it that's gotta help in recruiting too it is and that's what kids want to see they want to be showcased and I I think he does it in such a such a cool way where I I mean it's the amount of likes and all like and the the attention and the and the notoriety he brings to the program is awesome.
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_03: And I can tell the first time I met him was was actually out at Fire Island at the island mermaid he he recognized me came up and and started a conversation so that's how it kind of that's how it kind of started.
• 25:10
  SPEAKER_02: He's a really really nice kid he really is and uh we ran in we ran into him in Philly at the NCAA's oh yeah because he was he was coaching he was coaching rebels and uh they had a big tournament down there at the nxt I think was going on that weekend maybe and uh we ran into him but man I just see what he does with with liu and and the videos that he produces and the Instagram stuff is just top notch stuff and like I said that's gotta help with the recruiting and and and just it's so sharp he's so well done he really does a phenomenal job with it.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah I'm glad you noticed that yeah he does an awesome job oh yeah how could you not notice it on no you do i every time i've seen his his stuff that he does it it is so professional looking and i think what you said coach is the other thing it's how he does it it brings it's a really cool way he does it that I think really resonates with student athletes and high school kids to see to see how he puts it together it's it's really good but I I want to step back one I have to say this I think and I wish that those players that went in that portal did a little more homework on what you did in Mercy and how you were as a coach because they should be kicking themselves now for leaving your program.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_00: Now always sometimes it comes down to maybe there's a change and how the system's going to run it doesn't fit what I what I want to do.
• 26:36
  SPEAKER_00: I get that but just from a coaching perspective and how you treat your players and how the players respect you they are missing out.
• 26:45
  SPEAKER_00: And I wanted to say that because I think LIU will only continue to get better under your leadership.
• 26:51
  SPEAKER_02: I appreciate that Kevin means a lot there's no doubt coach I mean give it give it that train is rolling you know and the opportunities are going to be there and they couldn't have a better guy at the helm than you I really mean that.
• 27:04
  SPEAKER_00: Appreciate that Danny and and so coach we really thank you for coming on it's been great to catch up with you um we don't talk D1 but I do watch and I and I do keep track of I'll be keeping track of IU unfortunately now I got to keep track of Mount St.
• 27:22
  SPEAKER_00: Mary's they're only hour and 10 minutes from my house so I have to go watch a home game sometime.
• 27:26
  SPEAKER_03: Ah you know what we're home against them this year but uh I was gonna say we were there last year.
• 27:32
  SPEAKER_00: But maybe in the future yeah without a doubt without a doubt but thank you so much for coming on it was a blast seeing you again and and spending some time talking to you and about your new program and and where you're going I really appreciate it Kevin Danny uh love what you guys do.
• 27:47
  SPEAKER_03: I always love to listen even even though I'm division one I still like to listen maybe not quite as much as I as I as I did in the past but you guys do a great job and it means a lot and I appreciate being on the show.
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_02: Coach Jordan Levine LIU Sharks thank you so much for coming on another coach making the D2 to D1 jump and uh D2 lost a good one when they lost you but LIU gained a great one.
• 28:11
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks again for coming on and we'll see you next time.
• 28:13
  SPEAKER_00: All right Danny I have to say this we probably or probably me more than you sounded like a star struck schoolboy talking to Coach Levine but he and Coach Ryan those guys in my opinion are so top notch in their field and I and what I said about him and the way he relates to his players and the LIU players who shouldn't have left I'm I meant that you know take take away the lacrosse what kind of men are those two guys they're just great guys they're great people they're good people they're honest they're genuine you can see it Kevin you can see it and you can hear it in their voice they're genuinely good people now you add the lacrosse national champions conference champions all Americans on both sides of the ball that just year after year just keep producing and producing these great great players and great lacrosse teams and you know what when you have coaches like that these opportunities that we speak about come along and you know what sometimes coaches say hey there's another opportunity for me and uh and I'm gonna make that jump and they go to D1 and they might struggle a little bit a year or two you know trying to keep players out of the portal and just trying to bring their culture in and hey the kids are in the kids that are there are like oh my God we got a new coach what's it going to be like right well well you know what liu got a great got a great coach to come in you know and and and Mount is gonna have a phenomenal coach coming in and Chris Ryan as well you said it exactly what I was thinking Danny without a doubt and uh it'll just be fun to watch them they're not in D2 anymore like you said uh to Coach Levine we are gonna miss we miss him we're gonna miss Coach Ryan but you know they made that choice and it was a good choice for them and and I wish them all the best in their teams.
• 30:14
  SPEAKER_02: You know sometimes it's a matter of just being closer to home or closer to family and or another times it could be hey man I got a nice little bump in pay you know it could be a lot of different different things.
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_00: Hey look at what coach Murphy when he went to Katawa he told us hey I'm closer to my home and my my wife is closer to there and that's where her family was and you know so these opportunities come and and coaches take what's good for them you know exactly exactly all right Danny before we go I thought we could give a quick rundown of what our listeners can look forward to in the next few months.
• 30:54
  SPEAKER_00: Let's do it okay so as everyone knows we are not yet doing weekly episodes yet and just like we talked about with Coach Levine the start of school and fall ball we have to ease into ourselves as well we we're just getting warmed up we got to stretch we we don't want to pull something and get injured early in the season.
• 31:25
  SPEAKER_00: So just like the players we got to take care of ourselves and kind of ease ourselves into it.
• 31:31
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah I gotcha I gotcha so the summer was the start of it now we got to kind of we kind of got to prep our body so we're gonna get back to regular intervals of dropping episodes we're gonna do that an episode every two weeks through the end of October before we return to our usual one per week.
• 31:49
  SPEAKER_00: And this is what's coming up we have one more episode on D2 coaches now coaching D1.
• 31:57
  SPEAKER_00: Then as we teased a little bit last episode we'll head into our D2 coaching changes which will be you know a series once again like we do every year.
• 32:07
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 32:07
  SPEAKER_00: And after that it is full on with our conference previews and that will take us all the way into January.
• 32:15
  SPEAKER_02: Well you know Kevin as we enter our third kind of season of doing this we we have to make coaching changes an annual thing because it looks like a division two there's a ton of coaching changes every year.
• 32:28
  SPEAKER_02: You know when we started this pro podcast we didn't know we know and now you're like oh man there's like at least five or six every year.
• 32:37
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah the last two years it was like 12 or 13 and we're at that number this year but that's because we have so many programs coming in so we're gonna have a lot with new programs like five new programs which will be really exciting.
• 32:51
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah I'm interested to have those coaches on and and talk about the new programs and the new cultures coming in with these new colleges coming into division two I'm excited about it.
• 33:01
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah I can't wait to get these coaches on I agree with you I can't wait so with that Danny just to remind everyone if you're listening like subscribe leave us review and pass this along so that we can help spread the word about D2 lacrosse hey and listeners keep coming with those ideas don't be afraid you well if we you give us an idea and a lot of times we jump on it yeah we're like hey that's a pretty good idea so uh Kevin Spilker it was came from uh the most recent one one of the most recent podcast episodes that was from a listener that was one of my favorite podcasts that was a really really good podcast I really enjoyed talking with Devin and yeah he just that was a good one so yeah so listeners you you keep on coming with those ideas and uh if Kevin and I like it we'll roll with it so keep on doing that I like that because our listeners are engaged Kev.
• 33:53
  SPEAKER_00: I love that I love when they're engaged they keep us on our toes and we need that sometimes and I think with that Danny that's a wrap.
• 34:01
  SPEAKER_02: That's a wrap