NEW YORK, NY While the Emory Men's Lacrosse team is currently winless, the alumni has taken notice and so has the school's administration. As one Emory Lacrosse Alum is the top assistant for a regining National Champion, another is generating a following as a contributor for the world's most recognized lacrosse medium; with that, improvements are already in the making back in Atlanta. In addition to setting up this April's alumni event, the Emory Lacrosse Booster club continues to make strides in improving institutional relations and of course the quality of the student athlete experience.

In this week's Inside Lacrosse MCLA Notebook, David Franklin (Emory '08) discusses alumni interaction with commentary from Emory Athletic Director, Tim Downes and Emory Club Sports Coordinator, Andre Moore. Former MLL Player, Ryan Covert (Emory '08) is one of the nation's best young coaches and continues to mentor players at the elite youth and college level. Covert's role in getting Emory back on track and producing this article has been of critical importance as well as the involvement of Booster Club SVP Stephen Crump (Emory '07).

Article: http://insidelacrosse.com/comment/reply/54363

Excerpt: Tim Downes is the current Athletic Director at Emory University and a former Dartmouth lacrosse player.

“The leadership opportunities engendered through our club lacrosse program and the strong personal commitment that we ask of our students necessitates that we in turn give our students the support that they need to achieve their goals,” said Downes at the conclusion of this years’ Emory Club Sports Budget Meeting.

After taking time to meet with the families and members of the 2013 Emory lacrosse recruiting class, the former Ivy League lacrosse standout has really taken a heavier interest in the MCLA, as well as the rest of Emory’s more competitive club sports entities.

“There are some very real challenges we face in order to keep the Emory lacrosse program competitive while retaining the high academic success and unique student leadership opportunities that have allowed club sports to flourish at Emory for over 100 years,” stated Emory Club Sports Coordinator Andre Moore. “The MCLA is an incredibly diverse, far reaching, and truly unique league. You’d be hard pressed to find another league like the MCLA where even many of the club teams are better funded than some of their varsity counterparts.”

ATLANTA, GA The Emory Athletic Department, Emory Lacrosse and the Emory Lacrosse Booster Club would formally like to announce that Lacrosse Alumni weekend will be taking place from Friday, April 20th - Sunday, April 22nd. The Eagles will play Wofford in their final game of the season at 4 PM that Sunday and will be supported by a strong group of former Emory Lacrosse players.

Spearheading the group of alumni is Emory Lacrosse Booster Club President, Ryan Covert who currently serves as an assistant coach for MCLA Division II National Champion, Davenport University. Covert was a Three-time All American at Emory and was the first MCLA Division II player to earn a roster spot in Major League Lacrosse (Chicago Machine, 2009). Covert was a special teams coach during Davenport's National Championship run last year and also serves as Director of Ture Lacrosse: Michigan, a Midwestern youth development lacrosse club.

Also coming in for Alumni weekend is Booster Club EVP, Stephen Crump (a 2007 All Conference defender), as well Curt Simmons (Two-time All American), Alex Leung (Three-time All SELC), Dave Franklin (MCLA Lacrosse Reporter for Fox College Sports and InsideLacrosse.com) and Mike Kowalczyk, a defensive midfielder who claims he is actually the best goalie in Emory Lacrosse history. 

For more information on alumni weekend please contact

Andre Moore: andre.moore@emory.edu

Ryan Covert: rcovert@truelacrosse.com

PALM BEACH, FL When Emory accepted opportunities to play Grand Valley State and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in two out of conference games this year, they assumed they'd be playing these elite squads with a full senior class. The season did not get any easier for these young Eagles this past weekend, but Emory stays optimistic after taking the field with two of the very best in the nation in the Salifish Shootout hosted by Palm Beach Atlantic University.

4th ranked Grand Valley State played in the 2008 National Championship game against Westminster and made it to last years' MCLA Division II Final Four as well. Emory was the first MCLA team the Lakers played this season as GVSU started off the year by soundly beating two NCAA Division III varsity opponents in Carthage College and Trine University. In the 27-1 Grand Valley win, Jask Dumsa put up 11 points for the Lakers as Ed Kovel was the only player to find the back of the net for Emory.

Kovel was indeed the offensive spark of the weekend for the Birds as the Junior Middie from Connecticut also scored two goals in the 18-3 loss to the #18 Coast Guard Academy Bears. However, the Team MVP from the Florida trip is without question Tre Haag; the Freshman goalie from Idaho played a full 120 minutes between the pipes this past weekend making 40 saves against two very potent offenses. 

ATLANTA, GA In their third game of the year, the Eagles hosted University Athletic Association Rival, Washington University in St. Louis. Emory fell in a frustrating loss but focuses on the positive as they move foward through the season.

On the brighter side of the box score, Emory won the second half 6-5. Junior Midfielder, Ed Kovel stepped up in this one with two goals and a helper to his credit while Freshman, Nick Cook broke out to record his first points of his college career with two goals. “Ed and Nick are great kids and their participation will be vital this year,” added Coach Schmidt. Junior Capitan, Hugh Green said, “As a young team we have a ton of potentail, and I look forward to our trip to Florida."

Emory now moves forward to play two more out of conference games from a neutral site in Palm Beach, FL. The Eagles will first face Grand Valley State who played in the 2008 National Championship game and made it to last years’ Final Four. Next, Emory will face the U.S. Coast Guard who has been a consistent performer out of the Pioneer League of the northeast region.

As the landscape of the MCLA, its associated conferences and national tournaments shift and change with the times, Emory Lacrosse always hopes to continue the sponsorship of a healthy rivalry with Wash U who’s lacrosse team competes in the Great Rivers Lacrosse Conference. A minimum of two out of conference games are required to potentially earn an at large bid to MCLA Nationals; Emory is a member of the SELC and is very optimistic that they can lock Wash U into the schedule for years to come. The contest will stand to help both teams on a national level if conference championships are not attainted. Both schools' division III teams compete in the UAA (also known as the egghead eight) which is known for having elite academic members scattered throughout the country. The UAA does not sponsor varsity men's or women's lacrosse at this time. 

ATLANTA, GA In what proved to be a turbulent week for the Emory Lacrosse team, the Eagles dropped their season opener in an SELC Divisional contest to in-state rival Reinhardt University. Emory allowed Reinhardt to get rolling early with a 4-0 first quarter lead and trailed 7-2 at the half.

Head Coach, David Reed has decided to take an indefinite absence from the sidelines but will continue to stay involved with the program on the recruiting front. The Emory Lacrosse Alumni Board and Booster Club is confident Coach Reed will decide to return in full capacity next year.

A little-known, second year team, Reinhardt falls into a rare but growing breed of NAIA institutions that compete in the MCLA as full-fledged scholarship programs. Emory on the other hand is one of the most prestigious and selective academic institutions in the country, and competes in NCAA Division III. With that, the school does not offer athletic scholarships of any kind and Emory student athletes earn their admission like every other student on campus without non-need based financial aid. At this time, the alumni boosters and the athletic department are working together to make sure the lacrosse program is able to compete with and consistently win against their varsity level opponents. Emory defeated Reinhardt last year 16-4.

Emory was lead this past Saturday by Jared Khan; the freshman midfielder from Hewlett, NY tallied four goals on the afternoon. Khan attended Lynbrook High School on Long Island which is also the alma mater of college lacrosse greats such as the Donegar brothers and Quint Kessenich.

ATLANTA, GA The 2012 Lacrosse Season is underway. The Emory Eagles get things started this Saturday when they host Reinhardt in an SELC South West Divisional contest.