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Duke playing lacrosse in Hofstra's backyard

Steven Marcus

4:21 PM EDT, March 27, 2008

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On the surface, it appears provocative. What is going on here? Duke lacrosse playing a regular-season game against Dartmouth across the street from Hofstra in the lacrosse hotbed of Long Island? What gives?

Is Duke coach John Danowski, who left Hofstra for Duke in a don't-let-the-door hit-you-on-the-way-out exit, trying to stick it to his old school? No, it is just a coincidence, Danowski said.

Mitchel Athletic Complex is the site for Saturday's game between third-ranked Duke and Dartmouth. The venue is just across Hempstead Turnpike, a really long clear away from the Hofstra campus.

"I got the idea over the summer when I saw a Lizards game there," Danowski said. "Mitchel Field has [artificial] turf and even if the weather is bad, it is still a great opportunity. It's the best public venue around."

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Danowski said Long Island should have better weather than playing at Dartmouth, which is located in Hanover. N.H.

"The fact that it is next to Hofstra is somewhat of a coincidence," Danowski said. "That was not our intention."

Danowski coached at Hofstra from 1986-2006. The administration wasn't thrilled by some of the comments he made over the years about Hofstra's inability to attract top recruits, such as the ones who go to Duke (like his own son, Matt). Danowski applied to Duke after the dismissal of Mike Pressler. Hofstra made no effort to keep Danowski.

Danowski does not believe he is taking away potential recruits for Hofstra by playing in the Pride's backyard.

"If that's the reason, because a team played one game on Long Island, then that's probably not the type of guy we want anyway," he said.

Hofstra coach Seth Tierney said he has no issues with Duke playing on Long Island. His team will be on the road playing Drexel.

"Absolutely not, not at all," Tierney said. "A lot of teams will meet a southern team halfway. In happens in Baltimore and Philadelphia. Sometimes they play in places where they recruit. I would have a problem if team started playing on our campus when we weren't around. If 3,000 people are going to watch Duke play Dartmouth it helps the sport."

Tierney also does not see Duke gaining a recruiting edge.

"There are so many kids out there," he said. "If a young man is going to Duke because he saw the Duke-Dartmouth game at Mitchel Field, that's OK. He still has to go to visit Duke. If it's between Duke and Hofstra and Hofstra is in his backyard, he will have wonderful facilities here."