ESPN

Buzzmaster

  (10:29 AM)

Hellooooooooo! Who wants to talk lacrosse? Quint Kessenich does! He'll be here at 2:30 ET to answer all your questions and help celebrate the launch of ESPNU! ESPNU is available on DirecTV Channel 609, or you can call your cable operator and tell them you want ESPNU on your local system.

Quint Kessenich

  (2:34 PM)

Hi everybody, I'm here!

Dan (Denver)

Quint, how do you see Virginia doing this year?

Quint Kessenich

  (2:37 PM)

I see Va bouncing back from a poor year last year, they have two very charismatic players in Matt Ward and John Christmas. And Kyle Dixon is one of the most dominant middies in the country and with Penn State transfer Bateman the talent is there for coach Dom Starsia. The question for Va is the intangibles. That's what was missing from the equation last year.

Adam (Syracuse)

With Syracuse losing Mike Powell and so many other seniors (82% of last y ears scoring) do you think the young guys will pick up the slack and bring home another final four berth

Quint Kessenich

  (2:37 PM)

NO, they have no chance.

Quint Kessenich

  (2:39 PM)

Seriously, it will be a very different 'Cuse team. They will have to rely on their defensive core of Pfeiffer, Panerilli and Scott Ditzell which is quite a change up from the usual offense heavy rosters of the Orange. They held Army to four goals recently, that's what they will have to continue to do to be successful.

Matty K (Bristal, CT)

Quint, any chance of Hobart cracking the top 25?

Quint Kessenich

  (2:40 PM)

They could, but since when is cracking the Top 25 anything to hang your laurels on? Hobart has always been a top 25 team, to me, the question is can they crack the top 15?

Matty K (Bristal, CT)

Given what you said about Syracuse having no chance, is this the year Hobart finally gets a win at home against the Cuse?

Quint Kessenich

  (2:41 PM)

Don't go that far. My comments about Cuse were to be taken lightly. Until dethroned they are by far the dominant program. Does Hobart have the talent to beat them ... uhh..... maybe.

James (Watertown, NY)

IS ESPNU based out of Baltimore, 5 hopkins game to be broadcast, one cuse game(loyola, MD). Any info on this?

Quint Kessenich

  (2:43 PM)

I was hoping for the full Hopkins schedule myself, James! The ESPNU's year 1 sched this year is a simulcast of the WMAR -- Baltimore's ABC affiliate. In future years, ESPNU will have their own national packages so if Cuse wants to get on TV more they will have to get on the bus and play teams like Maryland and Navy.

John L (Denville, NJ)

Navy going to surprise people again this year?

Quint Kessenich

  (2:44 PM)

How can they? Navy still has a terrific lineup, they arguably have the best goalie in the country, you could say Mitch Hendler is the best defender in the nation and I think that from midfielder 1-8 they have the most depth than any team in the country. Their uptempo style that coach Meade installed last year fits the Naval Acadamy structure much, much better so I don't think Navy's success last year was just a flash in the pan.

Brian (NYC (Former Californian))

Will Lacross ever be big out west? What needs to be done to make that happen?

Quint Kessenich

  (2:46 PM)

It's just a matter of time. High school participation's fastest growing sport is lacrosse and baseball is dying right before our eyes. It's just a matter of time. The current problem is gender equity. Often times, Title IX will prohibits lacrosse an another men's varsity sport.

luke (minneapolis)

quint, huge princeton fan here, way over in minnesota, we are jacked here for our MLL team, games on CSTV and now ESPN!! Excellent, how will the tigers fare this year with the loss of Ryan Boyle, the backbone of their team?

Quint Kessenich

  (2:47 PM)

I've picked Princeton to win the national title this year, Luke. I was amazed at the success they had last year with so many young players to make a Final Four. They have always been a tean whose foundation is defense. They have a proven stencil for success.

Quint Kessenich

  (2:48 PM)

It would not shock me at all if Princeton beat Hopkins this weekend.

tim (floral park)

I was wondering what you think about what Scott Marr has done up in albany? He has to be considered one of the top up and coming coaches in the game right now?

Quint Kessenich

  (2:50 PM)

Yes, definitely. Scott's success at Albany is no surprise. He was a classmate of mine at Hopkins. He has a wonderful work ethic and the Albany administration has been extrememly supportive. That area of the country -- the Albany, NY suburbs has really blossomed at producing high talent. SUNY Albany has also also drawn heavy from Long Island and Westchester County. There is so much upside to that program in that area and under Scott's guidance.

Chris (Youngstown)

Who is the best offensive player in the NCAA this year

Quint Kessenich

  (2:51 PM)

It's a toss up between Jed Prossner of UNC and Kyle Harrison of John's Hopkins. Both are matchup nightmares and both are true triple-threats.

Tony (Virginia)

What do you think about the offest stick technology and impact on today's game?

Quint Kessenich

  (2:54 PM)

I'm a big critic of the current sticks. I think that offset technology and the pinched heads have really negatively impacted the game. It is impossible for D-men to get the ball out of these pockets which leads to less transition in the game -- a sport that was founded on end-to-end action. Plus, all the sticks are based on ball retention and that leads to more violent play -- cross-checking, slashing, etc. -- which I urge stick manufacturing and US Lacrosse to evolve back to the way sticks were in the 80s where if you made a good clean check the ball actually popped out!

jeff (morgantown)

who will finish the year higher in the polls? Virginia, Hopkins, or Saracuse

Quint Kessenich

  (2:55 PM)

Hopkins has been the No 1 seed in the NCAA tourney three years in a row but that hasn't correlated to a National Tittle. I think Hopkins and Princeton will face off in the National Title game this year. That's my prediciton.

Quint Kessenich

  (2:56 PM)

Thanks for all the questions everybody! Enjoy our coverage on ESPNU! We're so excited to be showcasing quality lacrosse on the national level. Take care!