It's fall ball season. Hope springs eternal. Everyone is 0-0 and in the hunt for the natty.

As such, we're checking in with programs across the country and divisions to see what's happening. We're continuing with Pitt coach, Mike Eck.

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The 2023 campaign was a tale of two seasons for the Panthers. What did you and your team learn from the hot start and challenging finish?

ME: It definitely was a tale of two seasons. We got off to a hot start with some big wins over quality opponents, sitting at 5-0 going into spring break. The night before we left for our Georgia trip, our captain and leading scorer, Alex Strain, tore his ACL at the end of practice.

Alex was the quarterback of our offense and a calming presence; he elevated the play of everyone around him. I don’t think we ever fully recovered after that. Granted, the second half of our schedule was a gauntlet. We played Georgia, Florida State and Liberty in a span of nine days. Confidence plays a big role in sports and needless to say, we did not have a lot of confidence going forward.

We set some lofty goals last season and I think we put too much pressure on ourselves. A big theme for the team this fall has been ‘process of outcome.’ The outcome of a game is a byproduct of the work put forth in the days, weeks and months leading up to the game.

We want to focus on getting a little bit better every time we step on the field and enjoy the process. It’s a long year from fall ball to the last game, we just want to control what we can control and have fun embracing the process.

You took over the program last year. As you enter your second year, what are your expectations for this spring?

ME: My expectations are always the same. I expect our guys to compete to the best of their ability and have fun anytime they step on the field. The score will take care of itself. I am more focused on the way in which we play the game.

I am a highly competitive person and I definitely hate losing more than I like winning, but as long as our guys are giving their best effort, I can live with the final result.

Who are the veterans and emerging players you'll be leaning on this spring?

ME: We have a strong freshman class that we are really excited about. They bring great energy to practice and will push our returners all year long. There are a handful of freshmen that we expect to make an instant impact this spring.

Thankfully, we have a solid core of returning players that will be the tone setters for us. It starts and stops with our netminder, Finn Harris. He kept us in so many games last year. The defense will be anchored by Tim Dowd and Scott Clairmont, who was just selected by his peers as a captain for the second season in a row.

We have one of the best defensive midfielders in the MCLA in Drake Hadley. He comes up with a ton of 50-50 ground balls and can spark offense for us in transition. He will be joined by two sophomores who got a lot of experience last season in Will Carr and Will McDade.

The midfield will be led by Will Wojton, Ethan Napolitan, Aidan Conway, Darren Middleton and Mason Pease. Each of these guys have different strengths and complement each other well.

Zach Price took a ton of faceoffs last year as a freshman and that experience will help his confidence this season. Our only returner at attack is sophomore Patrick McKeever. He is a shifty playmaker at X. Reed Seybolt is another guy who we will lean on heavily.

What does the schedule look like?

ME: There are no easy games playing in the ALC. Each team is well-coached and loaded with athletic and talented players. We hit the road to face Tennessee, ECU, Liberty, NC State and Temple. We will host JMU and our friends from Morgantown in the Backyard Brawl.

I am a firm believer that iron sharpens iron, so we try to load up our non-conference schedule. After making the trip down to Athens last year, UGA is returning the favor this spring. We also play Buffalo, Western Michigan, Iowa State and UConn. Buffalo and Western Michigan have been staples on our schedule for years and we always have hard fought battles.

With the continued growth of the sport at the high school level, there are quality players on pretty much every campus across the country now. What's the secret to getting them to tryouts, practices and games?

ME: That is a great question. If anyone has the answer, please let me know!

Father time remains unbeaten, we all have to hang up the cleats at some point. Being part of something bigger than yourself, like a lacrosse team, is a special privilege that does not last forever.

You can never replicate the bonds formed in the locker room and on the field with your brothers. Playing in the MCLA gives guys an opportunity to continue chasing the dream while receiving a top-notch education at some exceptional universities, like the University of Pittsburgh. I truly believe that this league has only scratched the surface and will continue to grow, drawing more and more talent year after year.

[Want to participate in the "Fall Check In" series as a coach or player? Email [email protected] to request your five questions]