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Top 10 Intellectual Colleges: Do They Offer Lacrosse?

The Huffington Post recently came out with a list of the Top 10 MOST INTELLECTUAL Schools in the US.  Describing anything as “the most intellectual” will almost always result in some level of pretensionicious writing (oftentimes intentionally) and overall ivory tower ridiculousness, but if someone is willing to put out a solid list of colleges and universities, we’re willing to judge that list on whether or not they offer lacrosse.  Also to see if we can draw any preposterous sweeping conclusions from the list.  Because that’s always fun.  And when it comes to intellectualism, it’s only fair.

Top Intellectual Colleges and Universities
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For some reason this topic makes me think of the recent televised genius, Lisa Turtle, when she said, “what is art?  Is art art?  Are we art?”  Brilliant.

Top 10 Intellectual Colleges & Universities according to The Huffington Post

1 Brown University – This Providence, RI based IVY League school has no core requirements, allows students to take classes pass-fail, and offers competitive D1 NCAA lacrosse.  I’ve been there before, and know a number of kids who have gone there, and the school certainly has their fair share of free thinkers.  I guess “State” schools do have a place on this list after all, HuffPo!  An interesting side note is that Brown is the only D1 school on the list.  The rest of these guys are all DIII, all the time.  Except for one school that has no NCAA sports.  8 outta 10 ain’t bad.  Brown is really an outlier on this list in a lot of senses but it probably deserves the top spot.  Fall ball being limited to only 12 days by the Ivy League doesn’t hurt a school one bit.  It only enhances the rep.

2 Carleton College – If you don’t mind going to school in Minnesota, you can go to Carleton.  Supposedly the kids debate the theory of relativity regularly on campus, or the HuffPo just took a ridiculous quote and used it with all the pretense possible.  Both seem likely.  Carleton offers MCLA D2 Lacrosse.

3 Grinnell College – GC is known for its “always protesting” students, at least allegedly.  That used to be PCU’s role in the college world, but evidently the Whooping Cranes have slipped down the ladder a little bit to the 10 spot.  I find this outrageous and therefore refuse to disclose Grinnell’s lax info.  Also I couldn’t find it on Laxpower.

4 Haverford College – This top 20 DIII lacrosse school is known for its nerdiness, and that nerdiness is valued.  Great academics, great lax and they use a black squirrel as a mascot.  Who can hate on that?   Totally regional and intellectual, I mean if you’re into that kind of stuff.

5 Macalester College – I couldn’t find a mention of their lax team either (much like Grinnell), but it seems like an intellectual enough place to be on the list.  But is a school really intellectual if they don’t offer lax?  In my opinion the answer is no, but I’m biased, so let’s just say I’m right and move on.

6 Pomona College – Go to California and open your mind at Pomona.  Friends who went there came back freer and more open to new thought than many others and I blame, or credit, Pomona.  Everyone really seemed to enjoy themselves there, and they even offer competitive DIII sports!  Unfortunately, lax isn’t on the slate of offered sports, but you can play MCLA ball while at Pomona as part of the Claremont program.  That’s a very intellectual approach to things.  Combining forces!

7 Reed College – Reed seems to pride itself on “stress culture”, which is making me sweat just thinking about it.  I do well under pressure, but when I truly wanted to get heady, less pressure always seemed to work wonders.  The internal combustion engine is neither internal, nor does it combust.  Discuss.  Reed offers “club sports” but Men’s Lacrosse doesn’t seem to be one of them.  They have an ultimate team, and a rugby team, but no lax.  Keep it hippie, Reed.  Love it.  Varsity sports are for fools!

8 Swarthmore College – Ok, maybe varsity sports aren’t for fools.  Swarthmore is a fantastic school with really tough academics and a top notch reputations.  They also offer NCAA DIII athletics, and men’s lacrosse is on that list!  It’s a great place to challenge yourself in every way possible.  Intellectual for sure!  Plus I like the school because it offers lacrosse, and because we used to beat them in college.

9 University of Chicago – People I’ve met from the U of Chicago like to pretend like they don’t care about their sports teams, but it’s a front.  UChi finished 27th out of 447 DIII schools in the Director’s Cup so we know that’s bunk.  They don’t offer varsity lax though, which is a shame.  I might have considered this school if they had a program, especially if “normative definitions of fun don’t fly” there.  That sounds superb.  They do have a GLLL MCLA lacrosse club, but it doesn’t seem too serious, as I couldn’t find much mention of them online.  If you have stuff, leave it in the comments!

10 Wesleyan University– FINALLY!  I was getting a little worried that we’d get out of the Top 10 and I wouldn’t be able to talk about good ol’ Westech!  The nickname Westech was used because the school was the opposite of a tech school, and people embraced that.  Now the term “techie” is often used as a pejorative for free thinkers on campus.  How the mighty have fallen.  There used to be a time when Wesleyan would have been on top of this list, so to all my techies out there, let’s Keep Wesleyan Weird, ok?  Great NCAA DIII lax teams and hippies can go hand in hand.  Also NESCAC rules forbid organized out of season practice with coaches, and that helps all the ‘CACs get at least a little weird and brainy.

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