ESPNU to Air More Than 40 Lacrosse Games in 2008
This season's college lacrosse schedule includes extensive regular-season action on ESPNU, plus coverage of the entire NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU. The ESPN networks will open coverage with two games on ESPNU Saturday, Feb. 23, when 2007 National Champion #1 Johns Hopkins will host #12 Albany at 12:00 p.m. ET and #16 Loyola (Md.) will play at #13 Towson at 10:00 p.m. (tape delay).
In addition, ESPN2 will air the first-ever regular-season college lacrosse game in the history of the network at noon on Saturday, Mar. 29, with #3 Virginia visiting #6 Maryland. In all, the networks combined will televise 47 games, including 32 regular-season matchups (up from 21) and 15 NCAA tournament contests, primarily on ESPNU.
ESPNU's men's lacrosse regular-season line-up will showcase 17 of the top 25 teams, while all three of the women's teams to be featured on ESPNU ranked in the top 20 last season. Of the 16 men's NCAA tournament teams from 2007, 14 will make at least one appearance.
The schedule features 24 contests between top 25 teams, including a rematch of the 2007 National Championship game between Johns Hopkins and #2 Duke on Saturday, April 5, and the second annual Konica Minolta Face-Off Classic, featuring #11 Syracuse vs. Virginia and Johns Hopkins vs. #8 Princeton on Saturday, March 1.
As part of its multi-year agreement with Johns Hopkins University lacrosse, ESPNU will continue presenting every home game for the men's team. This season, Johns Hopkins will be featured 13 times, including 11 men's games and two women's matchups.
For the second year in a row, the ESPN networks will televise the entire NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship. ESPNU will televise the exclusive announcement of the 16-team field for the NCAA Tournament during a special one-hour selection show on Sunday, May 4 at 9:00 p.m. ESPNU will also provide exclusive coverage of all eight First Round games and Quarterfinal action (May 10–18); ESPN2 will televise the National Semifinals (May 24) and ESPN will present the National Championship on May 26.
The commentators slated for this season's coverage will include Mark Dixon, Scott Garceau, Quint Kessenich, Dave Ryan, 2006 Tewaaraton Trophy Winner and National Champion at the University of Virginia, Matt Ward and more.
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