Sept. 12, 2016
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Excitement and optimism fills the field as the Vanderbilt lacrosse team begins fall practice.
The Commodores held their first practice of Fall Ball on Monday afternoon on a sunny day on the West End. The `Dores return eight starters from the 2016 squad that went 5-11 and finished seventh in the BIG EAST Conference.
With 22 letterwinners back and seven seniors, the Commodores and coach Cathy Swezey are looking forward to the season, which is still five months away. In addition to practicing over the next six weeks, the Commodores will face multiple tests this fall. The `Dores will host a tournament this Saturday and then play two scrimmages against Louisville. The first scrimmage against the Cardinals will be at home on Sept. 24 and then they will travel to Louisville on Oct. 1. Vanderbilt will wrap up fall play at Navy for a tournament on Oct. 13-16.
“It is amazing, you spend so much time celebrating or recovering from the season prior and this year we are so ready to get into it and start up with our girls,” Swezey said, entering her 20th season as head coach. “This senior class is really driven to make a difference. I think the most important thing they want to do differently is to make sure we don’t focus on the past, that we find a way to move forward and just play the game. I think they are going to lead us very well and I think we brought in a strong group of freshman that are going to help us too.”
The Commodores will also be spending the fall practice period to adjust to a new rule change that was approved by the NCAA Rules Committee. This upcoming season, a 90-second possession clock will be put in place for all Division I institutions. After a team has gained possession of the ball, a visible 90-second possession clock will start. At the expiration of the 90 seconds, a change of possession will be awarded to the opposing team.
“With the new shot clock, we want to play and see how it works,” Swezey stated. “We have ideas and plans for what we want to do with it but we also feel that we have to play to our athletes and see how our athletes play to the shot clock.”
