Princeton University Athletics
Friday TigerBlog - Physical Fitness
August 07, 2026 | Tiger Blog
TigerBlog had his annual physical early yesterday morning.
When he schedules doctor's appointments, he likes to take the first one of the day, so the doctor can't be backed up by then. That was the case yesterday as well.
When the nurse was running through his chart, she asked all the usual questions. Then she asked him this: "Do you drink?" To that, TB responded: "It's a little early, no?"
She laughed.
As for the doctor, she saw TB's "Princeton Lacrosse" t-shirt and asked what his connection was. As TB explained, she pointed out that she did her undergraduate and medical training at Virginia, site of Princeton's NCAA championship this past spring.
Dr. Cavalier said that UVa had won the NCAA title when she'd been there, TB started doing the math in his head. These days, all doctors look like they're about 20 years old or so to TigerBlog, so he figured she was way too young for the 2006 championship.
When he said "2011?," she said that was before her time. That left 2019 and 2021, which means that she's probably not even 30 yet. Oh well. She seems like she knows what she's doing.
What's the point? Make sure you get your physical and go to the dermatologist. TB needs all the readers he can get.
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As TigerBlog mentioned yesterday, the women's basketball team released its schedule for the coming season. The Tigers return four starters (Skye Belker, Ashley Chea, Olivia Hutcherson and Fadima Tall) and have a new head coach (Lauren Gosselin).
There was a time that doesn't seem that long ago (though it was probably before TB's doctor was born) when the college basketball season didn't start until December. By the time Dec. 1 rolls around, Princeton will have played nine games already. There will be five in December, by contrast.
Among the highlights — well, the highlight — of the non-conference schedule will be the Nov. 15 game at defending NCAA champion UCLA, which comes two days after Princeton plays at Pepperdine. Those games will be a homecoming for Belker, Chea and Emily Eadie.
HERE is the complete schedule again.
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The women's soccer team opens its season in 13 days, at home against Loyola. The men's season won't be that far behind, with an Aug. 28 season opener at home against Villanova.
Between the two teams, Myslik Field at Roberts Stadium will host five games in August and six games by Sept. 4, which is the Friday before Labor Day.
The men will open the season as the No. 8 team in Division I according to the United Soccer Coaches. Princeton is coming off a great season, one that saw the Tigers go 7-0-0 in the Ivy League without allowing a goal and earn the No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament.
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Back at lacrosse, the Premier Lacrosse League has two weekends left in its regular season, with games this weekend in Boston and next weekend in Philadelphia. The playoffs begin Aug. 29 in Minneapolis and then continue in Utah Sept. 7 before the championship game Sept. 20 at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison.
Princeton alums are all over the top of the PLL leaderboards this season, where not shockingly the two leading scorers in Tiger history are in the top four in points. Michael Sowers, whose 302 points are the most by any Princeton player ever, leads the PLL with 41 points (21G, 20A); his assists also lead the league, and he has a seven-point lead on second-place C.J. Kirst, his Waterdogs teammate.
Coulter Mackesy, second all-time at Princeton with 248 points, is tied for third with 33 points, with 17 goals (including three two-pointers) and 13 assists. Andrew McMeekin, Mackesy's Boston Cannons teammate, leads the PLL in face-off winning percentage at 64.2 percent.
McMeekin has vaulted himself into the thick of the Rookie of the Year race, along with another NCAA champ Tiger, Chad Palumbo (18G, one two-pointer, five assists), Syracuse alum Joey Spallina (32 points) and Richmond alum Ryan Stines (28 points).
Mackesy and McMeekin play twice this weekend, tonight at 6 against the Whipsnakes and tomorrow at 8 against the Redwoods (Sam English, Ryan Croddick). The second game tonight has the Archers (Ryan Ambler, Beau Pederson) and the Chaos (Palumbo) at 8:30, while tomorrow's schedule also includes the Outlaws (John Dunphey) against the Atlas (Jake Stevens) at 1.
The Waterdogs (Sowers, Zach Currier) are off this weekend.
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Speaking of Andrew McMeekin, he will make his U.S. national team debut at the Pan American Men's Lacrosse Championship in Kingston (the one in Jamaica, not the one that's the next town from Princeton). The tournament will be held Aug. 16-23.
The tournament will be a qualifier for next year's World Championships in Japan. This is full field lacrosse, not the Sixes game that will be played at the 2028 Olympics.
There are nine teams who will compete in Jamaica, and the top five will qualify for Japan. The U.S. team has a 100 percent chance of being in that top five, as does Canada.
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Have a great weekend. And schedule your doctor appointments, preferably the first ones in the morning.
