Rattlers Reborn?

As part of their "national tour" this summer, the Machine recently played a game in Rochester, NY. You may recall that up until last year Marina Auto Stadium hosted the Rattlers since the league's inception. Then the team closed down and the personnel moved to Toronto. This year's event was designed to test the waters with the stadium's new owner, Rob Clark, who also owns the Rochester Rhinos soccer team.
Now it seems that Clark wants to resurrect the Rattlers to compliment his highly successful soccer team. The previous incarnation of the Rochester Major League Lacrosse team won the Steinfeld Cup in their final season before moving to Toronto (where they won it again).
Although the Rattlers name and colors are available, there is a possibility that the team will go with an entirely new identity. Rumors are circling that the Nationals may simply move back due to a stadium issue that saw them evicted from BMO this season. It is also quite likely that the Machine will permanently relocate to Rochester, though statements made by the league indicate that they will continue the road show again next season. Perhaps Rochester 2.0 will mean that the league will slowly increase the number of franchises again...
Either way, resurrecting professional field lacrosse in Rochester is a good move for the city, the league, and the fans. I look forward to seeing the team back in the fold.

Lindenwood University - Moving Up

I recently learned that Lindenwood University is moving its athletic programs from the NAIA to the NCAA. This move obviously affects all 21 varsity teams at the University. But more importantly to those of us in the lax community is what will happen to their fairly successful MCLA club; it is moving up too!
This announcement comes directly from the Lions' website:

Lindenwood plans to have 26 sports programs when it begins play at the NCAA level. These include all 21 sports that currently compete in the NAIA, as well as field hockey, women’s ice hockey, men’s and women’s lacrosse, and men’s volleyball. Every sport will compete at the NCAA Division II level except for women’s ice hockey and men’s volleyball, which will compete at the National Collegiate level, which includes NCAA Division I schools. Lindenwood’s other sports will compete at the club level.

Granted the move is only to Division 2 so we will not see Johns Hopkins or Syracuse coming to St. Charles, MO on an annual basis or anything. Still, to have a school in our neck of the woods make the jump speaks volumes about sport's growth in the Midwest. Who knows, perhaps a Valley player or two will be recruited during the program's inaugural season...