Defending SoCon Champ Lacrosse Unveils 2019 Schedule

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Central Michigan lacrosse team will open the 2019 season on Feb. 15 in Ann Arbor with a nonconference game against Michigan, kicking off a 17-game schedule that includes eight home dates.

The Chippewas, who are in their fourth year of varsity lacrosse, finished 11-7 in 2018 – the best record in program history – and won the regular-season Southern Conference championship in their first year in the league.

"We are excited to open at Michigan," said head coach Sara Tisdale, who was on the sidelines on February 7, 2016 when the program played its inaugural game against the Wolverines in Ann Arbor. "They gained a lot of national respect by how they finished last year."

CMU is scheduled to take on Cincinnati in its home opener on March 1. The nonconference slate includes a trip to California to take on San Diego State and UC Davis, the two finalists in the 2018 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Tournament. San Diego State won the tourney by topping the Aggies.

"Not only does (the California trip) give us a chance to go to a little bit warmer location in March and get some good practice in," said Tisdale. "Most important, those teams have a strong RPI. And that was one thing that we were really missing last year. Our goal is to put us in the best position possible heading into May."

CMU will also host Marquette, Coastal Carolina, Kent State and American in nonleague games, and will go to Kennesaw State, Howard, Butler and Duquesne. Kent State is in its first year of varsity lacrosse and becomes the second Mid-American Conference institution, after CMU, to sponsor the sport.

"The non-conference schedule has a good amount of challenge to it and a lot of opportunity for our younger players to gain experience before heading into the conference play at the end of March," said Tisdale.

CMU begins defense of its SoCon title at Mercer, the defending league tournament champion, on March 31. Also on the league slate, CMU is slated to go to Delaware State, while entertaining Wofford, Furman and Detroit Mercy. The regular-season finale is scheduled for April 27 against the Titans, completing a five-game homestand.

"The conference schedule is very familiar and it will be battle for who comes out on top," Tisdale said. "Some of the teams have graduated a lot of players and we have graduated just one, so when you return your entire starting line-up, I think we are in good spot."

Related Videos