If you like college lacrosse, then you will probably like university lacrosse as well.
As thanksgiving approaches, the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association (CUFLA) is in full swing. The countdown is on to the Baggataway Cup, handed out annually to the CUFLA champion.
Each team plays a ten game season in CUFLA, and each squad has played at least six by this point in the season. While there is still lots to be determined, we have at least an idea of what the postseason will look like.
Guelph and McGill are both currently undergoing simultaneous perfect seasons. McGill is 8-0, and sports a beautiful +35 goal differential. They lead the Eastern conference and look to be the favourite out of that division. However, with remaining games against Queen’s (third in the east), and Trent (second in the east), they still have lots of work to do.
The class of the league might be the Guelph Gryphons, who sport a +54 goal differential through just six games and are allowing roughly 5 goals per game. Guelph won the Baggataway in 2013 and 2014, and will look to get back on the right side of history this season. After three close games to begin the season, Guelph has won their last three games by a combined score of 52-7.
Their toughest competition in the West could come from Western, who’s only loss is to the Gryphons back in late September.
Below is a chart that shows the goal differential from each team. Western so far has the best offence, while Guelph has (easily) the stingiest defence.
From a player perspective, McGill’s Zach Bye and Brock’s Jaden Patterson lead the circuit in scoring. Bye leads with 23 goals, while Patterson has easily the most assists with 20.
Bye is a Greenwich, Connecticut native who played at the Hill Academy in High School after competing for the Hotchkiss school before that. He is one of several players who has played for Coach Tim Murdoch in Montreal.
Patterson is a St. Catharine’s native who most recently was the Captain for the Athletics Jr. B program.
Below is a per-game chart of the top scorers, which show Patterson and Bye having their superstar campaigns.
For the full list of scorers, check out the chart below.
The 2024 Baggataway Cup will be held at Brock University, but the format this year will be different than past years. Brock will receive a host exemption to the final Baggataway weekend, but there will be a Super Qualifier Weekend during the last weekend in October. Under the new setup, only four teams will advance to the championship weekend.
The league also announced that this will be the last year of the host exemption.
Stay tuned to LCD for more CUFLA coverage the rest of the season!