What they’re saying: Notre Dame men’s lacrosse snubbed from NCAA Tournament for first time since 2005
The NCAA men’s lacrosse faction of Twitter — which, yes, is evidently very much a thing — was up in arms Sunday night when Notre Dame was snubbed from the NCAA Tournament field for the first time since 2005.
Eighteen teams made the tournament. ACC co-champion Notre Dame was not one of them. The Ivy League, meanwhile, has six teams headed to the tournament. The Fighting Irish (8-4, 5-1 ACC) rattled off six victories in a row to finish the season, but it wasn’t enough. Many people took to Twitter to speak out against the tournament committee’s decision.
Former Notre Dame offensive lineman Mike Golic Jr., the floor is yours.
“Burn it all down! Burn it all down!” Golic Jr. said in a social media video. “This is a joke. A joke! This committee should be ashamed of themselves, those RPI-hugging bunch of clowns. Boo. Boooo!”
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Virginia, who beat Notre Dame 12-8 on March 26, was the only ACC team to make the tournament. Cavaliers coach Lars Tiffany said it was “a bit startling” to see Notre Dame and Duke, two teams that played to a thrilling 16-14 finish in the Irish’s favor Saturday in South Bend, left out.
ESPN multi-sport play-by-play announcer Anish Shroff, a Syracuse graduate, was more than startled. Like Golic Jr., he said leaving Notre Dame at home was “an absolute joke.” He went as far as to say it was “one of the worst decisions the selection committee has made.”
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Those in disagreement with the selection committee’s choices spanned the spectrum from Notre Dame alums like Golic Jr., respected, unbiased sports media types like Shroff and plenty of people in between. Daily Illini assistant sports editor Jonathan Alday clearly captured that.
“How are you going to have TWO up and down teams in Harvard or Ohio State over Notre Dame (who was on a six game win streak)!” Alday tweeted. “ND WOULD’VE GONE TO CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND, WITHOUT A DOUBT. NCAA lacrosse selection committee really took an L…”
Former Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn captured it, too.
“I know I’m a little late on this but you’re telling me @NDlacrosse is co ACC champs and they don’t make it into the tourney?!” Quinn tweeted. “@RickMirer who’s on this ‘committee'”
To answer Quinn’s question, the committee is led by Loyola director of athletics Donna Woodruff. The committee also includes North Carolina coach Joe Breschi, Denver deputy director of athletics Brandon Macneill, Hobart coach Greg Raymond and Delaware deputy director of athletics Jordan Skolnick.
That group isn’t in the greatest of graces at the moment.
