Welcome back to another week of the Lax Harvest. Let’s get into the good stuff:

• D1 College Champ Predictions 🧐

• ECD’s NEW Defensive Head 🚀

• RIP to the greatest lacrosse player of all time…Jim Brown 🙏

Final Four Lacrosse Predictions🏅

Finally. Memorial Day Weekend has arrived. The Super Bowl of lacrosse. This weekend attracts the eyeballs of every former player, current player, lax parent, coach, and casual fan to the TV screen. If you haven’t attended a championship weekend in-person before, we HIGHLY recommend it. ‘Ship weekend is every lax player’s dream: countless lax vendors, festivities, mini games, excitement, hype, tailgating, and non-stop lacrosse all weekend long (including the D2 and D3 championships).

Let’s get into the predictions. The D1 final four consists of:

• #1 Duke 😈 vs. #5 Penn State🦁

• #2 Virginia ⚔️ vs. #3 Notre Dame🍀

During the regular season, the top three teams all took turns beating each other.

• Duke ➡️ beat Virginia twice

• Virginia ➡️ beat Notre Dame twice

• Notre Dame ➡️ beat Duke in the one game they played

Where does Penn State fit into all this? Well, they’re certainly an underdog with a staunch defensive presence. Can they contain Brennan O’Neill? Probably not - he’s been un-guardable all season. But lest not forget Duke almost lost to Delaware two weeks ago. They are human.

Predictions: If the same regular season results play out, Duke will beat Penn State and Virginia will beat Notre Dame. Then Duke will beat Virginia. But if there’s one thing we know about Championship Weekend….things rarely play out as they should.

The semifinal games will be played this Saturday on ESPN2. The D1 championship game will be played this Monday on Memorial Day on ESPN.

The New Best Defensive Lacrosse Head? 🙌

This week, ECD released the ECD DNA 2.0 - which sold out instantly.

If you’re new to lacrosse, the ECD DNA 1.0 has been considered the best defensive lacrosse head for the past several years. It’s a versatile and durable head that has incredible resistance to warping (an issue where the head shape bends and loses form due to use and weather).

The only critique of the DNA 1.0 was that it’s a bit heavy. As a result, ECD got to work and made the DNA 2.0 is 8% lighter. They also gave it a slightly tighter face shape to make it more “offensive” for defenders carrying the ball upfield.

Wow. Could this be the next best defensive head? We think so. Stay tuned to this newsletter for updates on when the DNA 2.0 is back in stock - and how we grade it after testing it ourselves.

RIP Jim Brown 🙏 

This past week we lost Jim Brown - the greatest lacrosse player of all time.

Yup that’s not a typo. The GOAT 🐐. And that’s not just our opinion. That’s the consensus among the lacrosse community.

Jim Brown was the Hall of Fame running back for the Cleveland Browns (you’ve definitely heard of him). But most people aren’t aware of Brown’s legendary lacrosse career at Syracuse. Open up our Twitter thread below to check out Jim Brown’s incredible lacrosse stats:

Twitter tweet

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We recently fixed an issue where this newsletter would be filtered to your spam folder. It would be nice if you could add us to your address book and click the important tab because lacrosse is very important.

Thanks for reading THE LAX HARVEST by Lax Farmer

Welcome back to another week of the Lax Harvest. Let’s get into the good stuff:

• Insane D1 Playoff Results 🥳

• The Best Middie Lacrosse Head (revealed) ✔️

• Lyle Thompson quit lacrosse (this season) 😮

Let’s Party for Lax Parity 🥳

For decades, college lacrosse was dominated by a handful of elite programs; namely Virginia, Syracuse, Princeton, Duke, Johns Hopkins, and Maryland.

Not anymore.

Due to explosive growth across the U.S., new D1 lacrosse programs have cropped up and are finally able to overthrow the Northeastern-based powerhouses.

In this week’s first round of NCAA playoffs, we saw an avalanche of upsets (and near upsets):

Twitter tweet

If you’re a non-Ivy working class brute like myself, you may be wondering what “parity” means? Parity in sports, as defined by Wikipedia, is when teams have roughly equivalent levels of talent.

What does this mean for the young laxer out there?

1. There are plenty of opportunities to play high-level lacrosse

2. Football universities will see the success of Michigan

   and consider launching their own lacrosse program 👀 

Other than Michigan, here are a few new-ish programs that we predict will become big-time lacrosse schools over the next decade:

• Utah - lacrosse is exploding at the high school level in this region

• Denver - already a strong program, but will attract top west coast talent

• Boston U - excellent at recruiting underrated talent (i.e. Chris Gray)

• Jacksonville - went 12-4 this season, lacrosse is exploding in Florida

Times couldn’t be more exciting for the young athlete.

The Best Middie Lacrosse Head Comes From…Nike? ✔️

You already know, Lax Farmer has the best lacrosse reviews on the internet - no cap. But how do we come up with our reviews? The answer is threefold.

1. We test the gear ourselves.

2. Through our exclusive partnership with SportStop.com (the #1 online lacrosse store), we have access to real sales data.

3. We receive feedback from the community - shoutout to our army of 13k TikTok followers (and growing).

With all of these factors in mind, it became abundantly clear that the Nike Lakota 3 is the best middie lacrosse head on the market.

View Nike Lakota 3

Here’s the sauce:

• #1 Best Selling Middie Head on SportStop in 2022

• Loved by the community (we have 20+ comments to prove it)

• A versatile head that suits the “all-around” player

• Easy to string

• Optimized for a mid-pocket

This came as a surprise because Nike is not exactly known for making great lacrosse gear. They are competing with several lacrosse-specific manufacturers (STX, Warrior, ECD, Maverik). But believe it or not, Nike hit this one out of the park. Kudos to the swoosh.

No LYLE THOMPSON this season because of reasons? 😲

That’s right. The #1 lacrosse player in the world is taking a hiatus from lacrosse this Summer. He will be missed. While - of course - it’s important that Lyle take care of his mental health, it can’t be overlooked that this is a brutal gut punch to the sport.

Lyle is a once in a generation lacrosse athlete. He is a walking highlight reel that is combines creativity, finesse like Wayne Gretzky. With that being said, he reminds us of the fact that we are playing the Medicine game - a game originally intended for spiritual healing and resolving conflict between tribes.

Be sure to check out the origins of lacrosse if you are unfamiliar, and learn about the 1,000 year long evolution of the sport.

A request from the Lax Farmer team:

We recently fixed an issue where this newsletter would be filtered to your spam folder. It would be nice if you could add us to your address book and click the important tab because lacrosse is very important.

Thanks for reading THE LAX HARVEST by Lax Farmer

Welcome back to another week of the Lax Harvest. Let’s get into the good stuff:

• NCAA Lacrosse Bracket Reveal 👀

• PLL Draft Surprises 😮

• How Paul Rabil became the world’s first lacrosse millionaire, lost it all, then made it all back 💰

D1 College Lacrosse Bracket Reveal 👀

College lacrosse playoffs have arrived, and with it came nothing but beautiful chaos 🤡. Heading into the final week of regular season, most of the top teams secured their place in the playoffs (or so we thought).

In college lax, each conference ends their season with a conference tournament - where the top teams battle it out for a chance to automatically qualify for the NCAA tournament.

After getting beaten down by the other teams in their conference all season, two teams STUNNED the haters and won their conference tournament: Michigan and Princeton.

While these programs rejoiced in the celebration, other teams that were “on the bubble” panicked like Spongebob when he forgot his name.

After the bracket reveal this past weekend, it became known that Denver, Penn, Villanova, Rutgers, UNC, and Boston U did not make the cut.

Yale managed to squeeze their way into the last spot. You can attribute that to last weekend’s incredible win over Cornell.

P.S. If you managed to miss that Yale vs Cornell game, go back and watch it. This 22-15 game was a high-scoring barnburner. CJ Kirst is a total freak of the nature. Shooting 100+ mph shots from the hip. Chris Lyons is a stud for Yale. The future of the program. Quint put it perfectly. This game was Hagler vs. Hearns (that’s an old school boxing reference for you young guns out there).

PLL Draft Surprises 😮

It’s been a busy week for lacrosse. The PLL College Draft also went down this weekend. If you’re a defensive player, this draft was for you (sorry fellow attackmen). Here were the top 5 picks of the draft:

1. Gavin Adler - Defense - Cornell (Atlas)

2. Owen Grant - Defense - Delaware (Redwoods)

3. Brett Makar - Defense - Maryland (Atlas)

4. Sam Handley - Midfield - Penn (Chrome)

5. Mike Sisselberger - Faceoff - Lehigh (Archers)

This was a defensive heavy draft with 3 of the top 5 picks going defense. Other than Sam Handley, there wasn’t too much offensive firepower this class hand to offer.

Very rarely does a rookie step in and light it up (Teat, Gray, Wisnauskas, Nichtern, and Ament are the rare exceptions). Others have to scratch and claw for a roster spot. With that being said, many are expecting BIG things from Sam Handley.

One of the highlights of this year’s PLL draft was watching the epic locker room reactions from the college teams.

Twitter tweet

How Paul Rabil Became Lacrosse’s First Millionaire, Lost It All, & Made It All Back 💰

If you know lacrosse, you’ve probably heard of Paul Rabil. He’s been the face of the sport for over a decade.

But most people haven’t heard the behind-the-scenes story of Rabil’s rise, fall, and revival in lacrosse. It’s a truly epic tale of perseverance and grit.

Check it out here:

Twitter tweet

A request from the Lax Farmer team:

We recently fixed an issue where this newsletter would be filtered to your spam folder. It would be nice if you could add us to your address book and click the important tab because lacrosse is very important.

Thanks for reading THE LAX HARVEST by Lax Farmer

We write lacrosse gear reviews for 9,000+ monthly readers at LaxFarmer.com

Welcome back to another episode of "The Harvest” (yup I finally gave this newsletter a nickname). Let’s get into the good stuff:

• AI-Generated Lacrosse Athletes 🤖

• The #1 Best Selling Attack Head in 2022 🎯

• NEW Lax T-Shirts & Hoodies 🔥

The Best Athletes In the World Playing Lacrosse (Sort Of…) 👾

The lacrosse world’s favorite hypothetical is - “what if the best athletes in other sport played lacrosse?” Can you imagine if Lebron James picked up a lacrosse stick in high school? Well now you DON’T have to imagine…

I jumped into an AI image generator and asked it this exact questions. Here’s what it spit out:

Tom Brady

OBJ

Roger Federer

Usain Bolt

Logan Paul

Jake Paul

Ronda Rousey

Steph Curry

The Rock

Pretty wild stuff. The AI definitely has trouble making lacrosse sticks, but the helmets are supremely realistic.

The #1 Best Selling Attack Head in 2022 is the… Maverik Tactik 2.0 🎯

View Tactik 2.0

Through our partnership with SportStop, we’ve been able to acquire real sales data to back up our gear reviews (something you won’t find anywhere else). This past week, we updated our best attack lacrosse heads article with the latest and greatest info. Check it out if you’re in need of a new attack head :)

New Lacrosse T-Shirts & Hoodies Are Coming Soon 🔥

That’s right. You heard it here first. As the Lax Farmer, my mission is to grow the game of lacrosse - like I grow my crops 🌻. That means clothing. Spicy hot lacrosse clothing to make you look good (and feel comfy) off the field.

Lacrosse Everyday T-shirt

Lacrosse Everyday Hoodie

This secret collection is still several weeks from being released. Before I open the floodgates to my 12.5k TikTok followers, I wanted to give my newsletter subscribers first dibs.

This limited run of 60 items each could sell out quickly. Snag one for yourself here before it’s too late 😁:

• Lax Everyday Tee

• Lax Everyday Hoodie

We recently fixed an issue where

A request from the Lax Farmer team:

We recently fixed an issue where this newsletter would be filtered to your spam folder. It would be nice if you could add us to your address book and click the important tab because lacrosse is very important.

Thanks for reading THE HARVEST by Lax Farmer

We write lacrosse gear reviews for 9,000+ monthly readers at LaxFarmer.com

UPenn Is Led By A Descendant Of Paul Bunyon

At 6-5, 270 lb, Sam Handley grew up chopping away at sycamores in northern Oregon. Look at this man. The physiognomy. The aesthetics. He’s a brute. A genetic freak that was pre-destined to swing a stick. Thankfully, in this lifetime, it’s a lacrosse stick.

What’s the point…?

Mountain kids have a chance. Lacrosse is no longer an East Coast sport. It’s rapidly spreading nationally and internationally (s/o Japan). Anyone remember when the PLL went to Utah last Summer? Electric. That area is ripe for lacrosse supremacy.

Big men in smaller markets must’ve contributed to the PLL’s interesting All Star Game decision…

PLL All Star Game Is in…. Louisville?

Now, you may think I’m about to contradict myself…. but stay with me.

The PLL recently announced that this summer’s All-Star game will be in Louisville, Kentucky; however, the PLL All-star Game (or any game) needs to be in Georgia or Florida in 2024. Here’s why.

As full-time farmer who spends his free time analyzing internet search trends in lacrosse, I noticed something mysterious about the Southeast. The lacrosse interest is off the charts. In doing research for the best lacrosse colleges in 2023, our team noticed a large uptick in search queries related to lax colleges in the following states:

1. Florida

2. California

3. Georgia

4. North Carolina

In that order. How did the PLL analytics team not pick this up? Surely they have 100x more data than us to work with. These are emerging markets, with 3 of the top 4 states being in the Southeast. The PLL needs to FEED this growth and inspire the next Sam Handley-esque man-child roaming the rural plains of Georgia.

Twitter tweet

Now, as blue collar man myself, I’m not mad that the PLL chose Kentucky. But how long can they continue to neglect the Southeast (and Cali for that matter)? When the PLL announced their schedule earlier this year, the Twitter comments confirmed my suspicions. Tons of people from these exact emerging markets wanting PLL…

Thanks for reading THE HARVEST by Lax Farmer

We write lacrosse gear reviews for 9,000+ monthly readers at LaxFarmer.com

Follow on Twitter @LaxFarmer

Good morning. This is Lax Farmer, the weekly lacrosse newsletter powering you with tips, news, and all things lacrosse. Let’s get into the good stuff:

• Lax is EXPLODING in Japan 🇯🇵

• Mikey Sowers goes between the legs (& not the way you think) 🥍

• Best new lacrosse cleats 💨

• Penn State lax is playing w/ a VENGEANCE 🦁

Is Lacrosse Going Global? 🌎

Lax legend Matt Gibson out here TOYING with the Japanese

This past weekend Japan hosted an eventful weekend of lacrosse. The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) sent a roster of men’s and women’s lacrosse players to compete against Japan’s national teams. The exhibitions were designed for friendly competition, and as a way to help promote the game in Japan.

Fun fact: Japan has experienced exponential growth in lacrosse; skyrocketing from just 21 players in 1986 to 18,000 players in 2017 🚀.

But that didn’t stop guys like Mikey Sowers from putting on a show…

Mikey Sowers Goes Between The Legs 🥍

Twitter tweet

After achieving winning the PLL Championship MVP last season, Mikey Sowers has continued solidifying his place as the most dynamic lacrosse player in the world.

Best New Lacrosse Cleats 2023? 👣

Check Price

Speaking of fast feet, have you guys seen the new New Balance LX V4’s? New Balance dropped these brand new lacrosse cleats and few months ago and they’ve quietly flown under the radar.

New Balance’s LX series have consistently ranked as the #1 top lacrosse cleat on the market…and the new v4’s are a major upgrade from the v3’s

Penn State Lacrosse Is Ready To EAT 🦁

No one, and I mean no one, expected Penn State lacrosse to have a dominant season in 2023. Since the graduation of Grant Ament and Mac O’Keefe several years back, most assumed Penn State lax would slide back down from elite lacrosse program to above average lacrosse program. Boy were we wrong…

Penn State (5-1) has beaten Yale and Cornell (two top 10 programs) and Penn (top 20 program) in the last 3 games. With the Nittany Lions rolling like this, their upcoming matchup with Maryland is one of the most anticipated games of the season.

Thanks for reading fam!

• 📚 Pre-order our E-book: How To Get Recruited For College Lacrosse

• 🥍 Follow us on social media to keep lacrosse on your timeline

Good morning. This is Lax Farmer, the weekly lacrosse newsletter powering you with tips, news, and all things lacrosse. Let’s get into the good stuff:

• PLL Sixes (Is this the future of lacrosse?) 🔮

• Michael Sowers’ footwork is ridiculous 😧

• Best new attack lacrosse head 🧊

• The highest scoring lacrosse game in NCAA history 💯

PLL Sixes: Is This The Future Of Lacrosse?

This past week, the PLL Sixes league debuted on ESPN2. If you’re not familiar with Sixes, it is a new, fast-paced version of lacrosse designed to attract more fans and appeal to the Olympic Committee. Check out our full video explaining Lacrosse Sixes.

While it’s always great to see more lacrosse on TV, it certainly didn’t come without mixed reactions from die-hard lacrosse fans.

Twitter tweet

Honestly, I haven’t made up my mind about Sixes yet. The purist in me enjoys the traditional field game and would love to see that become the mainstream, Olympic-version of the sport. However, I also respect the PLL for continuously pushing the envelope and innovating the game. It keeps fans engaged and gives people new reasons to hate Paul Rabil (that’s a joke 😂).

What are your thoughts on Sixes?

Michael Sowers’ Footwork Is Ridiculous

While many PLL pros are out playing Sixes, Mikey Sowers posted some training videos to his Instagram story. Sheeeesh.

@laxfarmer

Mikey Sowers speed is ridiculous ⚡️💨 (via @michaelsowers22) #laxtok #lacrossehighlights #lacrosse #lacrossetraining

If you’re a young lacrosse player, start implementing some Mike Sowers footwork drills in to your routine. Grab some training aids like agility ladders and shooting targest to help improve your game.

Best New Attack Lacrosse Head?

A few months ago, East Coast Dyes released the ECD Ion, one of the most highly anticipated lacrosse heads to come out in a long time. It is lightweight, slick, and comes with an innovative see-through design.

Check price of ECD Ion

Based on the abundance of player feedback (you will see this head everywhere soon) and playing with it myself, the ECD Ion may be the best attack lacrosse head on the market today.

The Highest Scoring Lacrosse Game In NCAA History

Last week, history was made. The shootout between Virginia and Harvard became the NCAA men’s D1 all-time highest scoring lacrosse game, with a final score of 25-21, Virginia.

However, when lacrosse statisticians looked to the history books, they quickly realized that the NCAA record book does NOT collect ‘total goals in a game’. Nooooooo! But wait…the record book does show that the most FACEOFFS ever attempted was 47, by NC State and UVA in 1978.

Twitter tweet

Unless there were some weird rules in the 1970’s resulting in faceoffs to be skipped, it is safe to assume that the 2023 UVA-Harvard game was the highest scoring game in men’s D1 history. What does it mean for the rest of us? It means this college season is about to be ELECTRIC ⚡.

Thanks for reading our first newsletter. We hope to crank one of these out every week. In the meantime:

• 📚 Pre-order our E-book: How To Get Recruited For College Lacrosse

• 🥍 Follow us on social media to keep lacrosse on your timeline