Of the 16 teams vying to reach Foxborough, Mass., the site of the final four, 14 sport at least one player from the Philadelphia region.

Perhaps no school better represents Philly than Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish field three starters in Duncan Swezey (Hatboro-Horsham), Michael Podgajny (Ridley), and Sean Dougherty (Malvern Prep).

The Irish also have three other underclassmen from the Philadelphia region, including two from Malvern Prep, which has eight alumni playing for teams in the NCAA tournament - the most of any area high school.

"You love to see Philadelphia doing so well with the sport of lacrosse, just evident of the guys doing so well in college," Dougherty said. "You come from an area, that when I was there, wasn't considered a hotbed for lacrosse."

Podgajny said one of the biggest factors has been the emergence of lacrosse as an option at public schools.

"During the time I was in high school it was starting to get really popular," Podgajny said. "It was always popular among the prep schools, but the prep vs. public rivalry took storm while I was in high school."

Private schools like Malvern Prep and Haverford still pump out college recruits, but public schools like Springfield, Conestoga, Ridley and Hatboro-Horsham all have multiple graduates competing in this year's tourney.

That has not gone unnoticed by coaching staffs such as Notre Dame's, which Podgajny said took a long look at Philadelphia when evaluating potential recruits.

"There's always a lot of interest of kids in Philly because there's so much athleticism," he said.

The Philly players haven't just made their presence known on the playing field, either.

When it comes to team chemistry, at least at Notre Dame, the Philly players have banded together to tout their favorite teams against those of their New York and Baltimore comrades.

"It's great to have those guys for the camaraderie, because there's always chirping going on," Podgajny said.

Penn, Temple women qualify. While a strong number of Philly individuals are playing in the NCAA men's tournament, the women trumped that by placing two local teams in the NCAA women's tournament, which will begin tomorrow.

Second-seeded Penn will host Cornell tomorrow at Franklin Field while unseeded Temple will travel to face No. 3 Maryland. Both schools earned their bids by winning their respective conferences.

The Quakers (14-1) won the Ivy League, posting a 12-game winning streak in the process. That included an upset of top-ranked Northwestern, which still managed to earn the tournament's top seed.

"Clearly, [the selection committee] looks at a number of different factors," Penn coach Karin Brower said. "Strength of schedule is one of those. Northwestern had that a little bit above us on the schedule. It's really motivation for the kids in that they don't feel they've gotten much respect throughout the season."

The Quakers surprised lacrosse fanatics last year when they earned a spot in the final four, ultimately losing to Northwestern.

"We let nerves get the best of us last year," Brower said. "This year, if we get there, we won't be as nervous."

While Penn cannot play the surprise card anymore, Temple can.

The Owls (13-6) won the Atlantic Ten Conference tournament to earn their first tourney bid since 2004. They will face the Terrapins (17-2), who knocked the Owls from the tourney in 2003 and 2004.

But none of the current Owls were on either of those teams, nor was coach Bonnie Rosen. "I'm not expecting them to know what to expect Sunday until Sunday," Rosen said.

The Owls are anticipating a high-paced, physical game, Rosen said. Their defense is ranked ninth nationally, allowing 9.09 goals per game.

"We have to really limit their fastbreak opportunities," Rosen said. "That's their bread and butter."

5 Local Men's Players to Watch

1. Tony McDevitt, Duke. Granted an extra year of eligibility, McDevitt seeks to end his career on top. The Blue Devils are favored to win the national championship, but they fell in the final in 2005 and 2007.

2. P.T. Ricci, Loyola. The Conestoga product ranks fifth in the nation in ground balls per game, averaging 5.85. Only two players in the tourney have higher averages.

3. Matt Dolente, Johns Hopkins. One of four local freshmen playing for the Blue Jays, the Malvern Prep graduate has scooped 24 ground balls and won 45.7 percent of his face-offs.

4. Sean Delaney, North Carolina. Delaney has served as a key figure in the Tar Heels' balanced offense, tallying 20 points. The Moorestown product also has been clutch, scoring three game-winning goals.

5. Ken Clausen, Virginia. The Downingtown native tops the Cavaliers with 52 ground balls. The sophomore has started every game since joining the Cavaliers as the nation's top defensive recruit in 2006.

5 Local Women's Players to Watch

1. Sarah Waxman, Penn. The goaltender carried Penn to the final four last year, earning all-American status. Now a senior, Waxman is again the key to the Quakers' national-championship quest.

2. Whitney Richards, Temple. Richards leads the Owls with 75 points, including 44 goals. She ranks 16th nationally in points.

3. Caitlin McKinney, Notre Dame. The Irish's most complete player, McKinney has 38 goals and 25 assists and has been credited with 30 ground balls.

4. Megan Mosenson, Syracuse. A product of Great Valley, Mosenson has collected 54 points to rank fourth for the Orange.

5. Emma Hamm, Duke. The Baldwin graduate has scored 49 points while shooting at a .526 clip. She has also gathered 34 ground balls, second on the Tar Heels. Those numbers earned her honors as the Atlantic Coast Conference rookie of the year.

- John Kopp