There's some good and some bad hanging in the balance for the Maryland lacrosse team when it plays Notre Dame in Saturday's NCAA quarterfinals.
First of all, the current senior class would become only the second since the start of the tournament in 1971 to graduate without reaching the semifinals once. To date, the only group that didn't reach the final was was the 2002 group, which sandwiched a couple quarterfinal appearances between missed tournaments in 1999 and 2002.
It would also further solidify coach Dave Cottle's much-unwanted record of 22 NCAA tournament appearances without a title. That total includes this year's appearance, and is three more trips than Tony Seaman has made without collecting a championship.
Of course, there's some serious upside at stake, too. The path to the final four is Princeton- and Syracuse-free, so a victory makes it very possible for the Terps' seniors to not only reach their first final four, but to also get to the school's first Memorial Day since 1998.
And then there's Cottle, who can do more than advance to his sixth Memorial Day weekend with a victory. A win also puts him in some exclusive company as just the fourth coach to win 100 games at two schools.
The rundown:
Dom Starsia: 101 at Brown (1983-92), 214 at Virginia (1993-present)
Dave Urick: 122 at Hobart (1980-89), 209 at Georgetown (1990-present)
Jack Emmer: 108 at Washington & Lee (1973-83), 186 at Army (1984-2005)
Dave Cottle: 181 at Loyola (1983-2001), 99 at Maryland (2002-present)
It should be noted Hobart was a Division III school during Urick's tenure, while Washington & Lee was a Division I school while Emmer was the coach there.
In any case, not just everyone can roll up 100 victories at multiple schools. If Cottle pulls it off, he'll have the added benefit of ensuring a team of players who have never appeared in a final four won't be able to say that by the time the month comes to an end.
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