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2013 All American Lists – Controversy? Of Course

Earlier this week, we published the Scholar All American list for the NCAA. We felt like it was an overlooked list, so we gave those deserving players their own post. We’re not downplaying REGULAR All Americans at all, but instead of copying and pasting lists and calling them posts, we’ll just link to the USILA’s website, where the lists are housed in perpetuity.

Photo Credit: Mitch Lieberman

NCAA Division I All Americans

I don’t understand how IL gets a list of all the AAs, while the USILA has not posted the list to its website yet, or sent out a press release to the rest of us. That is bizarre. Why send out a presser to IL before publishing it on your own site? Also, hard to call it a press release when it only goes to one outlet. Call it an IL release instead. LaxPower now has them up too, while the USILA does not, so I linked to LaxPower above.

Evidently, the USILA and IL have some sort of secret deal. It’s hinted at in the press release:

The USILA individual awards will be released on InsideLacrosse.com on Friday morning.

Nothing like a national sporting body playing favorites with the media.

Notes: Is the list spot on to you? It NEVER is, but that’s because a perfect list is impossible. AAs are a tricky business.

There are parts I agree with, like Kaut as the keeper of the year. He was electric at times, and made PSU a contender, even if they dropped off at the end of the year. Lyle Thompson on the first team also rings perfect. At points, the list features lots of different players, from lots of different teams. But there are some issues…

My big question is, how much should team success dictate individual accolades?

The above question is mostly driven by the NINE AAs that Hop and UVA combined to get, while Jordan Houtby of Detroit got nothing. Well, at least midfielder Mike Birney of Detroit and his 40 points and 100 mph shot got something… oh, wait, he didn’t either? Can you see how some of these selections trouble me? Maryland gets seven AAs, six above HM, and Yale gets three AAs, all at the HM level.

I’m not saying it’s wrong, but it certainly doesn’t look right!

NCAA Division II All Americans

Notes: Seven different schools were represented on the First Team. Limestone and Merrimack each had three first team players. NY Tech had two, as did Limestone. When you add in the second team, there are four more schools represented. It’s great to see more schools’ top players being recognized on the higher teams.

Going further down, one of the newer teams got their first ever lacrosse AA. Greg Griffo for Tampa, well done!

NCAA D1/D2 North South Rosters

Notes: It’s great to see so many D2 players included. Two from Merrimack, and nine overall, with five on the North, and four on the South. A number of big names, three guys from Hobart on the N team, and FOUR guys for Lehigh on the S team. Usually, there is a cap of three players per college team. All the Lehigh guys deserve this honor though.

NCAA Division III All Americans

Notes: Wesleyan had five AAs, mostly on defense, including the SSDM PoY (Sam Stanton, see main image), and didn’t make the tournament. The depth of talent in D3 right now is clearly ridiculous. Dickinson had FOUR first teamers. Salisbury, the team that beat Dickinson in the tourney, had FOUR players on the second team. That’s kind of weird but reflects the regular season well. Stevenson made it to the finals, have 7 AAs, but only 3 of them aren’t on the HM team. RIT has five AAs total, and four of them are on the first or second team.

NCAA D3 North South Rosters

Notes: CAC to the ‘CAC has you covered.

Awards

Notes: This is not up to date yet, but should be soon.

2013 Under Armour AA Rosters

Notes: this is high school. FUTURE college AAs? Perhaps.

US Lacrosse Hall Of Fame

Notes: Sure, I could copy this press release and make it into a post, but that wouldn’t be journalism. Instead I’ll link you to the real source. A big year of inductions, and some very worthy individuals!