Quint’s PLL Power Rankings at the All-Star Break

1. Denver
2. New York
3. Philadelphia
4. Boston
5. Utah
6. Maryland
7. Carolina
8. California

Denver vs California
Fourth quarter goal-scoring runs have become a theme for Denver. 8-0 onslaught in Philly took down Utah. This week the Outlaws blew open an 11-10 nail-biter into an 18-12 winning margin with a 7-2 run fortified by the Tewaaraton quartet. California was feta in the final quarter—they crumbled. Pat Kavanagh, Logan Wisnauskas, Brennan O’Neil, and Jared Bernhardt put their stamp on a third consecutive win. Kavanagh has been terrific.

With goalie Logan McNaney and former NFL wide receiver Jared Bernhardt in the lineup, the boys of summer stay perfect at 3-0. Logan the lefty is showcasing clean saves and rainbow outlets. Bernhardt has a turbo gear that smokes cover men and leaves a trail of dust.

SSDM Ryan Terefenko has been a Tasmanian devil running in transition and pinning opponent offensive personnel on the field. Coach Tim Soudan’s “Hippo” drill is sharpening ball movement. Geriatric defensive trio of Mike Manley, Jesse Bernhardt, and JT Giles-Harris are drinking from the fountain of youth. I’m drinking the Outlaw Kool-Aid.

Utah vs New York
Atlas win makes it two in a row prior to the All-Star break. Coach Mike Pressler got clutch contributions from rookie Matt Traynor in an 11-8 win over Utah. New York’s defense held Utah scoreless in the fourth quarter after being down 4-1 early. Winning a defensive rock fight is a step in the right direction for the normally free-flowing Atlas. New York is a legit title contender.

Archers offense sold separately in 2025 as the two-time champs took another loss against New York (3-2). Suddenly nobody can consistently win a matchup. Grant Ament was the most impactful ball carrier and Connor Fields found the net three times.

The laundry list of areas to improve include: two-point production, unassisted shooting percentage, face-off percentage, power play scoring rate, and transition offense. Complacency is death. Destruction breeds creation. Utah needs to catch a wave and schematically re-invent themselves.

Utah fans eager to see righty midfielder Tre LeClaire in the lineup on July 11 against Philadelphia in Chicago. The Canadian may unlock some pass-down, pick-down looks on the right side, and his stealthy shot is an upgrade on the power play. Feels like Utah, winners of the past two championships, are a step behind the top tier.

Philadelphia vs California
California was valiant in defeat in front of a packed house in San Diego. I felt the passion from fans all weekend long who made it a point to say hello. I could feel the love. And those moments and fan interactions are the fuel that pumps my engine. Grateful for this game. Thank you, SD.

Philadelphia pulled away late, taking a 9-9 game and locking down the Woods 12-9. California experienced drought conditions during the last 13 minutes. Enigmatic Philly midfielder Jack Hannah scored twice in the final quarter and Michael Sowers was dealing aces all night. At the All-Star break, the lightning bug Sowers would get my MVP vote.

After surrendering three deuces in the first half, Waterdog goalie Dillon Ward was a brick wall against long and mid-range shots.

Coach Bill Tierney and the Waterdogs may have superstar CJ Kirst (Cornell) in the lineup in Chicago. That addition gives the purple haze good vibrations.

California’s best players in San Diego were rookies Andrew McAdorey and Sam English. McAdorey plays at hyper speed and English is omnipresent, a contributor at both ends. Long-range shooter Romar Dennis buried a pair of two-point shots. Attackman Dylan Molloy showcased his own version of bully ball. Woods needed a Snickers in game two, looking like avocado toast as the sun set. California dreaming became a nightmare (0-2), meaning that coach Anthony Kelly will tinker with his midfield personnel going forward. GM “Trader Joe” Spallina won’t sit still.

Boston vs Carolina
The Saturday Farmer’s Market in Little Italy above the harbor is world-class. That appetizer set the table for a best-record vs. worst-record matchup in Torero Stadium.

Not so fast! Carolina stunned Boston with an improbable two-goal victory. In the PLL, the worst team in the league can beat the best team. There are no free squares. Every week matters. Half the league is 3-2 and the other half is 2-3. That’s compelling.

Boston was victimized by the two-point shot and defensive lapses. Giving up 14 goals to Carolina is perplexing. Cannons are good, just not great—right now. What they’ll remember is September. So keep it positive and grow.

Carolina stopper Blaze Riorden finished with 21 saves. Playing with a jagged finger that looks like the letter Z, Big Blaze was in takeover mode, stuffing Marcus Holman from point-blank range with the game on the line. Defender Troy Reh was active off the carpet. Defensive midfielders Ray Dearth and Greg Langermeier took steps forward, and it was Dearth’s two-point missile on a fast break that sealed the 14-12 victory.

A week after being embarrassed 20-6 to Maryland, the Chaos got up off of the canvas and provided the shocking upset. Credit to coach Roy Colsey, assistant Kyle Sweeney, and all of the players for stabilizing a wobbly ship. In a league where the talent gap is tight, culture and camaraderie count.

Owen Hiltz, Sergio Perkovic, and Ross Scott were giving Chaos fans excitations. Perkovic dialed up top-shelf bouncers from a different zip code, while Hiltz cashed in four times from his left-wing geography. Shooting on grass offers an advantage to those who have bounce shots in their arsenal. Whether it’s a skimmer or high bouncer, goalies have benefitted from bounceless sport turf. Too much lacrosse is being played on carcinogenic plastic pellets. The Creator’s game, tied to earth, is meant to be played on grass, in the dirt and mud, and through nature’s elements.

Maryland had their bye week and face Denver on July 12 in Chicago.

All-Star weekend from Kansas City is next for the PLL and WLL. Check out the Maybelline WLL All-Star Game featuring Charlotte North on ESPN2 at 8 PM on July 4. Go easy on the hot dogs. The Lexus PLL ASG can be seen at 1 PM on July 5 on ESPN.

After that, it’s time for the second half of the season. On July 11 and 12, the PLL plays in Chicago at Northwestern. All PLL games can be seen on ESPN+. Follow Quint on Twitter @QKessenich.

Basketball is probably the best example. You may be the best offensive player in the world, but you are still expected to play defense on the other end of the floor. Hockey works the same way, due to the constant back-and-forth nature of the game. Even on the soccer pitch, strikers will still have to play some version of defense. In baseball, everyone gets a turn hitting, followed by playing in the field. There is a natural offensive and defensive rhythm in just about every sport.

Lacrosse finds this strange middle ground for defense and offense. Sure, you can get an attackman stuck playing defense in transition, but this is actually pretty rare. And as you continue to progress through the levels of the game, lacrosse becomes more and more specialized. When you first pick up a stick, you are either a short stick or a long stick. Right away, you are splitting the group. You are already labeling at least half the players as long poles who will not be taught the offensive side of the game.

Even for midfielders, as they approach high school, it’s no longer just “midfielders.” You are either an offensive midfielder or a defensive midfielder. It is a disservice to the game to specialize positions in this way. Players are developing with no understanding of how the other side of the ball works. Have you ever tried to get an offensive player to understand defensive concepts? Or get a long pole to be comfortable with the ball in their stick? These are uphill battles.

But why are they uphill battles? It is because of these hard lines we put around players at such a young age. There become very clear expectations about what side of the ball they will play and what their job is. While it is great to help athletes understand what they need to do to be successful in their role, in the long run this actually hinders their development.

Especially at the high school level, most offenses have no idea how a slide package works. Most defenses couldn’t tell you the different ways an offense is looking to score. Players have become so hyper-focused on their position group that they no longer understand, at a basic level, what the other side of the ball is trying to accomplish. This is a huge problem. The best way to improve your side of the ball is to understand exactly what the other side is looking to do.

How can the offense create scoring advantages? Where are the openings going to be when a defense slides? How can I stay involved in the offense following a clear? These are just the beginning in a long list of questions related to truly understanding the game.

Separating players into specialized groups at such a young age and not encouraging them to play both sides of the ball limits their overall development. You end up with offensive players who have no understanding of how to play defense, and defenders who are terrified of staying on the offensive side of the field.

Lacrosse players whether on defense or offense need to understand every facet of the game in order to excel at their specific role. Practices should be structured in a way that defensive players have the ball in their sticks more often. There should be real intent to have offensive players play some defense from time to time. Not necessarily because they will need to do it in a game, but because it gives them a better understanding of what the other side actually feels like. This will not only help them improve their own skill set, but also help them recognize exactly what they need to exploit in the players they go up against.

For most teams, short-stick defensive midfielders usually fall into one of three categories. They might be really athletic players with poor stick skills. They might be mid-tier offensive players who don’t quite have a role. Or they are brand new to the game. In all three cases, defense is not their specialty. Sure, once in a while you’ll get a player who fully buys into being a short stick defensive midfielder and develops the position at a high level. Sadly, that’s the exception, not the rule. More often, it’s a player being thrown into the role because the coach doesn’t know what else to do with them — but they know they need to have at least two short sticks on the field when they are playing defense.

Obviously, this becomes an easier matchup for offensive players to dodge on. This painfully obvious concept is pretty common lacrosse IQ at every level of the game. But it has gotten to a point where it is now over-relied upon. Let’s say you are watching a high school lacrosse game with no coaches on the field. It’s just players, playing the game they love with no sideline guidance. Even in that situation, players would still only look to attack the short sticks. They would even get mad at each other if someone dodged on a long pole and it didn’t work.

We’ve hammered this concept into players at such a young age that now it carries up through high school and even college as if it’s some golden rule. I hate to be the one to say it, but there are six defenders on the field and they are all human beings. Just because they have a long pole in their hands does not mean they are impossible to dodge on.

While the easier advantage is obviously dodging short sticks, you are seriously limiting an athlete’s development and the offense’s ability to be creative when that’s the only approach. If a defense knows you are going to dodge the short sticks every time, why would those short sticks even allow their offensive player to touch the ball? They should push out and take away the passing outlet, forcing you to dodge a pole. And when this happens, you can literally see the fear in the offensive player’s eyes because they know they now have to beat a pole, and they have zero confidence that they can.

This game, just like any other sport, is all about confidence. We have reached a point where we are not encouraging athletes to beat long poles at a young age, so when the moment comes, they don’t believe they can. Go watch high-level lacrosse, whether it’s college or professional. All of those players can dodge on poles, and no, it’s not just because they are better. It’s because they have the confidence and the will to do it — and because they’ve been taught they should.

There is a huge issue in the club lacrosse landscape right now, and it comes down to the purpose clubs actually serve. Many club programs today feel like they are the highlight of the athlete’s lacrosse career and treat it that way. There seems to be a disconnect. Clubs are no longer focused on building the athlete for their high school season. Instead, they position themselves as the primary lacrosse outlet for these players. This is wrong in so many ways, and I think it defeats the entire purpose of what club lacrosse is supposed to be.

Club lacrosse should be an outlet for players to come together from different backgrounds and high school programs to learn how to play lacrosse together. Both club and high school programs have become too specialized in their systems and the way they operate, which ultimately limits player growth. You should be able to take six offensive players and six defensive players from twelve different high schools, put them on one field, and run a successful lacrosse game. The best comparison I can make is pickup basketball. You can grab ten players from different schools, put them on the same court, and they will still have a natural feel for the flow of the game.

In my opinion, this is what club lacrosse should be focused on, not high school. High schools are always going to be more tailored toward X’s and O’s and specific schemes because they are trying to compete with rivals and win playoff games. Club lacrosse, on the other hand, should be about getting players to understand the game at a higher level and, more importantly, at a universal level. This lack of development is often hidden because there are usually a few really strong players on a given team. Just like in any sport, glaring issues can easily be covered up if a few players can carry the team.

There are three major things that club programs should be teaching on both sides of the ball that would drastically improve a player’s ability to play universal lacrosse, not just a style that fits their club or high school team. The number one thing that is not taught enough is spacing. We all know the feeling of watching someone dodge downhill while their adjacent offensive outlet is either standing in the way or is completely out of position. The same issue pops up when a dodge happens from X and everyone else is standing still, not creating opportunities. Dodgers and goals cannot happen at a high rate without good spacing across the board.

This connects directly to my second point — winning dodges and creating advantages. There are far too many high school players who do not truly understand what it means to dodge. On the surface, sure, it’s an attempt to go score a goal. But many players think that is the only advantage that comes from a dodge. There is no higher-level thinking about where the slide will come from, how to move the ball forward when that slide happens, and especially what to do after the dodge is over. There are way too many six-on-six possessions where teams pass the ball around once or twice, get it to their best dodger, and make one dodge before the possession ends with either a goal or a save. That’s not universal lacrosse. Honestly, it’s not even good lacrosse.

That brings me to my last point — shot selection. Too many programs rely on one dodger who is given the green light to do whatever they want. Players are not taught how to think critically about shot selection or where their shots are coming from on the field. A lot of times, players get yelled at for taking a bad shot, but they may not have a clear understanding of what actually makes it a bad shot. Shot selection is something that is universal. Every player should be able to look at a shot and understand whether it is a shot you can live with or a shot you can’t. You can see this disconnect when a player takes a great shot that gets saved and suddenly they’re discouraged from ever taking that shot again. On the flip side, a player might take a 20-yard step-down shot, hit the net by chance, and get applauded simply because it resulted in a goal.

Overall, club lacrosse coaches have to do a much better job of developing players to play universal lacrosse. These athletes spend too much time working on their craft to walk away from their club seasons without a better understanding of how to play with just about anyone — regardless of their club or high school system.

That statement might not fully resonate with youth or even high school players who don’t always understand the numbers game. Understanding there’s a clear advantage and realizing that the best course of action is to keep decreasing those numbers is key. It’s about turning a four-on-three into a three-on-two. Then turning that three-on-two into a two-on-one. The final piece is getting to a point where you’re one-on-one with the goalie. Coaches may preach this concept, but I don’t think many players understand that it’s really this simple. You can hammer home drills all day, but until you break it down this way, it might not always translate.

We’ve all seen it. There’s a clear fast break opportunity and an athlete makes just one pass to an attackman who then takes a contested shot. Everyone is frustrated because the writing was on the wall. It was a prime scoring chance that got wasted. But that leads me to the real secret reason why fast breaks often fail in lacrosse. Athletes are not being taught to consistently follow the slide.

Picture a fast break coming down the field in a four-on-three situation. It’s common knowledge that the ball carrier needs to draw a defender. Once a defender slides, the ball should immediately move to where that slide came from. This is where things start to break down. Most athletes, as soon as they see their defender slide upfield to the ball carrier, plant their feet and stay exactly where they are. They might demand the ball and call for an outlet, but by planting their feet, they’re limiting their ability to keep the advantage alive.

The best thing they can do is follow that sliding defender upfield toward the ball carrier while still calling for the ball. Doing this pulls the second rotation upfield, chasing the next pass option, which creates more space and more opportunity for the offense. Another great example is when the next pass goes to an attackman at GLE. This attackman’s position is super important because of their proximity to the net. If their defender slides upfield, the attackman often plants their feet right at GLE. By the time the ball gets to them, they can feel the pressure of that third defenseman rotating across the crease. At that point, the attackman is no longer in a position to score, but they will often take a low-angle contested shot anyway.

If that attackman had continued to move their feet upfield with their sliding defender, they would put themselves in a much better scoring position. They would also make it more difficult for that third defenseman to rotate over in time. This is not a concept that is talked about often, but it’s crucial. Understanding the numbers advantage on a fast break, combined with the habit of following the slide, will completely change the success rate of your transition offense.

Fast breaks are prime scoring opportunities in the game of lacrosse. Offenses need to capitalize on them at a high rate. Teaching players to understand the advantage and to move with the defense, not away from it, is how you get the ball in the back of the net more often.

New York handled Philadelphia. Boston held on to defeat Maryland 13-12. Denver, bolstered by Jared Bernhardt, rallied down 10-5 to pull away from Utah. Maryland steamrolled Carolina, putting up 20 goals and staying in playoff contention.

Six teams have two wins. They are sandwiched by 3-1 Boston at the top and 1-3 Carolina at the bottom. Good luck separating the six in the middle. Margins are tight in the PLL 2025.

Boston (3-1)
Coach Brian Holman, back at Hopkins where he graduated in 1983, had to be pleased with the vision of Asher Nolting (5 assists) and the playmaking of Cannon midfielders Matt Campbell and Ryan Drenner. Nolting remains mired in a shooting slump, which will be temporary as he continues to flash his distribution skills. In week three’s loss to Philadelphia, the Cannons made horrible defensive pick decisions. They beat themselves. LSM Owen Grant has met expectation as a cover man and in transition. Rookie SSDM from Notre Dame bounced back after a rough outing in Philadelphia with a solid game of coverage.

They clamped down on Maryland in the third quarter, expanding a 7-5 advantage to 12-8. Nolting made it 13-8 early in the fourth quarter and, while going scoreless the last 11:17, Boston held on for the 13-12 win. Rookie Coulter Mackesy hit his shots from the lefty wing and DU rookie Mic Kelly had some dodging success from uptop. Boston will be big favorites over Carolina in San Diego this week.

Denver (2-2)
60% of Logan McNaney’s saves have been clean—that is, caught. The next highest goalie in the PLL is at 47%. The rookie from Maryland has the ability to snare shots without rebounds and throw aggressive outlets. Those runouts have been a difference maker for Denver. McNaney’s humble poise and demeanor are icing on the cake. He celebrated his 24th birthday in style on Sunday at Homewood and is 2-0 as the starter.

Coach Tim Soudan has multiple options with Jared Bernhardt. Do you run him at midfield or on attack? Bernhardt’s speed and acceleration is a unicorn even amongst elite PLL players. After scoring four against Utah, he’s going to be demanding immediate double teams.

Brennan O’Neil, now healthy, is in a little bit of a shooting slump but still impactful with the ball in his pocket as a catalyst. Not everybody in the league has a Graeme Hossack to mark him. I’d like to see O’Neil get more involved in the picking game and cutting off ball.

Denver’s DNA has been transition. Clean saves have led to runouts by Jake Piseno and Ryan Terefenko. The SSDM from Ohio State is tough, sturdy, and likes to stay on the field in the picking game for some pass-down, pick-down looks on the wing arc.

Very veteran defense kept Utah off the doorstep. JT Giles-Harris, Mike Manley, and Jesse Bernhardt have loads of experience. Poles Jake Piseno and AJ Pilate were stable and the Denver shorties played better as the game went on.

Down 7-3 and being outplayed, Denver got goals from Pat Kavanagh and Logan Wisnauskas prior to halftime. The Utah margin swelled to 10-5 and it didn’t look good. Three goals, including a deuce by Bundy, to end the third quarter made it 10-9. Bernhardt tied it at 10. 8-0 run was a shocking finish. Denver held Utah scoreless for the final 19:55 while shooting 0-10 to end the contest. That’s two straight wins for the Outlaws and momentum.

If Denver can get Bernhardt and O’Neil drawing double teams, Kavanagh can become a dissector, with Graham Bundy and Dalton capitalizing on the defensive movement. The midfield offense has been subpar, so it was positive to see Justin Anderson and Young contribute. Denver offense is still a work in progress, with room for growth, which is a good thing if you’re an Outlaw fan.

Denver is a different team with goalie Logan McNaney and playmaker Jared Bernhardt in the lineup. Outlaws meet California in a key Western Conference game this week.

New York (2-2)
Coach Mike Pressler shook up his midfield personnel group, sitting Myles Jones and Kyle Jackson. Reid Bowering, a lefty from BC, was activated and gave Jeff Teat some wonderfully solid picks to run off of. SSDMs Danny Logan and Chet Comizio were back in the lineup. Logan, regarded as the best in the business at that position, may be a two-goal swing himself.

New York showed up with the eye of the tiger. They led 4-1 after 12:00 and 8-4 at half. They haven’t played a full 48 minutes to date, so finishing with a 17-9 victory over Philadelphia felt like a statement win.

Bryan Costabile was dealing from the outside. Jeff Teat was in MVP form. They put together a pair of 6-1 runs to silence the critics. Defenseman Gavin Adler was tenacious covering Michael Sowers and goalie Liam Entenmann was on fire.

Rookies Max Krevsky and Hugh Kelleher were solid in their two-way roles. Some say lacrosse is a young man’s game. Atlas square off with Utah this week.

Utah (2-2)
Built a 10-5 lead and then hit a wall, outscored 8-0 to end the game. 13-10 loss stings. Multiple pass goals have been in short supply. Picking game has no punch. Mac O’Keefe and Grant Ament not producing to prior levels. Archers missing Tre LeClaire as a valuable chip. Transition goals have been in short supply. Connor Fields isn’t getting to the rack like he did as an isolation dodger in 2024. Utah ranks low in face-off percentage and offensive efficiency. Turnovers continue to be an issue.

Rookie Sam King has provided a burst of energy and been highly productive when he gets touches. Tom Schreiber remains impactful but he can’t do it alone. I’m not seeing multiple pass goals or ball reversal. Utah skip lanes have been jammed.

Philadelphia (2-2)
Offense wasn’t flowing, which was frustrating if you kept your eyes on Coach Bill Tierney during the broadcast.

It felt as if Philadelphia failed to match New York’s intensity, urgency, and fight level from the opening face-off. Down 4-1 and 8-4 at half in the heat wasn’t ideal.

D-man Jack DeBenedetto from Denver dressed and covered Xander Dickson well. Ben Randall didn’t have his best game, trying to navigate through picks chasing Teat around for 48 minutes. Jack Hannah and Thomas McConvey were too quiet. Philly didn’t use the pick game for Michael Sowers as much this week and Jake Taylor got face guarded by Michael Grace.

Will we see CJ Kirst this week in San Diego? The Tewaaraton winner is coming off surgery. Certainly July 11 in Chicago looks likely. Where will he play—attack or midfield? That’ll be an interesting decision for the veteran coach.

Two bright spots on defense were Kenny Brower, who covered Connor Shellenberger, and Marcus Hudgins at the LSM spot. Hudgins’ diving ground ball play along the sideline may have been the hustle play of the week. Philly plays California out west this weekend.

California (2-1)
The Redwoods enjoyed a bye weekend, avoiding the tropical temperatures in Charm City, and now host a pair of games from San Diego on Friday (Denver) and Saturday (Philadelphia). All PLL games can be seen on ESPN+.

Maryland (2-3)
The Whips split games this weekend, dropping a close contest to Boston and thrashing Carolina on Sunday in the finale. That emphatic win keeps them in the hunt.

On Sunday, rookie goalie Emmet Carroll earned another starting nod after playing well in the rout of the Chaos. Levi Anderson was dressed and made an impact off the dodge from the wings. Look for the lefty from St. Joe’s to be back in the lineup. Rob Pannell set the all-time assists record on Saturday and found the net twice on Sunday, ending a tough string of bad shooting luck. Matt Brandau and Aidan Carroll are surging and finding their role definition. FOGO Joe Nardella takes a back seat to nobody.

My concern about Maryland revolves around their SSDM position group and the close defense’s inability to slide, rotate, and recover against the Cannons. Too often they left their SSDM group on an island in disadvantageous areas and offered no help.

Maryland deserves a bye after two games within 16 hours in intense heat and humidity. You won’t see them again until Chicago on July 11 and 12.

Carolina (1-3)
The Chaos had no answers for Maryland, trailing 4-2 after one quarter and 12-4 at half. Offensive inefficiency was rampant in the 20-6 loss, one of the worst in PLL history.

Aside from the dysfunction on offense, which was untestable given new personnel in the lineup with Sergio Perkovic, Shane Knobloch, and Owen Hiltz, it was the lack of defense that was startling because the Chaos usually play above par at that end. Short stick coverage was awful, slides were disjointed, pick play was poor, and interior coverage non-existent as Maryland got every look they wanted and controlled all the matchups. Blaze Riorden got shelled in an unusually poor effort for the normally stellar netminder. The offense was held scoreless for the last 17 minutes in a game that can be best described as forgettable. Jackson Eicher and Knobloch were positives. Coach Roy Colsey has to continue to rotate the lineup to find combinations that fit. The defensive communication and execution must improve. Carolina looked like the B league team playing in the bigs. Get back to work and see if you can make baby steps towards being competitive in San Diego.

San Diego is up next with games on Friday and Saturday night from Torero Stadium.

Overhand shooting makes sense when you look at the history of the game. Lacrosse has been around for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, and for most of that time the equipment remained relatively the same. Before modern advancements like lacrosse mesh, almost every stick was strung with traditional leather and had very limited whip or hold. It was an art just to string a stick that had decent control. Because of this, the most effective shot was overhand, especially at the youth level, since it offered a consistent track and release.

Flash forward to 2025, and the game is completely different. Plastic heads have evolved. Mesh has changed everything. Shafts are now designed to flex and warp. These advancements have opened the door for new and creative ways to shoot the ball outside of overhand shooting. At the youth level, many players quickly realize that overhand shots don’t always generate the same power as sidearm ones. Sidearm feels more natural for beginners. It uses more arms than mechanics, and for young athletes, that feels stronger. But when all coaches do is yell at them to “shoot overhand” and shut them down when they don’t, it becomes hard for kids to understand that there’s more than one way to play.

It gets even more confusing when they turn on the TV and watch college or professional players. They see creativity, finesse, and stick skills that go beyond any one shooting motion. While overhand shooting still has a place, there are an infinite number of ways to score a lacrosse goal, and that’s obvious if you watch the game at a high level. That’s when the question comes: “How come they don’t have to shoot overhand?” And usually, the answer is something like, “Well, they’re just better at the game.”

To me, that’s always been a contradiction. You showcase elite players as the model, but then tell kids not to imitate them. If those players had been told to only ever shoot overhand and never experiment, their development would’ve been completely different. Some of them might never have reached that level at all. So how can you expect youth players to grow into high-level athletes if you’re only letting them shoot in one “fundamental” way?

The game has to evolve just like every other major sport. Baseball used to teach level swings, but now it’s about launch angles and power. The midrange jumper in basketball has vanished, replaced by layups and deep threes thanks to analytics. Quarterbacks used to be taught to throw strictly over the top, but now they work from multiple arm angles. Soccer has evolved past power shots into deceptive placement and tight footwork.

Every sport has evolved, and gotten better for it. It’s time for lacrosse to follow suit. Yes, players should know how to shoot overhand. But what’s more important is giving them the tools and the freedom to develop a full arsenal of ways to score. So why not let youth players experiment? Why not teach overhand and also teach how to shoot with deception, with creativity, and with freedom?

At the end of the day, scoring comes down to placement and deception. And when you limit your players to only overhand shooting, you’re not just stunting their growth, you’re capping their ceiling. Imagine a youth lacrosse world where creativity was encouraged, not punished. The growth would be exponential. We’re starting to see it now. Coaches are slowly moving away from strict overhand instruction, and the game is better for it. Players are reaching new heights, and the game itself is more exciting. That’s a win for everyone including players, coaches, and fans.

With such a small sample size, it’s tough to say if this will be a long-term issue for the Utah Archers. The team went 6–4 last year and still managed to win a PLL championship. And with the way playoffs are formatted in the Premier Lacrosse League, almost anyone can make a run and find themselves on the podium come September. That said, with three games under their belt, the Archers have a clear offensive problem. Scoring just 9.3 goals per game puts them last among all eight teams. They’re averaging only 34 shots per game, again, at the bottom of the league. Their shooting percentage is respectable at 26.5%, which actually ranks fourth. For reference, last year’s team averaged 41.3 shots per game at a 29.5% clip.

So where’s the drop-off really coming from? It starts with their inability to consistently win dodges. Despite only minor changes, this Archers squad has a slightly different identity due to offseason moves and injuries early in 2025. From a midfield perspective, the only returning players who have contributed so far are Tom Schreiber, Ryan Ambler, and Dyson Williams.

Grant Ament has carried over from last year, but he’s been dealing with injuries and has only appeared in two games, one of which he exited early. Tre Leclaire has yet to make his 2025 debut after putting up 23 points last season, and that’s a huge loss. Leclaire consistently drew a short stick and won his matchups at a high rate. During the offseason, the Archers also parted ways with Jack VanOverbeke and Ryan Aughavin. At the time, the decision made sense, it created more opportunity for Dyson Williams and helped manage the salary cap. But their absence has been felt more than ever. Both VanOverbeke and Aughavin brought a level of chemistry that’s clearly missing right now. The current midfield rotation consists of an aging Schreiber, a developing rookie in Sam King, a second-year pro in Williams, and a role player in Ambler. Without Leclaire and Ament, and without the familiarity of VanOverbeke and Aughavin, this midfield just doesn’t have the same cohesion.

When it comes to the attack line, there’s been a major issue there too. It’s not Connor Fields. It’s not Matt Moore. But Mac O’Keefe has been pretty much invisible this season. With just one goal, no assists, and a brutal 7.1% shooting percentage through three games, you could argue the Archers are playing a man down on offense. That’s a drastic fall from last season, when O’Keefe put up 24 points on 19 goals at 26.7%. There’s still time for him to figure it out, but in a 10-game regular season, starting with just one point through three games is a red flag. With the midfield struggling to get into rhythm, the attack line needs to pick up the slack. In the PLL, a successful attack unit needs all three guys firing. Fields and Moore are doing their part with a combined 14 points, but O’Keefe is dragging that group down.

The saving grace for the Archers is their elite defense. The unit is giving up just nine scores per game, best in the league, and Brett Dobson is currently tied with Blaze Riorden at a 62.7% save percentage, reinforcing his case as one of the top goalies in the world. The Utah Archers have won and loss all three games by just one goal, largely thanks to the defense stepping up and bailing out an offense that still hasn’t found its rhythm.

There’s still plenty of time left in the PLL season, and Chris Bates is the best at what he does. The return of Ament and Leclaire could bring things back to normal, but until then, the Utah Archers need to find answers on offense if they want to win the West and secure better playoff positioning.

Dylan Molloy
Dylan Molloy has had a very interesting professional lacrosse career to say the least. The 2017 Brown graduate entered the professional scene with a lot of high expectations. He had a solid run in the MLL but could never really seem to get his footing in the PLL. Flash forward to 2025 and he’s now a focal point of this brand-new Redwoods offense. Entering Week Four with only three games played, the man has 13 points on the season and very few turnovers to his name. He struggled the past two years to find playing time with the Atlas, but it seems like the Redwoods have become his home. It’s awesome to see a veteran player like this show out in his 10th year of professional lacrosse.

Sam King
Archers head coach Chris Bates was shocked to see Sam King fall into his lap during the PLL Draft. Utah landing one of the Ivy League’s best offensive players was certainly not on many people’s bingo card. You can already tell the impact King has on this Archers team, as he’s currently tied with Schreiber in points at 8. He’s playing with a ton of confidence, and he seemingly has the green light to go out there and play his game — which has benefited him greatly. He hasn’t scored much — just one one-pointer and one two-pointer — but his five assists carry a lot of weight. This Archers offense so far isn’t as dominant as it has been in years past, but it seems like Sam King is definitely a big part of the equation moving forward.

Thomas McConvey
2025 looks like it’s going to be McConvey’s breakout year in his third PLL season. During his first two years in the league, he struggled to maintain a roster spot and get consistent playing time, only appearing in six games across two seasons. With three games under his belt in 2025, the man has already scored eight goals. What’s more impressive than the eight goals is that they’ve come off just 15 shots, putting him at a 53% shooting percentage. The Waterdogs offense is lethal from top to bottom, and part of that reason is McConvey stepping up and showing why he deserves consistent playing time in this league.

Jackson Eicher
Jackson Eicher falling to free agency seems like a joke looking back at it. The Army West Point graduate put together a showcase year for the Black Knights and was a First Team All-American. He certainly earned his spot through training camp, securing himself quality minutes for a developing Carolina Chaos squad. Through three games, the Patriot has racked up eight points — five goals and three assists. As the Chaos look to find an identity for their team, it seems like Eicher could be a big part of that moving forward. The only issue for him is that the supporting cast needs to help him out — and as of right now, 2025 looks like it’s going to be a forgettable year for Chaos fans.

Logan McNaney
Who would have thought the Maryland Terrapins’ all-time saves leader would have such a solid debut in the PLL this season? The second-round draft pick for the Denver Outlaws balled out in Week Three, putting up a 66.7% save percentage. Being a goalie selected that high in the draft, one would’ve thought he would have earned the starting job through training camp, but apparently, he didn’t. It took all the way until Week Three for the goalie change to happen, and the Denver Outlaws certainly aren’t going to look back.

I don’t want to say it’s too surprising that he played well, but he definitely overachieved in his debut, and for that, I’ll put him on this list. Hopefully, he can be a staple of this Denver Outlaws team moving forward, as they certainly need all the help they can get on the defensive side of the field.

Utah Archers
Harvard rookie Sam King scored a critical two-pointer in a one-goal win over California on Friday night. King has a snappy release, the clocking hot at 91 mph, and appeared to catch goalie Chayse Ierlan off guard. The Redwoods hung around and, to their credit, took the two-time champs into deep water. Last week, Utah committed 23 turnovers against Boston while shooting 0-6 from two-point range. Brett Dobson was 66% in the loss, fighting an ankle injury.

Utah isn’t humming like they did in 2024. They miss Tre LeClaire in the pick game. The offensive ball movement is stagnant. Skip lanes are being clogged. Utah is trying to hit home runs instead of singles. They squandered a 5-0 lead.

The defense remains formidable. Mike Sisselberger and Tom Schreiber scored clutch goals, breaking open a 10-10 tie game midway through the final quarter. California was held to one goal over the final 7:46. Utah and Denver can be seen on ABC, Sunday at noon. If you live within driving distance of Baltimore, I highly recommend you check the PLL product out in person. To see these players operate in person is truly unbelievable.

Philadelphia Waterdogs
2-8 in 2024 but now in the upper echelon after handling Boston on Friday night. Home court rules dictate a tight turnaround for a Saturday night PLL sequel against Denver. The Dogs ran out of gas, suffering a 9-7 setback. Home teams are at a competitive disadvantage in game two of their exhausting weekend.

Shooting 7 of 34 against the Outlaws was a primary issue. Hitting 4 of 8 in the first quarter is the good news. Going 3 of 26 the rest of the way versus rookie Logan McNaney became the headline.

Philly’s offense is scary with Michael Sowers, Jake Taylor, and Kieran McArdle on attack. Add in midfield dodgers Jack Hannah and Thomas McConvey and teams have slide decisions to make. Throw in playmaker Connor Kelly, now being covered by a shorty, and you get a feeling as to why I think the Waterdogs have the best offense in the league. Tewaaraton winner CJ Kirst was at Nova, in a sling, post-surgery, masquerading as a water boy. I would expect him back after the July 4 All-Star weekend in Kansas City. Coach Bill Tierney will have lineup decisions to make.

Boston Cannons
Cannons (2-1) came up short against Philadelphia after scoring a mere one goal in the third quarter. An 8-7 nail-biter quickly escalated into a 13-8 Philly lead.

Kingpins Asher Nolting and Marcus Holman had just two points apiece. LSM Owen Grant converted once in transition. Cannons defense had no answers for Michael Sowers (2,5) and Thomas McConvey (4,0). FOGO Zac Tucci continues to live on the edge, puking into a bucket between face-off reps, and playing to the echo of the whistle.

Maryland Whipsnakes
Gutsy comeback for the Whips, diverting the trajectory of their season with the late rally. They executed an 8-0 run to finish the game and iced the Atlas on ABC. Maryland trailed 6-0 early and 12-8 with 9:56 to play. They shot 0-10 in the first quarter. A Brad Smith two-pointer cut the deficit to 12-10. Adam Poitras made it 12-11. Aidan Carroll fired a right-hander to tie the game at 12-12. Smith, TJ Malone, and Poitras piled on. 16-12 final was an unpredictable outcome until it happened. This game spun on its axis.

D-man Tim Muller blanketed Xander Dickson and Matt Dunn held Jeff Teat to one point. Matt Rambo ran out of the box with Matt Brandeau starting on attack. Penalty kill unit has killed off 14 straight power plays over the 2024 and 2025 calendar. Life without midfielders Ryan Conrad, Tucker Dordevic, and Mike Chanenchuk has been a struggle. Colin Heacock scored three times for Maryland, playing smart in settled sets and cutting well. Goalie Brendan Krebs, playing against his high school teammate Liam Entenmann, saved his best for the fourth quarter with a couple of timely stops to squash New York’s hopes.

California Redwoods
Lost a hard-fought, one-goal game to Utah on Friday night. Started slowly and climbed back, which has been a trend, only to fall short with an L to an upper-tier team. For some, the loss will feel like validation. But a loss is a loss. Winning games is difficult in the PLL. Turn the page and move on. California (2-1) has a bye week prior to hosting on June 27 and 28 in San Diego. Without question, you have to respect the effort that this team is putting on the field each game. They’re flying around, trying super hard, making all the hustle plays—I have huge respect for them for their attitude and demeanor.

The Chris Merle (SSDM) injury did not look good. Merle was playing at an All-Star level and GM Joe Spallina will have to tinker with the lineup. SSDMs Brian Tevlin and Carter Rice, who are doing great work, will need assistance. They can’t run every shift. ‘Trader Joe’ is probably on the phone as you’re reading this.

Dylan Molloy played in seven games during the last two seasons and accumulated nine points. Going into action in Philadelphia, he led the PLL with ten points after two games. Molloy’s body dodges create separation. He’s incredibly productive given his lack of speed and a left hand. What he does with the tools he has is downright amazing. He is very much in tune with his own skill set, toolbox, and picks his spots to employ them. I’m constantly in awe of the subtleties and nuances that pro players bring to the dance, and Molloy is a case study and a reminder that it’s not about what skills you don’t have—it’s about how you can maximize the ones that you do possess.

The new-look Redwoods welcome the league to San Diego on June 27 and 28. Hope to see you there. You can find me at Windansea Beach in La Jolla, or the Saturday morning farmers market in Little Italy.

New York Atlas
Atlas blew a 6-0 lead, an 8-1 advantage, and a 12-8 margin with 9:56 to play in the fourth quarter. They got tired. Coming off a bye week, it appeared as if their legs went rubbery. Like they were breathing fire. Not sure if dressing fewer true SSDMs came back to haunt them, but they fell apart during the last ten minutes. Unable to win face-offs, ground balls, or make stops—it was an epic and improbable collapse to the Whipsnakes and shines a light on NY’s defensive deficiencies. Over-reliance on goalie Liam Entenmann has to end. Defense has been sold separately. And without ace shorty Danny Logan, the unit was exposed.

Midfielder Myles Jones now has 98 career assists. At 100 career assists, he joins Paul Rabil, Tom Schreiber, and Matt Striebel. Jones was unusually quiet in the loss to Maryland.

Denver Outlaws
A PLL 9-7 Saturday nightcap win, the first for rookie goalie Logan McNaney, puts the Outlaws in the winning column. 14 saves and seven goals against, combined with flawless passing and some instinctual grounders around the crease, indicate that the likable McNaney has arrived. He is comfortable in big games with a 13-3 NCAA tournament record, the most postseason wins all-time for a goaltender. Logan played in four national championship games.

Pat Kavanagh scored a hat trick and the transition offense had some bite with Jake Piseno, Nick Grill, and Ryan Terefenko running hard from defense to the offensive arc. A win, however unimpressive, is a giant step in the right direction.

Jared Bernhardt scored his first career PLL goal, a question mark up the left hash. His agility, cutting, and movement skills are next level, freakishly efficient, and visually obvious—even to the most novice lacrosse viewers. He just moves differently.

Outlaws haven’t shared the biscuit. Graham Bundy and Justin Anderson have to make more of an impact. Prior to the win, only 23.4% of Denver’s shots had been assisted. That’s down from 38.1% last summer, and last in the league by a wide margin.

So the focus in Philly was on upgrading the passing. Coach Tim Soudan utilized Dave Urick’s “Hippo” drill in practice on Friday night. Play half-field with a 3-second time clock on every ball carrier. Offensive players must move the ball, shoot, or go to the goal within 3 seconds of receiving possession. Playing faster has virtues. Avoiding black hole (ball hog) moments is critical to unit success. Expect to see veteran Eric Law in the lineup sooner than later. Law makes others better. Denver and Utah square off on Sunday at noon on ABC.

Carolina Chaos
Last in the league in possession time. Troy Reh has 15 ground balls, which leads the league for non-FOGOs. Carolina had a bye weekend and plays Maryland on Sunday at 2:30 PM.

Quint Kessenich covers lacrosse for the ESPN family of networks and writes for LaxAllStars. Listen to his podcast in our media section. Anthony Kelly, the head coach of the California Redwoods, joined Quint this week.

Boston Cannons
The Boston Cannons, through recent history, have been a quantity-over-quality shooting team. The team is currently averaging 49 shots per game, which leads the league. This mindset paid off in the Week 1 game against the Atlas, where they threw up 47 shots and scored at a 32% rate. Certainly not bad if you can maintain that shooting percentage. However, last week against the Archers, the Cannons put up 51 shots but only scored at a 15% clip. There are different philosophies on the quality of shots professional players should be taking and how often. The Cannons have historically loved to get a high volume of shots on net, but inconsistency in their ability to find the back of the net has hurt the offense in years past. Going into this week’s matchup against the Waterdogs, I’m curious to see if they put up a similar number of shots — and how their shooting percentage reflects the final score.

Philadelphia Waterdogs
Following a Week 1 bye, the Waterdogs were able to put up 16 points against the Whipsnakes in their debut. This was fairly impressive, as the Whipsnakes have one of the more stout defenses in the league. The Waterdogs, on paper, should be one of the most daunting offenses in the PLL, but as we all saw last year, coming up a goal short numerous weeks in a row can really deflate a team’s narrative and confidence. My question going into Week 3 is: Was the 16-point performance a fluke, or can the Waterdogs repeat a similar showing against another top-notch defense in the Cannons? Michael Sowers and Kieran McArdle combined for 14 points last week, so it will be interesting to see how the Cannons plan to handle this elite duo. The Waterdogs’ defense still has a lot to prove, but if they want to keep winning games, the offense is going to have to score around 16 goals every week.

California Redwoods
The controversial topic of the week: Are the California Redwoods legit? A Week 1 stomping of the Outlaws saw the Redwoods lead in just about every statistical category. Scoring at a 42% rate is certainly new territory for the Redwoods. That shooting percentage was brought back down to earth against the Carolina Chaos the following week, scoring at 26%. However, the team took a whopping 58 shots and possessed the ball for eight more minutes than the Chaos. This helped lead to a 13–2 scoring run in the second and third quarters. With a new coaching regime and many new faces scattered across the field, it really does seem like the Redwoods have found their identity for the first time in a long time. Redwoods fans have something to be excited about, but the real test comes this weekend as the team still has to prove themselves against a quality opponent — and the Archers will be just that.

Utah Archers
Moore, Dobson, and Ament are questionable. Only 16 goals in two games.
Heading into Week 3, Moore, Dobson, and Ament are all listed as questionable. While it seems like all three will still play, there are definitely concerns around the Archers’ production. Scoring only 16 goals across two weeks is less than ideal, especially given the talent on this high-flying offense. Losing Ament last week took a bigger hit on the team’s overall flow than some may have expected. The question for me heading into Week 3 is: Are injuries going to be the story of the Archers in 2025? The Archers showed multiple times last year that they were human, finishing the regular season 6–4. With only two games under their belt in 2025, it’s tough to feel confident about where the Archers are right now — especially given the health questions. You can only rely on the fact that you’re back-to-back champs for so long before you have to show up on the field, and I think Week 3 against the Redwoods is going to give us a much better gauge of where this team stands.

New York Atlas
Following their PLL Homecoming and a bye week, the Atlas should be feeling fresh going into their matchup against the Whipsnakes. We know the offense can produce at a high level, and that’s the standard this team operates with. The defense, on the other hand, still has a lot to prove. Entenmann can make a strong case this year that he’s a top-three goalie in the league. His supporting cast on the defensive side needs to step up and help him — and the team — out. A significantly young and small-ball lineup at the pole position didn’t fully work last year, and this unit still has a lot to prove. If the Atlas want to capitalize on their star-studded offensive lineup, the defense is going to have to make consistent noise week in and week out, which this team hasn’t been able to do in recent years. If the defensive unit struggles against the Whipsnakes, I would expect a similar year for the Atlas, with the defense selling out when it matters most.

Maryland Whipsnakes
The man of the week has definitely been Matt Rambo, as his age has come into question. Rambo has been a focal point of this Whipsnakes offense since the PLL began, and his time with the Maryland Terrapins will be cemented in lacrosse history. However, in 2025 through two games, Rambo has done absolutely nothing on the field. Zero goals. Zero assists. Only 28 touches. It seems like Stagnitta can see the writing on the wall — that Rambo’s professional career may be coming to a close — which is why it’s so important that he starts producing in Week 3. Rambo can’t afford to go another week with a double goose egg stat line if he wants to maintain a roster spot.

Denver Outlaws
There’s been a lot of conversation around the Denver Outlaws offense this week, but the real question mark heading into Week 3 is the goalie situation. McElroy had a 42% save percentage in Week 1, followed up with a worse performance in Week 2 at 36%. These are not maintainable numbers to hold a roster spot in the PLL — or frankly, at any level. The Outlaws selected Logan McNaney fairly high in the draft, showcasing their confidence in using him between the pipes. McElroy has not been doing his job, so why not throw McNaney into the fire? He’s only coming off one of the best college careers in lacrosse history, where he was a consistent All-American.

Carolina Chaos
While the Chaos may not be playing this week, I hope they utilize this time off to really analyze their X’s and O’s. It would be a shame to see this team fall to the bottom of the leaderboard as the weeks go on, given the amount of talent they have on the defensive side of the ball. Blaze Riorden deserves another shot at a championship, but with the Chaos roster constructed the way it is right now, it doesn’t seem like 2025 will be that year. Enjoy the week off, but at the same time, take a hard look in the mirror to see what needs to change going into Week 4 of the PLL.

The talk of the town has been the fact that the Denver Outlaws have four Tewaaraton winners on their roster. Jared Bernhardt, following his career at Maryland, had a brief stint in the NFL where he looked to earn a roster spot at wide receiver. Flash forward to just two weeks ago, and Bernhardt made the decision to come back to lacrosse and make his PLL debut. This is one of the most exciting moments in Premier Lacrosse League history, as it’s really the first time we’ve seen free-agent rumblings for a big-name player and speculation about where exactly he would sign. He made the decision to go with the Outlaws, which made sense for a number of reasons. Bernhardt won the 2021 Tewaaraton with 99 points, made up of 71 goals and 28 assists. Fellow Terrapin Logan Wisnauskas repeated the award the following year with an impressive 103 points, tallying 61 goals and 42 assists. Brennan O’Neill obviously had a monster 2023, putting up 55 goals and 42 assists for 97 points. Notre Dame’s Pat Kavanagh followed that up with an 80-point season in 2024 to win the award himself.

On paper, this lineup is absolutely terrifying solely due to the versatility each of these players brings to the table. To have four collegiate MVPs on your roster should be an instant recipe for success—especially considering three of them are proven professional players, with Bernhardt looking to make his case. The only issue is, this team offensively has absolutely no structure. The Outlaws lost their opening game against the California Redwoods 15–12. From one-point shots, the team shot 24%, with only 53% of their shots even hitting the cage. You can’t score goals if you’re not hitting the cage at a consistent rate. What also stood out was the fact that the Denver Outlaws only had 215 touches compared to the Redwoods’ 304. That might not seem like a big discrepancy, but it certainly tells a story. The Outlaws showed that they look to attack one-on-ones, and if they did not win them outright, instead of moving the ball forward, they would take a low-level shot with a 50% chance of hitting the cage. This is not a recipe for winning lacrosse—especially at the PLL level. Wisnauskas threw together an excellent night, though, with four points coming off three goals and one assist on 75% shooting. O’Neill, on the other hand, had a solid four-point performance, but only scoring two goals on 22% shooting will really hurt the team long term—especially considering he was second on the team in touches at 29. Kavanagh didn’t help much either, with two goals coming off seven shots for just 28%.

Week Two saw Bernhardt’s debut, which had many fans excited to tune in. However, the Outlaws still lost 12–9 against a solid Carolina defense. Despite playing against an elite unit, shooting 16% is blatantly unacceptable—especially considering the fact that the team had four more minutes of possession time than the Chaos. Pair this with the fact that they also won the faceoff battle at 58% and improved their touches per game to 271, only scoring nine goals on 16% shooting underlines the real issue with this team. Too many players have the green light to go, go, go—with no clear structure on what to do after. Looking at our four Tewaaraton winners and their numbers highlights this even more. O’Neill had a nice hat trick, but it came off 10 shots, totaling just 30% shooting. That was the best performance of the weekend, considering Kavanagh shot 1-for-7 at 14% and Wisnauskas had no points on just two shots. Bernhardt gets a pass, as it was his professional debut and he put up 0 points—but the fact that he took five shots in his debut also highlights that he probably had a little too much of a green light with a PLL stick in his hand for the first time.

Players should play with confidence—especially when you arguably have four of the best players in the world. However, the other side of the ball—the defense—also gets paid to play lacrosse. Banking solely on winning one-on-ones and settling for low-quality shots will never be a formula for success. You can have the most talented players in the world, but a lack of direction and too much wiggle room on what is acceptable and what isn’t makes it difficult to play as a team. At the end of the day, this is a team game, and a disconnected offense will never take down an organized defense. The offense certainly has time to figure itself out, but the issue is the PLL season is relatively short compared to most professional sports. Having two catastrophically bad losses to start the year definitely hurts morale and makes it difficult to claw your way into a playoff spot. Don’t get me wrong—the Outlaws’ offense isn’t solely to blame here, as the goalie situation also has to be addressed. McElroy can’t throw together a 42% game against the Redwoods followed by a 36% dud against the Chaos.

There is too much talent on this team to not be competing for a PLL championship. Like everything though, it comes from the top down and how the team is structured. They have way too much of a green light to settle for mediocre dodges and low-quality shots without any sort of consequence. We’ll see how the team looks to improve its numbers in the coming weeks, but the current sample size does not leave much hope for the Outlaws’ ability to consistently put the ball in the back of the net.

1) Boston Cannons

Princeton rookie Coulter Mackesy made his debut in Charlotte, which shipped Will Manny to the pine. Veteran Marcus Holman’s dive shot at the buzzer gave Boston (2-0) a 9-8 win over Utah. Cannon Colin Kirst and Utah’s Brett Dobson staged the goalie battle of the week, the duo putting on a show, both north of 60%. Goalie play has improved with the new neon ball. Better optics. Offense, across the league, is not where it needs to be. Offensive flow takes time to develop. Not enough teams are pushing transition.

Rookie SSDM Ben Ramsey, the bagpiper from Notre Dame, had three caused turnovers in his first game in Albany and scored his first PLL goal against the Archers. In South Bend, Dickie V’s grandson, Ryan Sforzo, is the new pied piper for the Irish.

2) Utah Archers

Firepower lacking in a Saturday loss to Boston. Middie Tom Schreiber uncharacteristically committed costly mistakes at crunch time—tossing the ball away high in the offensive zone which led to a transition goal. Then Boston’s LSM Owen Grant stripped him on the next possession that led to the Marcus Holman drama. Look for Schreiber to bounce back with a big game following this setback. That’s how the greats react.

Connor Fields, the hero of week one, had just two shots on 25 touches. Goalie Brett Dobson, who’s fighting an ankle injury, was 68% in the Maryland win week one and again stellar in defeat, showcasing his high arc. Grant Ament tweaked his left hamstring. His availability is questionable.

3) New York Atlas

Charlotte was a bye week for the Bulls, not ideal when you’re trying to build continuity and solidify a lineup. NY split their two games as the host in Albany, defeating Carolina 10-8 and falling to Boston 16-12. Atlas passing offense not clicking this summer like in 2024, held scoreless for 17:38 against the Chaos. Trevor Baptiste (74%) face-off wins have not been parlayed into grade A scoring chances in the :32 second shot clock. Opponents have shut off Xander Dickson on the crease and he has shot 22% in the first two games on just 37 touches. Boston put a pole on lefty midfielder Kyle Jackson to deter two-man games with Jeff Teat. Carolina was slow to slide, making NY score unassisted goals. OC Stevens Brooks must come up with schematic answers in order to adapt, react, evolve and succeed. If teams are hesitant to slide, run some clear outs for dodgers. Use Dickson in the pick game. Activate Connor Shellenberger. Meanwhile, goalie Liam Entenmann (57%) was razor sharp in Albany. He was in mid-season form.

Rookie Matt Traynor contributed 4 goals and looked the part from the midfield. Myles Jones (4 assists) had his eyes up as a ball handler. Veteran LSM CJ Costabile found the net on Friday, although he was the only rope member to collect a point. Atlas will be well served to run upfield with intent off of Entenmann clean saves. New York plays Maryland on June 14 at Villanova.

4) Philadelphia Waterdogs

Tale of two halves for goalie Matt Deluca. First half he made 7 saves with 11 scores against, then in the second half he made 8 saves with only 2 scores allowed. After trailing 11-8 at half, Philly outscored Maryland 8-1 in 2nd half to grab their first win of the summer. Good start for Coach Bill Tierney. Catalyst Michael Sowers reminded us that he’s an MVP candidate with 7 assists. His quicks and vision were too much for Maryland. Sowers is an outlier. That’s one short of the PLL record (Matt Rambo had 8 in 2020). Dogs ran Sowers off razor picks and picks at X to keep MD on their heels. He fed the crease for layups.

5) Maryland Whipsnakes

Shot 7 of 41 (17%) in a week one loss to Utah. TJ Malone went 3 of 7 and the rest shot less than 12%. This weekend in Charlotte they hit three 2-pt goals in first half. One by rookie Scott Smith and two by midfielder Brad Smith and then the offense hit the wall. Whips didn’t finish. They missed their last 9 shots of game, going 1-16 in the final 24:00. Lefty Matt Rambo was held scoreless for second straight game. He is 0-6 after two games. Rambo was yanked by coach Jim Stagnitta in the fourth quarter. Is Rob Pannell next? Father Time is undefeated.

Is that the last time we will see Matt Rambo in a Whips uniform? With the PLL coming to his hometown Philadelphia this weekend, the league should celebrate Matt Rambo Night to honor his career. Parade Rambo around the stadium holding a giant QR code that unlocks free hot dogs from Wawa.

6) California Redwoods

11 of 15 goals in a week one win came from newly acquired talent. In week two, California turned a four-goal early deficit into a lopsided 16-10 win over Carolina. Woods took 58 shots, a PLL record. I love the diversification with seven unique goal scorers and six different players having an assist. Carolina goalie Blaze took himself out early, because he was getting pummeled. Woods took 50 shots thru three quarters. If it were a fight, the towel would have been thrown.

This California team has the magic, no doubt, but I’m not believing the hype. Viral circus goals by Chris Kavanagh and Ryder Garnsey are coming to your timeline this week. Woods are (2-0) only because they’ve faced the two worst teams in the PLL. Let’s talk after the Woods play a real contender.

7) Carolina Chaos

Defense is elite. Offense not so much with midfield scoring sold separately. Carolina split games as the host—beating Denver and losing to California. Lefty goalie Blaze Riorden made 25 saves on Friday night, nine in the first quarter. That’s a new PLL record. Carolina outscored Denver 7-2 after trailing 6-5 at half. They ran out of steam in game two, giving up a record 58 shots in defeat. Their SSDM’s got scratched like my poison ivy. Saturday’s collapse is a notable trend for double header home teams playing in their second game in 24 hours. Fast starts. Slow finishes. Two games back-to-back is a competitive disadvantage.

8) Denver Outlaws

Added Jared Bernhardt to their roster late last Monday night, joining older brother Jesse as an Outlaw. Jesse (Maryland 2013) and Jared (2021) have never played together. Jared went 0-5 shooting with no points in his Charlotte debut. The rust was notable and expected off a multi-year layoff but if you watch closely, you’ll see movement skills that are rare. According to Paul Carcaterra of ESPN, “Bernhardt will be a problem for PLL defenses.” The Outlaws have assembled four Tewaaraton winners (Bernhardt 21, Wisnauskas 22, O’Neill 23, Pat Kavanagh 24). Sometimes talent doesn’t equate to chemistry. Sometimes the ingredients don’t complement each other. And sometimes the chef is to blame. I don’t love the orbital energy of their electrons.

Friday night loss featured a second half 2-22 shooting performance. Brennan O’Neill hit on 3 of 5 shots in first half. Then he quieted to an 0-5 performance in second half. Wisnauskas, Jack Vanoverbeke and Justin Anderson have not produced to their prior levels. Dalton Young finally woke up. Graham Bundy Jr hit a deuce. Midfielder Sam Handley did not dress. This ensemble is a work in progress.

The PLL shifts to Philadelphia this week, with games on the campus of Villanova University on Friday, June 13 and Saturday, June 14. The New York vs Maryland matchup on Saturday at 1 PM will air on ABC. Saturday Night Lacrosse features Denver and Philadelphia. All PLL games are available on ESPN+. For tickets, visit PLL.com.

Quint Kessenich covers lacrosse for the ESPN family of networks and writes for LaxAllStars. Listen to his podcast in our media section. Anish Shroff, the lyrical poet of lacrosse, was this week’s guest.

Coaches and general managers finalized their rosters following the draft and a week of training camp in Albany. Philadelphia had the bye. First-round draft choice and Tewaaraton winner CJ Kirst is currently on the PUP list with an upper-body injury, and his status remains uncertain.

The Jared Bernhardt sweepstakes has emerged as a major storyline this week. Which team will land the former Tewaaraton winner, who’s been playing in the NFL and CFL since 2022?

Saturday’s games were played in unseasonably chilly, windy, and rainy conditions.

1) New Faces Make Their Debuts

The 2025 rookie class may have a lasting impact after an exceptional opening weekend. Rookie success in May and June isn’t shocking, often due to sharpness and the lack of scouting reports on these new faces. The influx of new blood was a primary theme in Week One.

Jackson Eicher, the Army rookie, fit in seamlessly on Friday, pumping in three goals and stamping himself as the top offensive threat on the Chaos. He’s more mobile than you’d expect, gigantic, and has a right-handed cannon.

Chris Kavanagh had a monster debut for California as they took down Denver. Kav, out of Notre Dame, scored three times and added an assist while running alongside his former college teammate and current ND assistant coach Ryder Garnsey.

Matt Traynor, the Penn State rookie, is going to be a matchup nightmare from the midfield against shorties. He can play multiple spots within the New York offensive system and is a dual threat to dodge to the goal or shoot from range.

Andrew McAdorey showcased rare speed and acceleration, upgrading California’s 32-second offense in transition. The Duke graduate is wicked off the wings during the abbreviated shot clock and remains a legitimate invert threat.

Josh Balcarcel, the Marist rookie, brings insane dodging ability. He’s an outlier at 5’7” with a change-of-direction move that could send defenders to the emergency room. His success story from a smaller D1 school is heartwarming.

Sam King (Harvard) tallied three assists for Utah and has the processing speed to contribute at the pro level. Bryce Ford (Maryland) was part of the Archers’ midfield rotation in Albany. Aidan Carroll (Georgetown) scored his first career goal for Maryland, while Christian Mazur (Army) ran SSDM for the Terps.

Brendan LaVelle (Penn) started at close defense for Utah. Ben Ramsey (Notre Dame) filled the SSDM role for Boston, and Carter Rice (Syracuse) was a mainstay for California’s rope unit. Ray Dearth (Harvard) looks like the prototypical shorty and earned a starting spot for Carolina.

Logan McNaney (Maryland) and Emmet Carroll (Penn) both picked up checks in Albany as backup goalies for the Outlaws and Whipsnakes, respectively. Training camp reports were stellar for both stoppers.

Among second-year pros, Aidan Danenza and JJ Sillstrop scored their first career goals on Friday night. Graydon Hogg played well for the Cannons, and Jack Posey (PSU 2024) saw all sorts of playing time on defense for the Chaos.

2) Chaos Defensive DNA

Carolina may struggle on offense in 2025, but the defense still has bite. Jack Rowlett was effective in blanketing Jeff Teat, while Jared Neumann bumped up top to shadow Bryan Costabile and Myles Jones. LSM Troy Reh slid down to the crease area and essentially put Xander Dickson into witness protection.

Meanwhile, for the Chaos, the biggest question marks lie in the midfield—specifically, finding dodgers who can separate and create. It’s a key challenge for first-year head coach Roy Colsey. On the other end, the defensive nucleus remains stable under DC Kyle Sweeney, whose no-slide mentality frustrated New York on Friday.

Blaze Riorden continues to be the standard in the PLL, although New York’s Liam Entenmann (16 saves) is closing the gap. Two-point shots were in short supply during Week One, adding to the defensive edge that shaped early-season play.

3) The 32-Second Game

Short-clock offensive efficiency remains a key storyline in 2025. After winning a faceoff, teams have a 32-second shot clock, which shifts the offensive mentality. Rather than working the ball for the best possible look, teams often hunt the first available shot. That urgency makes quick substitutions critical and increases the value of faceoff wingers who can play both ways.

Here’s a look at 32-second offensive efficiency from the 2024 season:

1. Atlas – 32.4%
2. Outlaws – 26.0%
3. Archers – 25.5%
4. Chaos – 20.6%
5. Whipsnakes – 19.8%
6. Waterdogs – 19.8%
7. Cannons – 19.3%
8. Redwoods – 16.1%

League average: 22.9%

4) Redwoods Reboot

The California Redwoods remodel is officially underway. Coach Anthony “A-Train” Kelly picked up his first win and broke it down in the locker room, while GM Joe Spallina’s offseason moves brought in a wave of fresh faces that made an early impact.

Key additions included Andrew McAdorey, Sam English, Chris Kavanagh, Carter Rice, Brendan Nichtern, Cole Kastner, and Ryan Aughavin. Some made their debut in Week One, while others were unavailable or did not dress.

Departures from the roster included Rob Pannell, who signed with the Whipsnakes, Garrett Degnon, who was traded to the Chaos, and Ricky Miezan, who was released. Isaiah Davis-Allen and Chris Gray both retired.

5) Boston’s Defensive Backbone

Boston LSM Owen Grant (Delaware 2023) looks like he’s going to be a force in the middle of the field for head coach Brian Holman. With Jack Kielty returning from an Achilles injury, the Cannons appear poised to be strong on the defensive end.

Goalie Colin Kirst played well on Saturday night in horrendous conditions, helping Boston pull away from their eastern rival, New York.

The PLL heads to Charlotte, NC this week with games on Friday, June 6 and Saturday, June 7. Saturday’s Utah vs Boston matchup at 1 PM will air on ABC, while Saturday Night Lacrosse features California taking on Carolina. All PLL games are also available for streaming on ESPN+. For tickets, visit PLL.com.

Quint Kessenich covers lacrosse for the ESPN family of networks and writes for LaxAllStars. You can listen to his podcast in our media section—his latest guest was Brendan Staub, a defender from Cornell.

That approach held up all season long—until it didn’t. In one of the more surprising outcomes of the playoffs, the Cannons were bounced in the quarterfinals by a Chaos team that hadn’t looked dangerous for most of the year. They only managed four goals. The defense did its job, again, but the offense completely collapsed. It was a tough way to end what had been a solid season, and it forced the front office into some difficult decisions this offseason.

Steady Defense and Stagnant Offense

There’s no question this team leans on its defense. They ranked second in scores against average last year at 11.5, and that unit should continue to be the foundation in 2025. Garrett Epple is still one of the toughest covers in the league, finishing with 20 caused turnovers and 20 ground balls. Ethan Rall complements him well, especially in transition. And the team quietly made a strong move by trading for Owen Grant, who fits the mold of what this group wants to be—gritty, disciplined, and physical.

In the cage, Colin Kirst turned in a respectable year, finishing with a 53.9 percent save rate. He might not be in the elite tier just yet, but he’s close. And if he can take another step, the defense could be even scarier than it was a year ago.

Offensively, it’s hard to know what to expect. Asher Nolting and Marcus Holman continue to be one of the league’s best attack pairings. Nolting had 39 points last year, while Holman added 32 of his own. That’s production you can trust, and their chemistry has become a real strength. But after that, it gets murky. Matt Campbell and Ryan Drenner are solid midfield pieces, and Connor Kirst gives you an edge, but there’s still a feeling that something is missing. This unit can move the ball and generate chances, but when they needed firepower in the playoffs, they came up empty.

Offseason Moves Focused on Filling Gaps

The Boston Cannons didn’t overhaul the roster this offseason, and that’s both a good and bad thing. They addressed some needs but didn’t go out and make the kind of splash that shakes up the top tier of the league. The draft brought in Coulter Mackesy with the fourth overall pick, and while he might not start right away, he’ll get chances. His minutes will be limited early, but if he finds confidence, he could carve out a real role and give this offense a much-needed boost. Mic Kelly and Ben Ramsey add depth, and Ramsey in particular could be a nice under-the-radar pickup as a tough SSDM.

The team also added John Geppert from the Atlas and made the aforementioned trade for Owen Grant, which helps shore up depth after the retirement of Cade van Raaphorst. Those are smart, culture-fit moves that align with how the Cannons want to operate defensively.

But on the other side of things, they lost some valuable offensive contributors. Pat Kavanagh and Chris Aslanian weren’t stars, but they played key roles in last year’s group, and both were moved in trades. Letting Craig Chick walk in free agency felt like the end of an era for this unit, and Mike Robinson hitting the holdout list only thins things out more.

Good, Not Great

The issue here isn’t what the Boston Cannons are. It’s what they’re not. This is a well-coached, veteran-heavy team that doesn’t make a lot of mistakes and knows exactly how to play winning lacrosse. But they didn’t close the gap on the teams above them. They didn’t add a top-tier weapon. They didn’t change the narrative.

This is still a middle-of-the-pack offense trying to win with top-tier defense. And while that formula worked during the regular season, it failed when the pressure got high. You can’t win playoff games scoring four goals. And until that changes, it’s hard to see the Cannons pushing beyond that semifinal ceiling.

Solid Foundation, Same Ceiling

The Boston Cannons are going to be in the mix. That much feels certain. Their defensive identity is too strong to fall apart, and the attack of Nolting and Holman will always give them a chance. But unless someone unexpected breaks out, this team might just be stuck where they’ve been. Good enough to be dangerous. Not quite dangerous enough to win it all.

What separates this group is how complete they are. Third in offense, third in defense, second in goaltending, fourth in faceoffs, and top two in man-up efficiency. That balance doesn’t happen by accident. This is the result of years of smart roster construction, sharp drafting, and a system where every player fits. You don’t just fall into a dynasty. You build it. And right now, the Utah Archers are showing no signs of slowing down.

Fields, O’Keefe, Moore—and Then Some

There may not be a more selfless attack unit in the league than what the Archers run out each weekend. Connor Fields, Mac O’Keefe, and Matt Moore don’t just work together—they thrive off each other. Fields led the team with 32 points, O’Keefe added 24, and Moore chipped in another 10 while playing within the offense. These aren’t players chasing highlights. They make the right play every time. It’s clinical. It’s disciplined. And it’s lethal.

From the midfield, Grant Ament and Tom Schreiber bring an entirely different set of problems for defenses. Ament put up 28 points last season. Schreiber, even while battling injury, added 27. Both can initiate from anywhere, and when they’re dodging on shorties out of the box, it’s a nightmare to cover. Schreiber’s health is something to monitor, but if he’s anywhere close to full speed, there’s not a midfield in the league that can match up clean.

Defense Wins Championships—And Titles Too

The Utah Archers defense doesn’t just stop you. It smothers you. With Brett Dobson in net—coming off a 57.2% save percentage season—this group gives very few second chances. He has legitimate MVP potential and might already be the best goalie in the world. The unit in front of him just makes his job easier.

Graeme Hossack remains the anchor. He sets the tone. He wins matchups. He doesn’t need flash because he wins the hard way—consistently. Mason Woodward was a first-round pick and looked like one from the start. Jon Robbins continues to be one of the most effective LSMs in the league, and the Archers just added Brendan Lavelle and Mitchell Dunham through the draft to keep the depth strong.

What Coach Bates has done defensively is create a system where the poles play fast but never reckless. They recover well. They rotate as one. And they’re never afraid to push in transition. That identity is locked in.

Sisselberger Gives Them the Edge

Possession wins in this league. And when you’ve got Michael Sisselberger winning 58.4 percent of your faceoffs, you’re going to have the ball enough to wear teams down. He brings physicality to the stripe and lets the Archers play make-it-take-it lacrosse. It’s one of the reasons their offense feels inevitable when it gets rolling.

Man-up conversions sit at 43.5 percent—second in the PLL—and that’s a direct result of having the ball, playing patiently, and forcing defenses into mistakes. If there’s a blemish here, it’s man-down, where they finished dead last. At just 44.4 percent, it’s the one spot that could swing a tight playoff game. But when your roster looks like this, you’re rarely in positions where special teams decide outcomes.

Built to Win, Again

The offseason told the full story of how strong this organization is. The Archers lost five players—Aughavin, Williams, DiBenedetto, Morrill, and Van Overbeke—all of whom were good enough to find homes elsewhere and contribute right away. That’s not a sign of weakness. That’s a sign of surplus. There simply wasn’t room to keep everyone.

What Coach Bates continues to do is draft for system fit. Lavelle is another athletic, high-IQ defender. Sam King at 3.2 is the steal of the draft—an Ivy League scorer landing in one of the most efficient offenses in the PLL. Bryce Ford adds midfield depth. And there was no need to chase free agents or trades. This team knows who it is.

The Utah Archers aren’t talking about a title this year. They’re talking about a third. They expect to win, and nothing short of that will satisfy a group that’s spent years building toward sustained greatness. The biggest threat to the Archers this year is themselves. If they stick to the system, trust the roster, and stay healthy, everyone else is playing catch-up.

The dynasty isn’t just alive—it’s growing.

A lot of credit goes to Jim Stagnitta, who continues to prove why he’s one of the best in the business. He kept his team focused, made all the right adjustments, and got the offense to peak at the perfect time. That postseason run felt like a team hitting its stride—not just getting hot. And now heading into 2025, the Whipsnakes seem to have embraced that version of themselves, doubling down on a few key strengths and making some necessary upgrades across the board.

Building Around Malone

The biggest storyline for this group is TJ Malone. Coming off a standout rookie year where he racked up 37 points and made weekly appearances on the highlight reel, Malone is the kind of piece you build around. His energy, creativity, and scoring ability gave the Whips a new dimension, and now with a full offseason under his belt, expectations are sky-high.

The attack unit around him looks strong. Matt Rambo returns, bringing experience and toughness. Rob Pannell joins the mix in one of the more interesting fits of the offseason. The veteran arrives from the Redwoods, and while his game has evolved with age, he still has enough in the tank to contribute. With Malone and Rambo creating chaos, Pannell may have the freedom to find soft spots and play a more relaxed brand of lacrosse that fits him well.

Matt Brandau is another piece that could quietly make a big difference. Things never fully clicked for him with the Waterdogs, but the talent is real, and the Maryland Whipsnakes seem like a better fit for his dodging-heavy style. Aidan Carroll, taken in the first round of the draft, will be one to watch. His ceiling is still unknown, but if he can earn minutes early, he may end up being a bigger factor than most expect.

Questions in the Midfield

This is where the team still feels like it’s searching for an identity. The midfield production in 2024 was by committee, with Poitras, Chanenchuk, and Levi Anderson all posting 13 points. That’s solid, but not explosive. The good news is that the Whips aren’t necessarily built around their midfield needing to carry the load. If Brandau or Carroll emerges as a second-line threat, it could help balance things out, but for now, this group will need to be consistent and efficient, not flashy.

Defense Must Level Up

Defensively, the numbers weren’t where they needed to be. Finishing seventh in scores against average at 12.4 per game doesn’t cut it for a team trying to win a championship. But watching this group, it never felt like a lack of effort or ability—it just felt like things didn’t quite click for stretches of the season.

Ajax Zappitello and Matt Dunn are still two of the best when they’re on, and Colin Squires continues to be a presence on the wing with 39 ground balls last season. The issue wasn’t individuals. It was cohesion. The unit needs to play better as a group, trust their slides, and make things easier on the goalie. That brings us to one of the bigger questions for this year—who steps up in net?

With Kyle Bernlohr retiring, the Maryland Whipsnakes need someone to claim the crease. Whether it’s a veteran or someone emerging from the draft, that position could determine the ceiling of this team. If the defense can force lower-angle looks and give their starter shots he wants to see, this becomes a different group entirely.

The Nardella Advantage

Joe Nardella was an absolute machine at the stripe last year, winning a staggering 67.5 percent of his draws. It’s the type of edge most teams dream of having. With Nardella giving them consistent possessions and Malone leading the offense, the Whipsnakes found their identity down the stretch. That formula doesn’t need to change. It just needs to stay sharp.

Smart Moves, Strong Core

The Maryland Whipsnakes didn’t just “run it back” this offseason. They made targeted moves that fit their style and filled real needs. Trading Zed Williams was a risk, but one that felt more calculated than reactive. Bringing in Pannell and Brandau, shoring up depth with a few defensive additions, and taking a swing on a guy like Carroll—all of it points toward a team that knows exactly what it’s trying to be.

This team isn’t just hoping to recreate last year’s playoff run. They’re aiming to build on it. The question will be how quickly they can tighten up the defense, find their goalie, and keep their offense humming. If those pieces come together, they’re not just contenders. They’re right back in the final.

The moment it all started to turn was the win over the Archers. That was the Brennan O’Neill game. The legacy game. He showed exactly why he went first overall and why the Outlaws believed he could become the face of the franchise. He didn’t just score—he controlled the game. He gave this offense something it hadn’t had before. And now, heading into his second season, it’s his team.

O’Neill’s Team Now

Brennan O’Neill has all the makings of a breakout pro. He’s already one of the most physically dominant players in the league, and as he continues to adjust to the speed of the PLL, there’s no reason to believe he won’t take another leap this year. He finished 2024 with 29 points and looked more comfortable with each game. If he levels up again, he’ll be in the conversation with the very best in the world.

Around him, the midfield provides a solid supporting cast. Graham Bundy put up 23 points, while Justin Anderson and Sam Handley contributed 19 and 16 respectively. Bundy’s season flew under the radar a bit, but it was a major step forward. If he can replicate that output while playing alongside O’Neill and the newly acquired Pat Kavanagh, this offense could become a real problem.

The Kavanagh trade was an important one. The Denver Outlaws needed another weapon, someone who could bring consistency and help balance the offensive load. Kavanagh fits that mold. His dodging, vision, and work rate make him a natural complement to O’Neill, and he gives Denver a second option when defenses key in on their star.

Upgrades in Key Areas

There were some puzzling moves this offseason. Trading away both Brendan Nichtern and Josh Zawada felt premature. Both were young, talented players who probably deserved another year in the system. Still, the team didn’t sit idle. They filled needs, and they did it aggressively.

Logan McNaney comes in as the new starting goalie, and for a team that finished seventh in save percentage last year, that could be the most important addition of the entire offseason. McNaney made four national championship appearances at Maryland. He’s experienced, composed, and has played in the biggest moments college lacrosse can offer. If he adjusts quickly, he could become one of the better goalies in the PLL almost immediately.

The rest of the draft focused on defense. Pace Billings and Kevin Parnham give them more depth at close defense, while Jack Gray and Zach Geddes help strengthen the SSDM unit. Jack VanOverbeke, added via free agency, could give them some versatility offensively, especially in a system that should allow him to play a little more freely than he did with the Archers.

Defense Still Finding Its Form

Statistically, the defense was solid last year—fourth in scores against at 12.1—but there’s room to grow. That growth starts with JT Giles-Harris, who might be one of the most underappreciated poles in the league simply because of where he plays. His tape is excellent. He’s physical, poised, and rarely gets beat. If the Denver Outlaws can build around his presence and continue developing chemistry with guys like Jesse Bernhardt and Jake Piseno, this could quietly become one of the stronger units in the league.

Piseno finished with 30 ground balls and brings energy and athleticism at the LSM spot. He fits the mold of the kind of player the Outlaws want to build around—tough, disruptive, and reliable in transition.

Time to Build on the Foundation

There’s something interesting about this Outlaws team. The numbers don’t scream contender. The roster is still young. But the signs of growth are undeniable. O’Neill is developing into a star. The defense is stabilizing. The team added a proven goalie and brought in a high-IQ offensive piece in Kavanagh. The ceiling might not be a title run just yet, but they’ve done enough to put themselves in the playoff conversation.

This season is going to be about consistency. The Denver Outlaws don’t need to beat everyone. They just need to show up every week, compete for four quarters, and continue to gel as a unit. There’s enough talent here to sneak up on people. If the chemistry comes together and the new pieces settle in, Denver could become one of the more frustrating teams to play against in the PLL.

They’re not quite there yet—but they’re getting close.

To their credit, they did. It wasn’t a half-measured retool. It was a full-blown overhaul. New coach. New players. New expectations—or maybe more accurately, a lack of expectations. The Redwoods don’t have the pressure of being a top-tier team this summer. They have the freedom to build, to experiment, and to try and lay the foundation for something new. Whether or not it clicks right away is another story.

Offense: Talent In, Pressure On

The California Redwoods made it clear this offseason that their offensive struggles wouldn’t carry into 2025 without a fight. They loaded up through the draft, selecting Andrew McAdorey and Sam English back-to-back early in the first round, followed by Chris Kavanagh in the second. That’s three high-level playmakers being added to a unit that desperately needed new energy. McAdorey and English will be given major responsibilities right away, and Kavanagh has the tools to be a spark if given space to operate.

Griffin Schutz is also an intriguing name, and while he enters the year on the holdout list, he has the upside to carve out a role when available. Dylan Molloy joins via free agency and will be an instant starter. The California Redwoods need a physical dodger, and Molloy gives them that. Nichtern, acquired from the Outlaws, could be the X-factor. He hasn’t played consistently since his rookie year, but if he’s healthy and back to form, he completely changes the dynamic of this offense.

It’s not just about who they brought in, though. The guys returning have to step up. Ryder Garnsey finished with 26 points last year but still disappears in stretches. That can’t happen anymore. He’s one of the few vets left with high-end talent, and this team needs him to be sharp every week. Charlie Bertrand and Romar Dennis are both solid midfielders who have shown flashes, but now they’ll need to be consistent options—not secondary pieces.

Back End Needs to Prove It

The defense was a mess in 2024, plain and simple. No other team gave up more goals, and the effort level often didn’t match the moment. It wasn’t just missed assignments—it was a lack of cohesion. Goaltending didn’t help either, as the Woods finished last in save percentage. With Sean Sconone gone and fresh faces coming in, the team is hoping Matt Knote can stabilize things. The former Outlaw has plenty of potential and steps into a starting role with little competition.

The poles in front of him will need to be better. Arden Cohen has been solid but not elite. Jared Conners continues to be a bright spot at LSM, with 33 ground balls and his usual active presence between the arcs. But this group didn’t do enough last year to dictate tempo or tilt the field. The hope is that better goalie play will simplify their jobs and help them get back to doing what they do best—pushing transition and creating chaos.

A Roster Overhaul That Needed to Happen

There were some losses this offseason that hurt. Ryan Tierney and Chris Gray both retiring takes away high-upside talent that never quite got to develop the way fans hoped. Letting Owen Grant walk in a trade to the Cannons and moving on from Garrett Degnon were also decisions that raised eyebrows. But to be fair, this wasn’t a team that could afford to keep patching holes. The front office clearly decided to clear the slate and bet on young talent and culture change over continuity.

It’s not without risk. You’re asking a lot from a rookie class. You’re relying on a handful of new faces to form chemistry with minimal time. You’re banking on a goalie who hasn’t played in the league. But when you finish dead last in multiple categories, there’s not much to lose.

Everything to Prove, Nothing to Lose

That might be the most freeing part of this year for the California Redwoods. No one is picking them to win a title. No one’s expecting a playoff run. But that doesn’t mean this season doesn’t matter. This year is about growth. It’s about laying the groundwork for who this team wants to be. The floor is low. The ceiling might not be much higher. But if McAdorey hits, if Nichtern plays, if Knote settles in, this could quietly become a much better team than people expect.

We’re going to find out quickly if this group is for real. But for the first time in a while, it finally feels like the Redwoods are ready to move forward.

There’s always been something gritty and chaotic—no pun intended—about this club’s identity. They’ve never been afraid to scrape their way through a regular season just to make noise in the playoffs. But last year’s 4-6 record felt different. The team didn’t just fall short. It looked broken at times. A single goal in a semifinal is a cry for help offensively, and the front office seems to have heard it loud and clear.

Offense: Total Overhaul

There’s no sugarcoating it—the Carolina Chaos had the worst offense in the PLL last year. Just 100 scores on 25.2 percent shooting. The ball didn’t move well, spacing was off, and there was no consistent threat that teams feared. Losing Dhane Smith before the season was a major blow, and as the year wore on, it became clear just how much his absence hurt. Josh Byrne was never able to fully take over in his place, and now he’s on the holdout list. Simply put, there was no alpha.

So this offseason became about starting over. Owen Hiltz, taken eighth overall in the draft, will be asked to contribute immediately. He won’t have the luxury of easing in. He’ll need to step up from day one if the Chaos want to get anything going offensively. But he won’t be alone. Jackson Morrill brings a veteran presence and might finally have found the right system to thrive in. Josh Zawada, brought over in a trade from the Outlaws, is the wildcard here—there’s a lot to like about his game, and if he’s given the green light, he could quietly become this team’s breakout piece.

Chris Aslanian and Garrett Degnon were also added to the midfield mix, and while neither is expected to be a gamebreaker, they bring depth and fresh legs. It’s a completely retooled offensive unit. That doesn’t mean it’ll be better right away, but it at least gives the Carolina Chaos something they didn’t have last year: options.

Still Elite on the Back End

The strength of this team hasn’t changed. Blaze Riorden remains the most dominant goalie in the league, and that’s not a debate. He posted a 59.4 percent save percentage last year and routinely stole games the Chaos had no business being in. He’ll have to do that again this year—and probably more often than is fair.

In front of him, the poles are as steady as ever. Jack Rowlett and Jared Neumann bring the toughness and IQ you need in a defense-first team, and Troy Reh continues to do his job at LSM. Even with Will Bowen’s retirement and Craig Chick sitting on the holdout list, this group knows how to defend. They were the top scoring defense in the PLL last season, allowing just 11.0 scores per game, and they’ll need to replicate that level if they want to stay competitive.

Major Culture Shift

Letting go of Andy Towers was a massive shift, and while opinions will vary on the move, it does signify something important—the Chaos are moving forward. That might come with pain. It might come with a couple rough seasons. But after losing the league’s most recognizable coach and two of its most dangerous offensive weapons, there’s no other choice but to redefine who this team is.

That process won’t happen overnight. Expectations are low for a reason. No one is picking this team to make a championship run. Frankly, getting to .500 would be an impressive step forward. What’s more important than wins and losses this year is direction. Does this team show signs of life? Does the offense figure out its identity? Is this group capable of building something new?

What Chaos Fans Should Hope For

At this point, Carolina Chaos fans aren’t asking for perfection. They’re just asking for progress. The offense doesn’t need to be elite right away. It just needs to function. The defense doesn’t need to carry every single week. It just needs to hold the line until help arrives. If Hiltz can break out, if Zawada makes a leap, and if Riorden keeps doing what he always does, the Chaos could surprise people.

But even if they don’t, there has to be something here that points to the future. A system. An identity. A reason to believe. Because right now, that’s what this organization needs more than anything.

There were flashes of what they could be. Defensively, they weren’t bad at all, finishing fifth in scores against average at 12.3 per game. Man-down defense was second in the league at 73.7 percent. But none of that really mattered when the offense just couldn’t keep pace. They finished sixth in scoring and had the second-worst shooting percentage in the league at 24.0. That’s a recipe for tight losses, and it’s exactly what defined their year.

Faceoffs and Frustration

The glaring issue all season long was faceoffs. It was a known weakness heading into the year, and it remained a problem from start to finish. At just 31.8 percent, the Philadelphia Waterdogs were dead last in the PLL at the stripe. They’ve overcome that in the past, but this time around, it felt like too much ground to make up. When you don’t have consistent possessions and your offense is already struggling to convert, you end up playing from behind more often than not.

And yet, there’s still a weird optimism about this group. Because for as bad as the record was, the bones of a great team are still here. The attack is loaded. The defense is experienced. Dillon Ward may have had a down year, but no one’s questioning his ability to bounce back. And now they’re adding serious firepower.

The CJ Kirst Effect

The number one overall pick might be exactly what this team needed. CJ Kirst doesn’t need much of an introduction coming off a national title and one of the most dominant college careers in recent memory. He’s physical, aggressive, and brings a different kind of edge to this offense. If he’s healthy and used the right way, he has the tools to put together one of the best rookie seasons we’ve ever seen in the PLL. That’s not hyperbole. That’s what’s on the table.

Alongside Kirst, the Philadelphia Waterdogs added Jake Taylor, another proven scorer who adds depth to a group that lacked it last season. Ben Wayer might be one of the sneakiest picks of the draft. He fits their style, brings energy, and gives them more versatility defensively. DiBenedetto didn’t see consistent time with the Archers, but there’s real potential for him to carve out a role here. And then there’s the trade for Zed Williams—a high-upside move that could swing either way. His fit will be one of the biggest questions early on, but the talent is there.

Still Loaded with Talent

What makes the Waterdogs so hard to predict is that their roster hasn’t changed all that much—and that’s not a bad thing. Michael Sowers still has the potential to be the best player in the league on any given night. Kieran McArdle continues to be one of the most underappreciated pros in the game, and even at 33, his production hasn’t slowed down. Pairing those two with Kirst has the potential to be lethal if they can develop chemistry quickly.

At midfield, the combo of Zach Currier, Connor Kelly, and Jack Hannah is about as well-rounded as you’ll find. They can dodge, shoot, and handle in transition. Defensively, Ben Randall and Eli Gobrecht anchor a unit that’s already proven it can hang with top-tier attacks. Randall finished with 17 caused turnovers and 27 ground balls last year, and that kind of consistency is what gives this team a shot to win games even when the offense takes time to get going.

Ward is still the guy in net, and even though he ended the year with a 51.6 percent save percentage, there’s little doubt he can return to form. If he finds his groove early, that changes the equation for everything else.

A Team With Something to Prove

There’s no question this team underachieved last year. After locking in their core and essentially deciding to “run it back,” 2-8 was never supposed to happen. But now they’ve added elite young talent, brought in new offensive weapons, and still have a core group of veterans who know what it takes to win in this league.

There are concerns. Faceoffs still haven’t been solved. The offense has to be significantly more efficient. And there’s the mental hurdle of coming off a year that was, by all accounts, a disappointment. But there’s also a ton of upside. If Kirst clicks, if Ward bounces back, if the top-end talent plays like they’re capable of, the Philadelphia Waterdogs are more than just a bounce-back team. They’re a contender.

Call them a wildcard. Call them a question mark. But don’t call them out of it. Not yet.

But when the playoffs hit, the story changed. They ran into a streaking Whipsnakes team in the semifinal, and despite holding the lead late, they watched it slip away in overtime. A 12-11 loss ended a season that felt like it had more to give. And for a group with this much firepower, that kind of ending just doesn’t sit well.

The League’s Most Dangerous Offense

Offensively, there wasn’t a defense in the PLL that found consistent answers. The Atlas led the league in both total scores (151) and shooting percentage (32.8), and it wasn’t just the volume—it was how efficient and unselfish they were across the board. Jeff Teat was at the center of everything, and it’s hard to argue that anyone had a better year. He finished with 64 points and routinely made it look effortless. The scary part is that he’s not even close to his ceiling.

Teat was flanked by a lethal Virginia duo in Xander Dickson and Connor Shellenberger, who combined for 56 points and gave the offense a rhythm that was tough to disrupt. The midfield contributed with balance and depth, as Bryan Costabile and Myles Jones kept defenses honest, and now the group is even deeper heading into 2025. The Atlas added Matt Traynor in the first round, a Penn State product with the potential to be this year’s TJ Malone-type contributor. It may take time to find his exact fit in this offense, but the talent is there.

Veteran additions like Cole Williams and Kyle Jackson only bolster the midfield group, giving the New York Atlas even more ways to create mismatches and adjust to game flow. Both come from systems where they proved their value and understand how to complement stars without needing the ball every possession.

Holding Their Own on the Defensive End

While the offense carried the spotlight, the defense quietly did its job—most of the time. Ranked seventh in scores against average at 12.4 per game, it wasn’t the weak link, but it wasn’t a strength either. The unit features young talent with plenty of upside, and the growth of guys like Gavin Adler and Brett Makar will be key to taking the next step. Michael Rexrode continues to be a steady veteran presence, and Tyler Carpenter at LSM is one of the most reliable ground ball guys in the league, scooping up 41 last season.

In net, Liam Entenmann was everything the Atlas needed him to be and then some. He finished third in save percentage at 58.7 and looked like a goalie ready to take that leap into the conversation with Blaze Riorden, Dillon Ward, and Brett Dobson. If Entenmann continues on this trajectory, the entire complexion of the defense changes, especially in tight games where stops matter more than stats.

No Issues at the Stripe

Trevor Baptiste remains an unfair advantage. He won 66.2 percent of his draws and gave the New York Atlas consistent possession that most teams just don’t have access to. With a win rate that high, it’s no surprise the offense was able to stay in rhythm and wear teams down over the course of a game. There’s no question about who controls tempo when Baptiste is on the field.

Reloaded, Not Rebuilt

Despite falling short last year, the Atlas didn’t panic this offseason. They didn’t need to. The only real loss was Dox Aitken, who landed on the holdout list after a strong season. His absence will be felt, but Coach Pressler has already addressed the gap with a mix of draft talent and proven vets. John Geppert and Dylan Molloy moved on in free agency, but neither departure shakes the core of this team.

The additions of Cj Costabile, Mike Grace, and other physical presences on the defensive end give the New York Atlas more tools, especially in transition and special teams. That flexibility matters in playoff settings where matchups and momentum can swing fast.

Championship or Bust

There’s no way around it—this team is built to win now. With the league’s best offense, top-tier faceoffs, strong goalie play, and a maturing defense, there’s nothing on paper holding them back. But that was also true last season, and they came up short. This year, there’s no excuse. The pressure is real. The window is wide open. And the roster is too good to be sent home early again.

The pieces are in place. Now it’s just about finishing the job.

1. Sixteen seniors. Thirteen had played in the 2022 championship game. You can’t put a price tag on experience.
   
   
2. Goalie Wyatt Knust’s improvement from moments in 2024 to the playoff run of 2025. He grew up in 2024 after having to fight for his position. His first-quarter saves in the Maryland final were tone-setters for the Big Red defense. The lefty senior from Tampa finished the year at 18-1 with a 54% save clip and was more than steady in clearing the ball and aligning the defense.
   
   
3. A healthy FOGO Jack Cascadden. The Garden City, LI native played in one game in 2024, going 21-of-28 against Lehigh before being injured and sidelined the entire campaign. That absence was a major reason the Cornell men’s lacrosse program missed the NCAA Tournament. Cascadden finished this season with 10 goals while going 61% at the dot. He was the Ivy League FOGO of the Year but proved his mettle in the NCAA Tournament. Backup FOGO Mike Melkonian, a freshman from South Side HS in Nassau County, won 2-of-3 draws in the final. Say Melkonian comes into the game in the third or fourth quarter and goes 0-for-3 and allows Maryland to come back? That didn’t happen.
   
   
4. Hard Hat plays. Cornell won the middle of the field and continually got their sticks on loose balls. They earned a few run-outs and won the hustle stats on Monday.
   
   
5. An experienced and potent second midfield line. Ryan Waldman, a sophomore from NJ, scored against Penn State during the CU 6-1 third-quarter run. Brian Luzzi, a junior from Bethpage, LI, had goals in the semis and final. Ryan Sheehan, the senior of the group from West Genny, was rock solid. This line did exactly what they were designed to do—timely production and quality possessions in critical moments. You can’t win an NCAA title without a serviceable second midfield trio.
   
   
6. The Big Red found different ways to score when CJ Kirst was in a shooting funk—hitting just 2-of-20 in the quarters and semis. Long poles and shorties stepped up offensively, and Cornell clicked in transition.
   
   
7. Unassisted goals. Maryland was either slow to slide or discombobulated on defense. So Cornell, a team known for their passing and high assist rate, scored unassisted goals in the national championship game off dodges by CJ Kirst and Ryan Goldstein. Goldstein proved to be a nightmare matchup for Maryland on Memorial Day. The sophomore from Radnor, PA—a legacy with both parents in the Cornell Hall of Fame—danced his way to destiny with four goals. He had a monster game against Richmond and is the heir apparent in Ithaca once CJ graduates. Goldstein is a true X quarterback attackman who breaks ankles with sudden cuts and unpredictable movements. His vision and passing accuracy are both pro-level.
   
   
8. Hugh Kelleher playing like a pro. The senior from MacArthur HS in central Long Island was drafted by the NY Atlas of the PLL and played to that level. At 6’3″ and 220 lbs, he was rumbling downhill in the semis and finished that game with three critical goals.
   
   
9. Defensive cohesion after getting abused by Yale in the Ivy League semifinal. It was so bad that DC Jordan Stevens had to play zone. After beating Princeton 20-15, the defensive unit found a new gear. Slide packages were clean. D-men made great decisions. Shorties covered in space. The entire six-man unit stepped up and held Penn State to nine goals and Maryland to ten. The tactically sound man-to-man scheme, with a little zone sprinkled in, kept opponents off balance. CU defended the pick game well and didn’t surrender cheap goals in transition.
   
   
10. Depth of contribution at the SSDM position. TJ Lamb, Chris Davis, Luke Gilmartin, Michael Bozzi, and Charlie Box all got runs. A good player, when tired, becomes a bad player. A good player, when fresh, is good. Cornell used depth to upgrade this position group.
    
    
11. Long poles with an offensive mindset. Walker Wallace, Walker Schwartz, and Brendan Staub all carried the ball upfield with confidence. Staub played 2024 at LSM and that positional versatility was apparent. Schwartz scored against Richmond. Cornell owned the middle of the field and these LSMs jumped off the screen.
    
    
12. A simple 3-3 zone ride was effective because of hustle. Ryan Goldstein became a menace on the ride. CJ Kirst has always been a terror while forechecking. The hustling group shrunk windows and time, and Maryland had three failed clears at crunch time.
    
    
13. Brendan Staub elevated his game to All-American level. He was smooth with first-time grounders and had goals against Penn State and Richmond.
    
    
14. Coach Buczek called Michael Long the brains of the operation. The sixth-year senior went for 4-13 in the four NCAA Tournament wins, quietly dissecting defenses and making the right play every time. He was the silent assassin.
    
    
15. Health. The Cornell men’s lacrosse program started the same lineup in all 19 games this season. Their strength and conditioning staff deserves credit. That group is the proactive portion of staying healthy. Diet, sleep, and workload management are three critical factors in maintaining peak health. When you win physical confrontations, you generally stay healthy. When you lose those same moments of contact, you can get hurt. The reactive branch of a team is the athletic training staff. They’re responsible for keeping guys on the mend and in the lineup once they’re banged up. Cornell had perfect attendance. That’s right out of Hard Hat 21. Be dependable.
    
    
16. A 2024 NCAA Tournament snub and no titles since 1977 provided fuel for 16 seniors to hunt excellence.
    
    
17. A disappointing and improbable loss to Penn State provided a lesson in finishing. Up 12-8 with 6:08 to play, and up 12-9 with 2:27 left in the game. Somehow Cornell gave that game away. It wouldn’t happen again. They learned to finish. Without that setback and painful loss, maybe they lose to Richmond in the quarterfinals after being down 12-11 in the fourth quarter. The Big Red finished that game on a 5-2 run. They wouldn’t be denied.
    
    
18. In his fifth year at the helm of the Cornell men’s lacrosse program, Coach Connor Buczek made all the right moves. The 31-year-old is the right combination of raw leader and tactical maestro. Cornell’s biggest challenge will be retaining him when high-profile jobs open up. He’ll be everyone’s top choice, and for good reason. He’s the real deal—but we knew that back in 2022.
    
    
19. DC Jordan Stevens is ready to be a head coach. His work with this defense was imperative to the late-season success. The 2015 alum is one of the best young leaders in the country.
    
    
20. CJ Kirst played like a bona fide star, taking over the NCAA title game every time Maryland defender Will Schaller wasn’t matched up against him. But for me, CJ’s relentless effort and positivity were most apparent in the two games where his offensive production lagged—ten ground balls and three caused turnovers against Richmond. No whining after going o-fer in the semifinal. Who knows how severe his right hand/wrist injury is? No complaints. No excuses. Just play. It didn’t matter. CJ caps off one of the most dominant seasons in the sport’s history with an NCAA title. He will always be remembered by how he played—not by gaudy stats. Well done > well said.
    
    
21. This was a win for culture. After nearly 50 years, Cornell men’s lacrosse finished on top. Their core beliefs are anchored by former player George Boiardi, who passed away in 2004 after being hit by a shot during a game. George wore #21. His parents were in Gillette Stadium. And for Cornell, #21 has always been a special number. Twenty-one years after he lost his life, this band of brothers pushed the proud program to gold. It’s a story that will be told for decades.

As it stands right now heading into Championship Weekend, the Syracuse Orange have a 13–5 record and are eager to be competing for a national championship appearance. The Orange had a solid regular season but definitely came up short in a majority of their big games. The biggest win of the regular season came against Notre Dame, and I would argue their Colgate win was well deserved given how that team finished. However, a majority of their ranked games ended in losses—specifically against Maryland, Harvard, Cornell, Duke, and North Carolina. Syracuse ended the regular season on a three-game losing streak, which is certainly not how you want to enter the postseason.

That seemingly did not matter, as the Syracuse Orange entered the ACC semifinals ready to win some hardware. They put together a near-perfect game against Notre Dame to secure their spot in the ACC Championship game. They would then have to go against a Duke Blue Devil team that truly turned their season around down the stretch. This was a battle from start to finish and certainly one of the more entertaining lacrosse games of the season, with a perfect balance of offense and defense. Syracuse was able to come out on top 9–8, marking the first real milestone in the Gary Gait era.

The NCAA Tournament has been only nail-biters for the Syracuse lacrosse program. They kicked things off with their first-round matchup against Harvard, which on paper was always going to be the most exciting matchup coming out of the first round. Harvard had the talent and potential to make it all the way to Championship Weekend, so this one was always going to be a battle. The Orange were able to crawl their way back into the game late, playing make-it-take-it lacrosse to force the Crimson into overtime, where Syracuse inevitably came out on top 13–12. Their quarterfinal matchup would be no different, as Princeton was next in line. The Tigers and Orange forgot their defenses at home as both offenses were seemingly scoring at will. Princeton had most of the momentum for a majority of the game, until Syracuse turned it up a gear down the stretch, walking away with the 19–18 victory and a Championship Weekend appearance.

The Syracuse Orange this season have been solid in just about every statistical category. Most notable is certainly their offense, scoring an average of 13.8 goals per game, which ranks them 6th in the country. Their defense has done a respectable job, only allowing 10 goals per game, slotting them at the 25th mark. This puts them at a margin of +3.72, which is 7th in the country. One major factor that has helped them win games down the stretch is their elite face-off play. Facing off at 60% ranks them 7th in the country and will certainly play a major factor in late May. However, while clearing at 86% puts them at 31st in the country, that has the potential to be an issue. I wouldn’t worry about it too much though, as Maryland’s ride typically lets teams get set up pretty consistently.

The man of the hour is Joey Spallina. Averaging 4.94 points per game ranks him 7th in the country, made up of 89 points—35 goals and 54 assists. Spallina has done an excellent job quieting the haters over the past few weeks, but it will be interesting to see how he handles the bright lights of Memorial Day Weekend. I guarantee you that the Terrapins are going to have a solid game plan on how to neutralize him. It will be nice to have Owen Hiltz step up in these moments, however, as Hiltz is averaging 4.0 PPG on 45 goals and 27 assists. The Syracuse offense is extremely selfless and will have no problem spreading the rock to find open looks when they arise.

It is going to be interesting to see which Syracuse team we get on Saturday. They have had flashes of being the best team in the country, but a lack of consistency has hurt them all year. Gary Gait has certainly coached teams in big moments, but this is definitely the biggest moment for the Syracuse men’s lacrosse program in quite some time. Will these expectations be too high for the Orange to accomplish? Or is it the exact motivation they need to get over the hump? We shall see as they face off against the Maryland Terrapins for a trip to the national championship.

Maryland’s regular season was certainly interesting to say the least, due to the number of highs followed by extreme lows. Looking at the resume and schedule, it’s insane how many impressive victories the Terrapins were able to pull off this season. There is no other team in the country that can confidently say they have more ranked wins than the Terrapins, taking down Richmond, Syracuse, Princeton, Notre Dame, Penn State, and Ohio State. Every regular season big game Maryland showed up for, they were able to handle business. However, it seems like the Terrapins may have overlooked some of the games that were deemed less important than their highly ranked matchups. A shocking loss to Michigan in overtime definitely hurt morale, but an even more stunning loss to Rutgers took away their hopes of a Big Ten regular season title.

Entering the Big Ten Tournament, Maryland was able to get by Penn State yet again by a score of 10–8. All season long, Maryland has had no problem slowing down the game, working for the highest quality shots, and banking on their stout defense. I’m sure the Terrapins were eager to go up against the Buckeyes once more—this time in the Big Ten Championship game. Unlike the first time around, however, Ohio State played a much better game and was able to exploit the Terrapin defense. Maryland lost that matchup 10–14, which meant they finished Big Ten play with no hardware in 2025.

Going into the NCAA Tournament, the Terrapins’ RPI really helped them out when it came to seeding. Despite not winning any share of the Big Ten this year, Maryland was still rewarded with a favorable seed, drawing Air Force in the first round. A 13–5 win was expected and carried Maryland into the quarterfinals. There, they matched up against Georgetown in a game that was a defensive bout from start to finish. Maryland controlled possession time and forced Georgetown to play their style of lacrosse in a low-scoring affair of 9–6. This would take the Maryland lacrosse program back to Championship Weekend yet again—a consistent standard within the program.

When you look at the numbers for how exactly Maryland was able to make it this far, you have to address the defense. Normally, it’s easy to talk about the offense first, but this defense is just too solid not to mention first. Allowing only 7.8 goals per game puts them at number two in the country and has led to the majority of the team’s success this year. The offense has been well below mediocre, averaging only 11 goals per game, which ranks 43rd in the country. Their scoring margin of +3.19 keeps them in the positive column, but the defense carries all of that weight. The Terrapins have no problem slowing the game down to their level, which makes sense when you’re able to clear the ball at a 91% rate. However, when it comes to face-offs, they hover around 50%, so not having an elite guy could potentially hurt them when the lights are too bright.

When you talk about their star players, it is very rare for a team’s best player to come between the pipes. Logan McNaney currently has the fourth-best save percentage in the country at 59.5%. The defense does an excellent job at giving him the shots he wants to see, but he does an incredible job at saving the ball even when he’s not supposed to. Offensively, Eric Spanos has been solid this year, but he ranks just 97th in the country in points per game at 2.8.

At the end of the day, the Terrapins have made it this far for a reason. I am fascinated to see how the offense will perform, but even more intrigued to see how this defense plans on slowing down a lethal Syracuse offense. It is tough to coach against John Tillman, as he is one of the best in the game. One thing is for certain, however—and it’s that Maryland is the most experienced program in the country when it comes to semifinal games.

Penn State has been a weird team all season long. With high expectations and a talented roster, the team was certainly expected to go far. However, when I sit here looking back at the regular season, they have very little to be excited about in terms of their performance. Their biggest win of the year was against Cornell in overtime, which was definitely massive—especially now, considering that Cornell is outright the best team in the country. Other than that, though, Penn State has no real wins over a quality opponent. The closest crumb I could give them was being able to handle their business against Michigan. They ended the regular season with three losses, all in their biggest games—against Princeton, Ohio State, and Maryland. Only having three losses coming out of the regular season is certainly not a bad thing, but I’m sure the team would have wanted to put up a better fight against their ranked opponents.

Heading into the Big Ten quarterfinals, Penn State struggled against a mentally defeated Johns Hopkins team. The game came down to the wire, with the Nittany Lions coming out on top 13–12. I believe this was a testament to Penn State not being as battle-ready due to the lack of strong wins this season. Then the Big Ten semifinals rolled around, and Penn State came up just short against Maryland, losing 8–10. Expectations were still high for the Nittany Lions as they were well-coached and very talented, but they left the 2025 Big Ten season with no hardware to show for it.

The Penn State lacrosse program has made the most of their NCAA tournament run so far, taking down an impressive Colgate team in a 13–11 win. The biggest test was ahead, though, as they had to go up against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who were going to leave it all on the table to make it back to Championship Weekend. Notre Dame had the advantage for about 80% of the game, coming in with experience and confidence that Penn State just didn’t have for the first three quarters. However, with some quick coaching adjustments, Penn State was able to rally and fight down the stretch. Finishing the game on an 8–0 run to secure the victory and make it back to Championship Weekend was certainly an experience that none of these young men will ever forget, and it gives the Nittany Lions a good boost of confidence going into Boston.

Statistics normally tell a story on how a team’s season is going. Penn State has been pretty consistent, hovering around the top 10 in just about every statistical category this season. Their scoring offense averages 12.5 goals per game, which places them 16th in the country. That pairs nicely with their defense, which is only allowing 9.2 goals per game, slotting them at 11th. This puts them at an average scoring margin of +3.25 per game, which is certainly respectable. The offense has had some downbeats this season, but the one main consistent is that the defense has always held strong. They certainly will be up for a test going against the number one offense in the country in the Cornell Big Red. Clearing and face-offs shouldn’t be an issue, as the team is clearing the ball at an 89.4% rate and facing off at 56%, both top 10 in the country.

When it comes to star players, Matt Traynor is the number one guy on your scouting report. Traynor has notched 59 points this season on 42 goals and 17 assists. While Penn State certainly has other talented offensive players that like to spread the rock, I’m concerned about what this offense looks like if Traynor is slowed down. Even though the Nittany Lions play a fairly selfless version of lacrosse, in games like this you need your best players to step up. He was able to do that in the quarterfinals, but now the question is—can he repeat that performance against one of the best defenses in the country?

Penn State has been knocking on the door for this opportunity for a number of years now. Their controversial loss to Duke just a few years back, which prevented them from making a national championship appearance, certainly still rings within the locker room. With the opportunity to compete for a national championship, I’m certain the Nittany Lions will leave everything on the table.

As they head to Boston for the semifinals, the Cornell Big Red currently boast a record of 16–1. Only having one loss on your resume is extremely impressive; however, the quality of their victories may take the cake. With big wins over Denver, Richmond, Princeton, Syracuse, and Harvard, Cornell has been very much battle-tested up to this point. In those five games, the Big Red are winning by an average of 5.8 goals—absolutely unheard of against quality opponents. They have handled their business everywhere else this year, except for an early season slip-up against Penn State. That overtime loss did not deter the team; if anything, it brought them closer together, as they have not lost a game since.

As the Ivy League regular season champions, the Cornell lacrosse program entered the Ivy League tournament with a ton of confidence—and rightfully so. A 21–14 win over Yale followed up by a 20–15 win over Princeton was the icing on the cake heading into the NCAA tournament. That game against Princeton was always going to be tough, as the Tigers were itching for revenge to take claim of the Ivy League over Cornell, and they had the talent to do so. At the end of the day, Cornell was just better—and that got them ready for the NCAA tournament.

The first round of the tournament was a breeze for the number one-seeded Cornell Big Red. A 15–6 dominant win over Albany didn’t mean much to the program, with their true test on the horizon. The closest regular season game they played all year was against the Richmond Spiders, and they had to square up against them again in the NCAA quarterfinals. This game came down to the absolute wire, with many believing Richmond was going to pull off one of the biggest upsets in NCAA tournament history. However, a battle-tested Cornell team was too much for the Spiders to handle, as the Big Red came out on top 13–12, which advanced them to Championship Weekend.

As the Big Red look to take on the Nittany Lions on Saturday, they have just about every advantage. Their 16 goals per game currently lead the country in scoring, and while their defense may be ranked 27th, allowing 10.3 goals per game, their scoring margin of +5.8 puts them at number two in the NCAA. If the defense has a slow day, you can almost be certain the offense is going to carry the weight. It will be an interesting matchup, considering Penn State was able to go blow-for-blow with Cornell the first time around. In games like this, it always comes down to how well a team can clear and face off. That shouldn’t be a problem for the Big Red, as they are clearing at an 89% rate and winning face-offs 58.5% of the time.

The main difference-maker for Cornell is their overall talent. CJ Kirst is almost certainly winning the Tewaaraton, averaging 6.35 points per game, which is number one in the country. The pure bucket-getter has 108 points on the year, made up of 76 goals and 32 assists. The crazier part is that if the senior is having an off day, sophomore Ryan Goldstein is able to step up consistently as well. Goldstein currently has 88 points on the year, averaging 5.18 points per game, which puts him at 4th in the country. Oh, and don’t worry—if the two of them are struggling to get anything going, they have Michael Long, who has 67 points on the year, to also help distribute the offense.

On paper, this is the year the Cornell lacrosse program has been waiting for. There is no reason they shouldn’t make a run to win the whole thing, but it is interesting considering they have to go up against Penn State yet again—their only loss from the year. Even though the Big Red have made the journey here look easy, it has been well-earned, but it will mean nothing in the long run if they don’t come out on top when it’s all said and done.

1 Cornell vs 5 Penn State

NCAA Lacrosse Semifinals | Saturday | ESPN2 @ 12:00pm
(Anish Shroff, Paul Carcaterra, Quint Kessenich, Dana Boyle)

Who are the stars?
CJ Kirst (Cornell) and Matt Traynor (Penn State) are the headliners. Kirst will win the Tewaaraton in a landslide. He leads the nation in points per game at 6.35. Traynor, #22, was the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and scored six goals in the quarterfinal win over Notre Dame. He was unstoppable during the Nittany Lions’ 8-0 comeback run to end the game.

Offense vs. Balance
Cornell ranks #1 in scoring offense, shot percentage (36.7%), and assists per game. They’ve been a juggernaut, held to fewer than 12 goals just once all season—by Dartmouth on April 26. The Big Red (16-1) have the nation’s most potent attack with Kirst, Ryan Goldstein, and Michael Long. Their first midfield of Hugh Kelleher, Willem Firth, and Andrew Dalton has combined for (74,34).

Penn State’s strength is balance. All units are solid. They don’t have a glaring weakness, and their even stats in all departments reflect that. They rank #18 in scoring offense and #8 in both scoring defense and face-off percentage (60%).

X-Factor
The Cornell close defense is sound, and DC Jordan Stevens uses up to four LSMs and six SSDMs. They’ve played both man and zone. After a shaky outing in the Ivy League semifinals against Yale, their slide and recovery execution has been much improved against Princeton, Albany, and Richmond. The Big Red have created transition looks directly off face-offs and the ride, with ten pole goals and nine from FOGO Jack Cascadden.

Cornell has 16 seniors who are on a mission. They lost in the 2022 NCAA final 9-7 against Maryland and are back on the hunt. Penn State’s senior class is elite as well, with players like Traynor, Ethan Long, Luke Walstrum, Will Peden, Kevin Parnham, Jack Fracyon, and Kyle Aldridge. They, too, have championship weekend experience to draw from.

Matchup that Matters
Penn State lefty defender Alex Ross (#6) draws the CJ Kirst (#15) assignment. Ross did excellent work in the regular season meeting between these teams. Penn State won that game in overtime after a miracle comeback, aided by a Cornell non-releasable penalty on Cascadden late in regulation.

Kirst has all the tools to be a future PLL all-star. His cutting ability jumps off the screen. After a summer in Canada sharpening his eyes and hands, his shooting percentage has taken off. He buckles goalies with deception and uses head and shoulder leaner fakes to make it look easy.

Penn State’s defense must also account for Big Red catalyst Ryan Goldstein (#30). The sophomore’s foot speed and change of direction at X can break ankles and hearts. Albany did a terrific job pressing out at X in the first round, limiting ball reversal and holding Cornell to five goals in the first half. Kevin Parnham (#16) or Will Costin (#28) likely draws that assignment.

Important Stats
Cornell FOGO Jack Cascadden has nine goals on 28 shots. Goalie Wyatt Knust made just five saves last week in the close win over Richmond. Penn State netminder Jack Fracyon had been only 34% in the three outings prior to Notre Dame but played a very strong game in Annapolis and has big stadium experience from 2023.

Under-the-Radar Hero
For Cornell, it could be Ryan Waldman, who has 20 points running on the second midfield. Penn State’s Jon King is a scrappy SSDM from Draper, Utah, with over 40 ground balls. He’s a weapon on face-off wings, attacking the draw man’s butt end. With Colby Baldwin injured, freshman Reid Gillis has done great work, but King is a big reason why the Nittany Lions are above 60% at the face-off dot.

2 Maryland vs 6 Syracuse

NCAA Lacrosse Semifinals | Saturday | ESPN2 — 35 minutes following Game #1
(Anish Shroff, Paul Carcaterra, Quint Kessenich, Dana Boyle)

Defense vs. Offense
Terp structure and discipline vs. Orange free-flowing creative skill. Maryland relies on high-percentage shot selection and endless ball movement to generate layups. Syracuse has soft hands, deft passers, and magical abilities in the offensive gray areas.

X-Factor
FOGO John Mullen (SU) and Syracuse’s game management will be critical when matched against Maryland’s iron will. The Terps are the poster child for structure and discipline. Too often in 2025, Syracuse has mismanaged late-quarter or end-game scenarios—giving the ball away prematurely and then conceding goals in the final 30 seconds. It’s happened against Harvard, Princeton, and in the regular season meeting with Maryland.

Matchup that Matters
Maryland defender Will Schaller (#27) is likely to cover Syracuse quarterback Joey Spallina (#22). Schaller is a sturdy left-handed jackhammer, but his off-ball play can be vulnerable. With that in mind, Syracuse should use Spallina as a picker—both from the wings and from X. This would be my bread and butter if I’m Pat March, SU offensive coordinator.

Injury impact
Syracuse SSDM Nathan Levine was injured at Duke and is out for the remainder of the year. That’s significant. Levine was quietly outstanding and gave DC John Odierna the freedom to short-stick opposing attackmen. Without Levine, Syracuse has had to dig deeper into their bench. After Carter Rice, the shorties (#50, #1, and #2) have been exposed. Expect Maryland to target them like an itchy scab.

Important Stats
Maryland has only 70 unassisted goals in 16 games. They prefer to pass, pass, pass. When possessions bog down, the Terps won’t force bad shots—instead, they’ll toss the ball into the parking lot and take a shot clock violation. Maryland has 32 such violations. Coach John Tillman eschews the ride—attackmen drop to the midline or sub box, middies run off, and opponents clear at a 91% rate (ranked 73rd out of 74 D1 teams). Tillman wants a six-on-six game.

It would benefit Syracuse to grab an early lead—Rutgers and Ohio State did that in wins over Maryland. The Orange must inject tempo into this game. If it becomes a strictly half-field affair, the edge shifts to Maryland.

Under-the-Radar Hero
Terp veteran Daniel Kelly—a lefty finisher from the slot and midrange—has been money lately. He’s shooting 32-for-72 this season. Syracuse’s do-it-all midfielder Sam English will log heavy minutes, playing first midfield, man-down, and in transition. He reminds me of Matt Abbott. His overall impact can’t be overstated. Cooler temps (56° and rainy) are ideal for marathoners—and English will be asked to run.

#1 Cornell vs Richmond

The Big Red moved past Albany on a gorgeous Sunday night in Ithaca behind a superb performance from CJ Kirst. In his last home game, he delivered in front of a robust crowd that included his mom Michelle and his brothers.

The defense was dialed in early, as the CU shooters didn’t have their best night. Between two games last weekend and Slope Day on Wednesday, I wasn’t expecting a peak performance. Cornell had a season-low five goals at halftime.

Albany’s Silas Richmond is a scorer worth following next year. He could be a PLL first-round draft choice. The Danes face-guarded Ryan Goldstein at times, and that seemed to hamper the #1 rated offense.

The 15-6 final saw Kirst shoot 6-for-12. Hugh Kelleher is playing in career form, putting up a hat trick, and Michael Long, the brains of the operation, had a stealthy six points. Goalie Wyatt Knust was 67%, showcasing his quick hands and feet. The CU defense was quite good. They are playing boatloads of SSDMs and LSMs, which could come in handy as the temps hit 80 degrees plus. FOGO Jack Cascadden was 65%.

Richmond opened the first round with a rousing comeback win, 13-10, at North Carolina. Congrats to Richmond for their first NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament win in program history (12th season, beginning play in 2014). It’s their ninth straight win overall. They were the first of three unseeded wins over the weekend.

The Spiders seemed stuck in the mud early on, scoreless and juiceless for the first 24 minutes. Nerves usually impact clearing patterns and offensive flow. Down 4-0, Richmond cut into the deficit, trailing 5-2 at halftime. Veteran leader Max Merklinger spoke up at halftime. Richmond looked like themselves in the second half, outscoring UNC 11-5 and closing the game on a 4-0 run. The Heels looked like burnt toast — too many players injured, too few offensive options not named Owen Duffy and Dom Pietramala. Their no-name defense, a group of incredible overachievers, didn’t get enough help.

Spider crease man Lucas Littlejohn scored four times. Richmond goalie Zach Vigue, who grew up a Heels fan in Apex, NC about ten miles down the road, was solid as a rock between the pipes. Smith, Dunham, and Farrell are a terrific close defense. Spider fans rejoiced at Dorrance Field.

Richmond plays Cornell at Hofstra. The two teams played at Robbins Stadium during the regular season. Richmond led Cornell 6-1 and 11-8 in the fourth quarter but lost by a goal. Richmond now has wins over Virginia, Georgetown, and UNC. They own close losses to Duke and Cornell. This is exactly where they belong.

#6 Syracuse vs #3 Princeton

On Saturday, Towson — the CAA champs — hung tough in the first half at Princeton. Shawn Nadelen’s squad, wearing throwback black porthole mesh jerseys, got mini-runs by Mikey Weishaar and a Ronan Fitzpatrick hat trick to stay within shouting distance.

Princeton coach Matt Madalon was angry at halftime because his team was not making tournament-level decisions. Tiger FOGO Andrew McMeekin dominated face-offs, yet Princeton turned the ball over eight times, had six failed clears, took a too many men penalty, and had an equipment infraction — all in the first 30 minutes to keep Towson down just four goals at the intermission.

Princeton sharpened their swords at halftime and bombarded Towson with an array of dazzling shots. The Tigers exploded for nine goals in the third quarter. Nate Kabiri and Tucker Wade each finished with five goals. Barbecue Burns added four. Along the way, Coulter Mackesy became the all-time leading goal scorer in Princeton history.

The Tigers of New Jersey advance to the quarterfinals after losing first-round games on the road in 2023 and 2024.

In the Dome on Mother’s Day, the ACC champion Syracuse squad started slowly. Harvard was flowing on offense and up 8-2 at halftime. #HHH was generously turning the ball over, and Harvard freshman goalie Graham Stevens made some grade-A saves for the Crimson.

Coach Gary Gait maintained his poise — a trait that made Gait elite as a player. Syracuse edged Harvard 3-1 in the third to pull within four goals after 45 minutes.

Harvard scored at the 10:59 mark in the fourth to go up 11-6. Things didn’t look good for the Orange. Johnny Mullen was winning face-offs at a historic clip, plus-27 possessions on the evening. That triggered an epic season-saving run. Syracuse scored six in a row to go up 12-11, including a trio of extra-man goals on a one-minute non-releasable penalty. Harvard forced a turnover with :23 seconds left, and Owen Gaffney scored with :06 left to tie the game and send it into sudden death. Mullen won another draw and lefty Owen Hiltz got the game-winner off a cut from eyes-up Joey Spallina. Midfielder Luke Rhoa had four goals for Syracuse. Survive and advance.

The Orange lost to Denver in the 2024 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament quarterfinals at Towson. SU is now 19-1 all-time against Harvard and turns its attention to Princeton. This matchup features some of the slickest and most skilled offensive players you’ll ever see on a college field. The two-man game expertise will be notable.

#5 Penn State vs Notre Dame

After a slow start, Notre Dame overwhelmed Ohio State in Columbus, 15-6, as FOGO Will Lynch and the defense were too much for the Buckeyes. Ohio State won the B10, and many people felt they got shafted in the bracket with this pairing. Should ND have been sent to Penn State? The NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament bracket isn’t seeded 1-16. Geography has always determined first-round matchups. With 10 AQs and two play-in games, it feels like the committee protects the top two seeds. After that, you are on your own. The emphatic win by the Irish mutes any argument. Had Ohio State beaten Utah and not scheduled RPI anchors Bellarmine, Cleveland State, and Detroit, they would have been seeded #2 or #3.

OSU goalie Caleb Fyock made 15 saves in defeat. The possession advantage was overwhelming. Eleven players had a point for ND. The inconsistent and sporadic offense found more for coach Kevin Corrigan, who didn’t wear his superstitious old baseball cap. Chris Kavanagh had five goals. Finisher Jake Taylor was impactful — usually a sign of ball movement. When the two-time champions were backed into a corner, they responded.

On Saturday, Penn State held serve over Colgate in a 13-11 final in a game that went the full 60 minutes. The Nittany Lions didn’t score in the first quarter and didn’t lead in the first half. The tempo favored Colgate early. The Raiders created chaos and forced eight PSU turnovers in the first quarter. PSU didn’t unravel. Jeff Tambroni’s team settled down.

Penn State FOGO Reid Gills went 21-of-28 — after going 18-of-22 in the B1G semis against Maryland. Colby Baldwin was their top FO guy for most of the season; he’s injured, and freshman Gills has been clutch. With that advantage, and forcing 23 Raider turnovers, the Nittany Lions dominated possession and outshot Colgate 46-26.

A lefty wearing #51 from Canada, Liam Matthews, had four goals and a critical one near the end. Big Ten OPOY Matt Traynor had three goals. He’s a star. Ethan Long had four points. Colgate’s attack combined for a dozen points. Lion goalie Jack Fracyon fought through a tough night and returns home to Annapolis for the quarters. Penn State is now looking for a third trip to Championship Weekend (2019 & 2023).

#2 Maryland vs Georgetown

Maryland advances over Air Force 13-5, making their 22nd consecutive NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament appearance — the longest active streak by a kilometer (Georgetown is second with 7). That’s remarkable consistency.

The Terps scored 56 seconds into the Sunday afternoon game and led wire-to-wire. Conductor Eric Spanos had a career-high six goals. Corning’s favorite goalie, Logan McNaney, made 10 saves with only three goals against, extending his Maryland records to 753 saves and 58 wins. He is built for May.

Air Force had won seven straight after a 2-7 start to get to the round of 16. They handled Robert Morris in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, visited Gettysburg on Thursday, and saw the Washington Monument on Saturday. A lifetime of memories in one week. That’s great stuff.

Georgetown, the Big East champs, lost to Denver 7-3 on April 12 and are undefeated since, averaging 18 goals per game. It’s been an amazing transformation. They’ve settled in with a stable midfield and attack personnel rotation. They have better field balance with a few lefties now in the mix. The ball movement and skip passes have been vastly upgraded. Huge credit to OC John Hogan and assistant David Shriver.

The usually slow-starting Hoyas were ready to play under the lights at Koskinen. Kevin Warne’s squad led 3-0 and 3-1 after the first quarter. It was 5-2 when Duke finally woke up. The Devils tied it at 6-6 on a Ben Johnston skimmer off the grass from 20 yards with 19.4 seconds left in the half. Hoyas hero Aidan Carroll countered with :04 seconds left. Then Duke FOGO Cal Girard tied it at 7-7 with a bounce shot from 21 yards at the buzzer. He was outside the box. It was a crazy sequence — three goals in 19 seconds — and Duke went to the locker room buzzing and sensing a tidal shift. Or so you would think.

That’s when Aidan Carroll took over. Carroll, the GT grad student and PLL draft pick, scored six straight goals for the Hoyas over the second and early third quarters combined. Six in a row for Carroll, the takeover artist. He would not be denied. The late-developing righty had (8,2) in the Big East final against Nova and a monster eight-point game on Saturday night. He joined GT legends Dan Bucaro and Jake Carraway in the pantheon of epic NCAA performances.

His Hoyas pushed the lead to 11-7. Fulton Bayman (4,1), the Notre Dame graduate transfer who has fought through five ACL tears, played an inspired game. Defender Ty Banks was outstanding, bumping up to cover Ben Johnston. Duke’s offense never really got on track. Assisted goals were in short supply.

It was 12-8 GT after 45 minutes. Devil Eric Malever cut it to 12-9. Hoyas answered. Freshman crease man Jack Ransom from Charlotte, NC made it 13-9 and 14-9 before Bayman stretched the lead to 15-9.

The game went sideways — drunk — in the last five minutes as Duke pulled the goalie, applying pressure all over the field in a ten-man ride. The sloppiness was a net equal — fun to watch and unique — as both teams staggered to :00.

GT found the finish line and captured the road win on ACC soil. It was a rough day for the ACC on Tobacco Road.

Hoyas were the better team. Midfielder Patrick Crogan was very good and had three goals. FOGO Ross Prince went 20-of-30. Stopper Anderson Moore had shaky moments but made some decent saves when needed and played an A+ game out of the net with two runouts and precise clearing.

Duke once again falls short of expectations in May. Georgetown turns the page and gets another week together. They have not won an NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament quarterfinal game in their last ten tries. Kevin Warne began his coaching career at UMBC as an assistant to Don Zimmerman before working two years at Maryland as the DC for John Tillman. Maryland and Georgetown know each other very well. MD OC Mike Phipps spent five years in DC working for Warne. The Hoyas’ last trip to Championship Weekend was in 1999. Meanwhile, Maryland under John Tillman is (10-1) in the quarterfinal round. No secrets here — the teams scrimmage annually in January. The stakes are higher this time.

Wednesday, May 7th

Siena grabbed the MAAC automatic qualifier for the first time in 11 years. Pratt Reynolds scored five times in the 12-8 final win over Sacred Heart. Ryan McCarthy had five assists, and goalie Andrew Arcuri made 15 saves. Coach Liam Gleeson is a former Great Dane assistant.

Albany defeated Bryant 12-7 for the first time since 2015 on their way to the America East AQ. The Danes played in the 2018 Final Four. They are a five-time quarterfinalist and appeared in the 2024 bracket, defeating Sacred Heart in the play-in game before losing to Notre Dame 14-9. Coach Scott Marr has led his team to 12 NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament.

Robert Morris beat Detroit Mercy 17-8, capturing the NEC automatic bid. The four-time NEC champs from the Steel City meet Air Force on Wednesday.

Air Force makes its first NCAA appearance since 2017 after hoisting gold in the Atlantic Sun tournament.

Opening Round Wednesday Results

Albany defeated Siena 11-9
Air Force beat Robert Morris 14-9

Join Chris Cotter, Paul Carcaterra, and Quint on their drive from Ithaca, NY, to the ESPN studio in Bristol, CT. They provide the pizza, laughs, and opinions on this week’s episode of the Quintessential Podcast.

Saturday, May 10th

Richmond at #8 North Carolina

12:00 pm on ESPNU (Anish Shroff and Quint Kessenich)

The Spiders captured the A10 and make their sixth tourney appearance after ending the regular season with eight consecutive wins. They haven’t lost since March 15 and are battle-tested in 2025 with wins over Georgetown and Virginia, and close losses to Maryland, Duke (OT), and Cornell, 12-11. Richmond ranks in the top 10 in both scoring offense and defense. They allow opponents just 27 shots per game. Quarterback Aidan O’Neil and defender Hunter Smith are the marquee names. Lucas Littlejohn and Max Merklinger spearhead a diverse scoring unit.

North Carolina hosts with health concerns looming about their most impactful player, Owen Duffy. The sophomore is freakishly mobile — a catalyst and party starter for Joe Breschi’s offense. Lefty hammer Dom Pietramala has been unstoppable with hands free. FOGO Brady Wambach is a reliable commodity in the possession department, and grad goalie Michael Giofrancaro maintains a level pulse. The Heels’ “no-name” defense continues to overachieve. If Duffy isn’t 100%, freshman and complimentary midfielders will have to raise their game.

This pairing is a true #8–9 matchup and kicks off a full day of television coverage on ESPNU and ESPN+ at noon, live from Dorrance Field.

Towson at #3 Princeton

2:30 pm on ESPNU (Chris Cotter and Paul Carcaterra)

Towson earned their second consecutive CAA title last weekend. The Tigers (11-5) began the year at 1-5 and have since won ten straight. The defense is most responsible for league success. Ronan Fitzpatrick scored five times in the championship game win over Drexel. Towson lost at Syracuse 20-15 in the 2025 NCAA first round after putting a scare into the Orange. They haven’t won a playoff game since making the Final Four in 2017.

Princeton lost to Cornell in the Ivy League final. The Tigers have dropped two consecutive NCAA first round games. This senior class played in the 2022 Final Four in Connecticut. The offense is one of the nation’s best. They heavily rely on two-man games. There is an abundance of skill with players like Coulter Mackesy, Nate Kabiri, Chad Palumbo, and Tucker Wade. While it appears as if the defense tightened later in the season, the jury is still out on whether that was due to true improvement or the declining quality of opponents faced in the lower half of the Ivy League. They have played both man and zone schemes on defense but rely heavily on goalie Ryan Croddick. Face-off success has too often been sold separately. With a track record of playing poorly in the first round and coming off two hard games last weekend, this Tiger vs. Tiger matchup won’t be a cakewalk.

Colgate at #5 Penn State

5:00 pm on ESPNU (Drew Carter and Matt Ward)

Colgate upset Army in the Patriot League semifinals and kept it rolling with an emphatic win over BU to grab the AQ. They haven’t been to the NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament since 2015. Their ten-man ride and pressure defense can be overwhelming. The offense is #3 nationally in scoring. The Connor brothers steer the offense, and goalie Matt LaCombe was a brick wall in the Patriot League tournament. The performances of specialists are heightened in May.

The Nittany Lions defeated Colgate in the first game of their season, a year after losing to the Red Raiders. PSU is led by Matt Traynor, Kyle Lehman, Alex Ross, and goalie Jack Fracyon. Freshman midfielder Hunter Aquino has cooled off lately and needs to bust through the freshman wall. If Penn State can make this a half-field game, they’ll win. But if Colgate speeds the game up and makes Penn State uncomfortable in the middle of the field, this will be a 60-minute game.

Georgetown at #7 Duke

7:30 pm on ESPNU (Anish Shroff and Quint Kessenich)

The Hoyas took the Big East AQ as Nova slid recklessly and got diced by ball movement. That’s an amazing seven straight league titles. GT coach Kevin Warne, who played for John Danowski at Hofstra, saw his offense shoot 45% in two wins last weekend. Aidan Carroll had a career day with eight goals and ten points. Fulton Bayman has been terrific after graduating from ND. Georgetown can pass. Jack Ransom can shoot.

Guessing that the Duke defense will be slow to slide/double and force Georgetown to score unassisted goals. Seventy-five percent of Hoya goals are assisted. Duke’s defense has been outstanding in the last month, holding six straight opponents to fewer than 10 goals. Defender Charlie Johnson is likely to cover Aidan Carroll. Johnson is exceptional. The Blue Devils’ Achilles heel has been sluggish attack production and clearing woes at key moments. Does Georgetown try to ride them? Can Duke generate goals outside the six-on-six? SSDM Aidan Maguire and LSM Mac Christmas have transitional firepower. Georgetown will be playing on grass — a rarity outside the ACC — in a night game at Koskinen.

First team to 10 wins.

Sunday, May 11th 

Notre Dame at #4 Ohio State

12:00 pm on ESPN2 (Chris Cotter and Paul Carcaterra)

CFP National Championship rematch on the lacrosse field in front of an ESPN2 audience—what more could you ask for? This pairing in the first round could easily be a final or semifinal-quality matchup. Grab the Hefty bag and clean out your locker. Somebody is going home early.

The Irish rank in the top ten in scoring offense and defense but have been prone to lengthy scoring droughts over the last month. Midfield production and offensive flow have been disjointed and inconsistent. Chris Kavanagh is the spark, but he may be silenced by Bobby Van Buren. Midfielder Jordan Faison, splitting time between spring football and lacrosse, has not had the same impact this season. Notre Dame has excellent short stick defensive midfielders and stopper Shawn Lyght down low. Goalie Thomas Ricciardelli was dropping, flopping, and guessing low in the ACC Tournament—which can be corrected in practice this week. Notre Dame is talented and experienced, but what makes you believe the lightbulb can flip on just like that?

The Buckeyes (14-2) grabbed their first Big Ten title with a win over Maryland last Saturday night. They played in the 2017 national title game but haven’t won an NCAA playoff game since. Ohio State picked up a win over Notre Dame in South Bend earlier this season. Goalie Caleb Fyock—aka Big Tasty—leads the country in save percentage. Coach Nick Myers pulled talent out of the transfer portal, and his offense is diverse and deep with contributors like Alex Marinier, Liam White, Garrett Haas, and Jack McKenna. At the core, OSU is a defense-first team (#6 in scoring defense) with Van Buren and stout shorties playing at an elite level.

Air Force at #2 Maryland

2:30 pm on ESPNU (Drew Carter and Matt Ward)

Terps coach John Tillman is hunting his 11th Final Four in year #14. He’s an incredible 10-1 in the NCAA quarterfinal round. Maryland lost to Ohio State in the Big Ten final. Goalie Logan McNaney is Mr. May. His story is featured in “Game On,” which includes segments on CJ Kirst, Syracuse, and Notre Dame. Keep your eyes peeled for air times and networks—ESPN’s best storytellers are giving lacrosse some love.

Maryland’s defense is its identity, ranking #3 in the country in scoring defense. This team rarely beats itself. They are masters of restarts and win the inches. The LSM group—Jack McDonald and AJ Larkin—is excellent. Close defender Will Schaller is a burly lockdown artist. The offense is methodical, not spectacular, and led by Eric Spanos and Braden Erksa.

Harvard at #6 Syracuse

5:00 pm on ESPNU (Mike Corey and Mark Dixon)

Crimson upset Syracuse in the Dome earlier this season despite not winning face-offs. The Harvard ride has teeth. Harvard hasn’t won an NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament game since 1996. Sam King, Jack Speidell, and athletic midfielders Owen Gaffney, Logan Ip, and Miles Botkiss play an aggressive style in settled situations, ranking #6 nationally in scoring. That group looked hesitant against Princeton’s zone defense in the Ivy semifinal. Finding solutions to a possession disparity is job number one for coach Gerry Byrne.

Syracuse hasn’t been to Championship Weekend since 2013. The ACC Tournament champs are led by junior attackman Joey Spallina and PLL draft picks Owen Hiltz, Sam English, and defender Michael Grace. Goalie Jimmy McCool is trending in the right direction. This is a rematch game that coach Gary Gait and #HHH should crave. On paper, it appears to be the highest-scoring game of the opening weekend.

Albany at #1 Cornell

7:30 pm on ESPNU (Jay Alter and Jules Heningburg)

Cornell has the nation’s #1 scoring offense and the best player in the game: lefty scorer CJ Kirst. Thirteen seniors were part of the runner-up finish in 2022. The Big Red hasn’t won the national title since 1977 and have lost five finals along the way (1978, 1987, 1988, 2009, 2022). The offense is elite with Ryan Goldstein and Michael Long flanking Kirst on attack. Ball movement has been dazzling. Midfielder Hugh Kelleher, a PLL draft pick on Tuesday night, is a north-south Mack truck dodger. Lefty Liam Firth and Dalton provide skill and savvy inside and on the wing.

Cornell plays a boatload of SSDMs and LSMs and utilized both man-to-man and zone schemes against Yale. Their slide and recovery patterns were dreadful in that Ivy semifinal, but those areas looked cleaned up in the Ivy final win against Princeton. Goalie Wyatt Knust, a bouncy lefty from Tampa, Florida, is battle-tested and clutch. Jack Cascadden has gaudy faceoff stats after shredding sub-par Ivy FOGOs all season and can strike in transition—he has nine goals in 2025.

This veteran team feels like they’re on a mission, and coach Connor Buczek knows how to navigate the road to Boston, having led the Big Red to the 2022 title game, falling to Maryland 9-7 on Memorial Day. After two hard games in the Ivy Tournament and “Slope Day” festivities on campus Wednesday, I don’t expect Cornell to be razor sharp in the NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament opening round.

Quint Kessenich covers lacrosse for the ESPN family of networks and writes for LaxAllstars. Check out his weekly podcast at laxallstars.com in the media section. Recent guests include players Ryan Goldstein (Cornell), Dom Pietramala (UNC), Alex Marinier (OSU), Max Sloat (Duke), and Eric Spanos (MD).

#1 Notre Dame vs #4 Syracuse

(Friday, May 2nd @ 5:00 PM)

Notre Dame, coming off back-to-back national championships, graduated a lot of talent. Many people wrote them off from making it back to Memorial Day weekend, especially after early-season losses against Maryland and Ohio State. Since those losses, the team is 5-1, with their only loss coming against Syracuse. The Orange currently hold a 9-5 record but split their conference play 2-2. Early-season losses against Maryland and Harvard certainly hurt the team’s morale, and a three-game losing streak to end the regular season against Cornell, Duke, and North Carolina didn’t help. Syracuse fans are probably a little worried right now, as coming off three consecutive losses into the postseason is mentally tough.

Syracuse got the best of Notre Dame just a few weeks ago in a 14-9 affair. The difference-maker was the second quarter, where Syracuse scored six unanswered goals and held Notre Dame scoreless for nearly three full quarters. Notre Dame scored their third goal of the game in the first quarter with 11 minutes remaining and wouldn’t score their fourth until the end of the third quarter, with a minute left. It was an absolutely unreal defensive run that I’m not sure can be replicated again. Syracuse shot the ball 43 times compared to Notre Dame’s 33, with both teams having around 10 saves apiece. It is alarming that Syracuse was able to win the game despite going 19-for-28 on clears. That 30-minute defensive stand from the Orange was the defining factor, despite what any of the other numbers may say.

Looking ahead to their upcoming matchup, these are two of the best teams in the country on paper. Both teams are nearly identical on offense, averaging close to 14 goals per game, putting them in the upper echelon of not just ACC lacrosse but Division I lacrosse as well. The defenses have been spectacular too, with Notre Dame getting the slight edge, averaging 8.5 goals per game compared to Syracuse’s 9.5. I am most looking forward to watching the face-off battle, as Notre Dame holds a 56% win percentage, while Syracuse sits at 58%. This game is going to be an absolute war, as both teams know what’s at stake and check all the boxes, showcasing very few vulnerabilities to be exploited.

Predicting the outcome of this game is truly a nightmare. These teams are so evenly matched on paper with stars across the board who can make big plays. Despite Syracuse winning the first time around, they only won that game because of that 30-minute defensive stretch— not to take anything away from that, but I doubt they’ll be able to replicate that again, as it was truly an anomaly. That leads me to lean toward Notre Dame, as they’ve come off back-to-back national championships and always seem to get the job done when needed, compared to Syracuse, who consistently loses big games despite their hype and talent. I’m expecting a back-and-forth battle, but with Notre Dame coming out on top.

Prediction: Notre Dame 14 – Syracuse 11

#2 North Carolina vs #3 Duke

(Friday, May 2nd @ 8:00 PM)

North Carolina squaring off with Duke in the postseason feels like a script made in heaven. North Carolina is having one of their best years in recent history, sitting with a 10-3 record. Those three losses came against Princeton, Army, and Notre Dame. Other than that, the Tar Heels have been nothing short of spectacular all season long. Many fans, including myself, felt that Duke was going to have a down year in 2025, but that could not have been more wrong. Duke only has two losses to top teams— Princeton in a one-goal affair back in February, and the other two against Denver and Notre Dame in late March. Duke’s fourth loss came in a tight matchup against the Tar Heels just a few weeks ago.

When the Tar Heels traveled down the road to face the Blue Devils, I don’t think anyone knew how much of a treat we were in for. The low-scoring game saw Duke with the lead at halftime, 5-3. North Carolina was able to put up a huge third quarter, outscoring Duke 4-1. The fourth quarter only saw one goal apiece by both squads, leading to an 8-7 final score in favor of the Tar Heels. On paper, both teams were dead even in just about every category. They had identical shots at 36 each and identical saves at 12. North Carolina secured 10 face-offs compared to Duke’s 9 and edged the Blue Devils in ground balls, 30-27. One of the only major discrepancies was North Carolina’s ability to clear the ball perfectly, while Duke went just 20-for-26. It was a masterclass performance from everyone involved, especially considering the rivalry between both schools.

On the year, both teams have been elite in the stats book. North Carolina’s offense is terrifying, averaging 13.4 goals per game, with Duke trailing slightly behind at 12.1. North Carolina’s defense has also gained an edge, averaging only 8.6 goals per game, compared to Duke’s 9.6. The Tar Heels have been on another level when it comes to face-offs, winning 64% of their draws, whereas Duke has won a modest 53%. Despite North Carolina having the edge in these three categories, the margins are small, and the rivalry will bring out the best in both teams.

When it comes to predicting a winner, it feels like it’s North Carolina’s year. The team has worked far too hard to get to this point to drop the ball now, and there’s a true love and brotherhood within that locker room. The Blue Devils are going to throw everything they can at the Tar Heels, but I believe North Carolina can handle the storm. Give me UNC making it to the ACC lacrosse championship game!

Prediction: North Carolina 11 – Duke 9

#1 Cornell vs #4 Yale

(Friday, May 2nd @ 4:00pm)

There’s not a ton to say about Cornell that you don’t already know. The number one team in the country currently holds a 12-1 record, with their only loss coming against Penn State in overtime. Other than that, the team has been flawless. CJ Kirst has been on a tear this year and will look to cap that off with a national championship. The Big Red enters the Ivy League lacrosse tournament as the number one seed with a lot of confidence, knowing they can not only win the Ivy League but make it all the way to Memorial Day weekend.

The drop-off from Cornell to Yale is monumental. The Bulldogs currently hold a 5-7 record and barely squeaked their way into the Ivy League tournament with a 3-3 conference record. The team has struggled to find any real rhythm this year but has managed to win the games they were supposed to and lose the games they weren’t expected to win.

Looking at the box score alone, the first time Cornell and Yale faced each other this year was a very Ivy League game—lots of offense, not much defense. The 19-14 Cornell win was expected, but I don’t think many people anticipated Yale to put up this kind of fight. Yale seriously could have been in contention for the win if they hadn’t allowed Cornell to score seven in the first quarter, with the Bulldog offense only putting up one goal in the third quarter. Nothing jumps out on the stat sheet as both teams were neck-and-neck in shots, saves, clears, and face-offs. The real difference in this game came from CJ Kirst, who casually threw up 10 points on nine goals and one assist, paired with Ryan Goldstein, who also had 10 points, but with two goals and eight assists. Big players make big plays in big moments—and that’s exactly what happened here. Even though Yale put up a good fight, Cornell’s star athletes were the nail in the coffin.

When it comes to overall season numbers, Cornell easily takes the cake. The offense is the best in the country, averaging 15.8 goals per game, which is astonishing. Yale, on the other hand, is averaging a modest 12 goals per game, which trails in comparison to what Cornell has been able to do this year. The Big Red defense is serviceable, allowing close to 10 goals per game, which is acceptable when your offense is as high-flying as theirs. Yale, on the other hand, has one of the worst defenses in the country, allowing 13.2 goals per game. Pair that with Cornell having a 57% face-off winning percentage compared to Yale’s 51%, and considering this is a playoff game, the writing may already be on the wall.

No surprises here, no upsets, no scares. The Cornell Big Red are built for May, and with all the little moments they’ve been building up to, I’m sure they won’t squander the opportunity.

Prediction: Cornell 18 – Yale 9

#2 Princeton vs #3 Harvard

(Friday, May 2nd @ 6:30pm)

Both Princeton and Harvard have been two of the most exciting teams to follow this year in college lacrosse. With nearly identical overall records, Princeton gets the edge, holding an 11-2 regular-season record compared to Harvard’s 10-3 year. Princeton’s one out-of-conference loss came against Maryland in late February, which has aged well considering the Terrapins’ recent success. Their only conference loss came against Cornell in a game where the Tigers didn’t play their best, which they certainly know.

Harvard’s resume would have been nearly identical had they not had an early season loss to Colgate in February. Losses like that are odd, especially when you look back on them in retrospect. Their two conference losses came against none other than Cornell and Princeton, with the Crimson putting up a pretty good fight against the Tigers in their first matchup.

The first Harvard-Princeton matchup had huge implications, as many assumed these two teams would be fighting for the number two seed in the Ivy League lacrosse tournament, which is exactly what happened. Princeton came out hot, ending the first quarter with a 5-1 lead, which helped them coast to the victory despite Harvard’s best effort. The game ended in a 13-11 victory for the Tigers, but there’s no denying that Harvard fought until the end. The main difference-maker was the goalkeeping, as Princeton was able to secure 17 saves compared to Harvard’s 12. However, it’s surprising that Princeton came out on top considering they lost the turnover battle and the clearing battle outright. The Tigers made up for this with excellent face-off play, winning 17 of 27 face-offs and dominating the ground ball battle by 10.

Both teams have had very interesting years when you look at the numbers. And in very much an Ivy League fashion, the offenses have been incredible. Harvard gets the edge in scoring, ranking in the top three with an average of 14.4 goals per game, while Princeton isn’t too far behind at 12.9. These are elite offenses that no one will want to face in the postseason. Defense, on the other hand, has been a different story. Princeton’s defense has been solid enough to get the job done, averaging 9.7 goals per game. Harvard, however, is allowing a whopping 12 goals per game. The scoring differential between both teams is similar, but my confidence lies with the team that has proven they can make a stop when needed, which, at the end of the day, is more important than putting up high numbers. One of the funniest comparisons I’ve seen this year is the face-off stats. Princeton is averaging a 43% face-off win percentage on the year, with Harvard’s being even lower at 40%. These are two of the worst face-off teams in the country with historically bad numbers.

While Harvard’s Ivy League lacrosse storyline has been fun to watch all year and their offense has been very consistent, that defense is going to hurt them in the postseason. No team can make a deep run with a defense that is allowing 12 goals per game. I’ll bet my money on Princeton’s defense, which has at least been middle-of-the-pack and can work with that when paired with an elite offense.

Prediction: Princeton 16 – Harvard 12

#1 Georgetown vs #4 Marquette

(Thursday, May 1st @ 6:00pm)

The Big East is as competitive as ever, with each of the four teams making a semifinal appearance having a shot to go the distance. Georgetown has absolutely dominated the Big East for nearly a decade now, but if there’s a year they don’t come out on top, it’s this year. The Hoyas currently hold a 9-4 record with losses to Johns Hopkins, Notre Dame, Richmond, and Denver. Georgetown is not as dominant this year as they have been in years past, with most of their games being nail-biters.

Marquette probably just feels grateful to have this opportunity. Their current 7-6 record was kickstarted by a 1-14 loss to Michigan, yikes. The team followed that up with back-and-forth wins that brought them to their roughly .500 record. They ended the regular season with a 2-3 conference record, and everything in the Big East lacrosse landscape lined up perfectly for them to make the tournament, including their huge win over Denver to close out the regular season.

The first time these two teams met in the regular season was a close affair, with Georgetown coming out on top 13-11. The double-overtime game was pure cinema from start to finish. Georgetown shot the ball a whopping 53 times compared to Marquette’s 36, but Marquette led the save battle, 17-11. Turnovers were fairly minimal, with both teams combining for 23 turnovers. Face-offs were a different story, as Georgetown went 16 for 24 at the faceoff dot. Big East lacrosse has been interesting all season long, as you never know how a team will show up to a specific game. There has been no real consistency among any of the teams, meaning anyone can beat any other team on any given day. On Saturday, April 5th, it just happened to be Georgetown’s day.

Despite Georgetown being the number one seed, Marquette is really going to give them a run for their money. When it comes to offense, they’re nearly identical, with both teams averaging close to 12 goals per game. Either offense could get hot at any moment, but they’ve both been fairly consistent this year, not having a quarter or two where they slip into a slump. On the defensive side, the Hoyas have the edge, only allowing nine goals per game compared to Marquette’s 12. This is a huge difference, as at the end of the day, the old saying rings true: defense wins championships. It’ll be interesting to see if Georgetown can dominate the face-off battle again, as both teams are around a similar mark this season.

This game has the potential to be one of two things: either Georgetown shows up with more playoff experience and dominates in commanding fashion, or Marquette does the unthinkable. For some reason, in my gut, I’m going to lean towards Marquette doing the unthinkable and upsetting the Georgetown Hoyas in a high-scoring affair.

Prediction: Marquette 17 – Georgetown 15

#2 Villanova vs #3 Providence

(Thursday, May 1st @ 9:00pm)

In this game, seeding doesn’t matter. Villanova currently maintains a 7-6 record, with five of their losses coming against out-of-conference opponents. When it comes to Big East games, the team has performed when it’s mattered most, kicking off Big East play on a four-game winning streak before Georgetown absolutely pummeled them in the final game of the regular season, securing the number one seed. Providence currently holds a 7-7 record and finished the year 3-2 in conference play. Their notable out-of-conference losses came against tough opponents, including Harvard, Duke, and St. Joseph’s. They opened up Big East lacrosse play with a one-goal loss to Georgetown and a loss to Villanova. The Friars then handled business down the stretch and went on a three-game winning streak to close out the regular season.

Villanova came out on top in their first matchup against Providence, winning 11-8. The deciding factor was Villanova limiting their errors and capitalizing on their opportunities. The Wildcats shot the ball more, turned it over less, and cleared better than the Friars. At the end of the day, this is really all you need to find a pathway to success. Face-offs and saves were pretty even between both teams. If I’m Bobby Benson with the Providence Friars, though, I’m not too thrilled about going 0-for-5 on man-up opportunities.

This is definitely a matchup where, if you play it out 10 times, each team wins five. Both teams put up interesting numbers when it comes to their production. Providence has a clear edge on the offensive side, averaging 11.5 goals per game compared to Villanova’s 9.6. Defensively, both teams are pretty even, but not particularly elite. The Wildcats are averaging 11 goals against them per game compared to Providence’s 10.5. The face-off battle in their first meeting was dead even. However, on the year, Villanova holds the edge, winning 58% of their draws compared to Providence’s 53%.

Something that will be very important to consider as these two face off again is how each team handles their current momentum. Villanova was very close to securing the one seed but got demoralized in their last game against Georgetown. Providence, on the other hand, knows they didn’t play their best game against Villanova the first time around and are currently riding a three-game winning streak. Sometimes, tough losses really cultivate culture and bring teams up from the ashes. However, other times, it can be detrimental to a season, especially in May. Providence, on the other hand, can feel very good about their winning streak, but it’s a tough ride ahead, as it could either lead to confidence or complacency.

This game really feels like a coin toss at the end of the day, but I love what Bobby Benson is building at Providence, and I think the team’s current momentum will carry them to a Big East lacrosse championship appearance.

Prediction: Providence 13 – Villanova 10

#1 Ohio State vs #5 Rutgers

(Thursday, May 1st @ 12:00pm)

The Ohio State Buckeyes are having an incredible year, sitting with a 12-2 record. One of the losses came way back on February 1st against Utah, which was a real wake-up call for the squad. Since then, the team has only lost to Maryland and has handled business everywhere else. Rutgers, on the other hand, has had a very interesting year. With a 7-8 record, the team has been under .500 all season long. They opened up Big Ten play with a win over Johns Hopkins and a surprising victory over Maryland, winning 8-6.

Every Big Ten lacrosse team qualifies for the tournament, and Rutgers was able to take down Michigan in the first round to earn this spot against Ohio State. Their first head-to-head matchup was a close affair, with Ohio State coming out on top 13-11. It was an interesting game on paper, as both teams shot the ball a considerable amount. The main difference, however, was Ohio State’s goalkeeping, with the Buckeyes making 19 saves compared to Rutgers’ eight. Rutgers’ slow start in the first quarter created too much of a gap for them to close down the stretch, resulting in a two-goal loss. Since that game, the Rutgers offense has struggled, scoring eight, eight, four, and then a nice 11 against Michigan.

When it comes to comparing these teams head-to-head, offense becomes the key difference maker. The Buckeyes are averaging 12.7 goals per game, while Rutgers is only averaging 9.1. Barely scoring nine goals a game makes it tough to win games consistently. However, the defense has been incredible. Both Ohio State and Rutgers’ defenses are averaging 8.7 goals per game, some of the best in the country. The extra possessions will matter in this one, and Rutgers may get the edge here, as they have a 57% faceoff win rate compared to Ohio State’s 50%.

This is going to be a nail-biter. It could be easy for the Buckeyes to overlook Rutgers due to their record and come up short when it matters most. Rutgers will do everything in their power to come out on top, and I feel they have the confidence and ability to do so if they can slow down the Ohio State offense.

Prediction: Ohio State 12 – Rutgers 10

#2 Maryland vs #3 Penn State

(Thursday, May 1st @ 2:30pm)

Both the Maryland Terrapins and the Penn State Nittany Lions have nearly identical resumes on paper. Both teams have secured 10 wins and finished the regular season with a 3-2 record in conference play. Maryland stumbled along the way with a triple-overtime loss to Michigan and a surprising loss to Rutgers. Penn State lost in a heartbreaking overtime game against Princeton and fell to Ohio State and Maryland in back-to-back weeks. Both squads have hovered around the top five all season long, with Maryland typically getting the edge due to their head-to-head win over Penn State.

In their first outing against each other, there weren’t many shots to begin with. Penn State shot the ball 33 times compared to Maryland’s 25, with the Terrapins making more saves—10 to 6. Penn State absolutely dominated the faceoff battle, winning 16 to 8. Other than these discrepancies, the teams were basically identical on paper. A slow first half from the Nittany Lions really hurt them, as they entered halftime down 2-7, a tough hole to dig out of. They finished the second half even, 6-6, but again, it was the first half that really decided the game.

Both teams’ offenses and defenses have been considered some of the best in the country all season long. The Nittany Lions get the advantage on offense, averaging 12.6 goals per game compared to 11.7 for the Terrapins. However, Maryland gets the slight edge on the defensive side, allowing only 7.6 goals per game compared to Penn State’s 8.8. Both of these averages are outstanding, and it’s clear we’re in for another defensive battle, which explains the low number of shots in their first matchup. Faceoffs will always be a huge factor, especially in low-scoring affairs like this, and this is where Penn State takes the final edge, winning their faceoffs at a 57% clip compared to Maryland’s 51%.

This game really feels like a 50/50 coin flip. Penn State is going to be hungry to make another trip back to the Big Ten Lacrosse Championship game after their embarrassing loss to Michigan last year. This team wants greatness, and they’ve been on the brink of it year after year. However, in big moments, it’s very tough to bet against the Maryland Terrapins. I think this will be a fairly low-scoring affair, with Maryland coming out on top.

Prediction: Maryland 9 – Penn State 7

This is the first year in quite some time where you can genuinely make an argument for 10 teams potentially winning the whole thing. A big reason for that is no conference is having a down year.

ACC (Notre Dame – North Carolina – Duke – Syracuse)
The ACC has rounded out nicely with Notre Dame and North Carolina sharing the regular season title, followed by Duke and Syracuse right on their heels. With the ACC consistently being the best conference in college lacrosse, any team can beat anyone on any given day. That’s what will make the ACC tournament so interesting to watch over the next couple of days. It’s nice to see UNC back in the conversation, as that team has really struggled to find momentum the past few years.

The only team in the ACC that truly struggled was Virginia, but the other four teams mentioned legitimately have the potential to beat any team in the country, given the opportunity—which is exactly what the NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament is all about: an opportunity to prove yourself. The ACC has consistently stepped it up a notch heading into May, and Notre Dame, Duke, UNC, and Syracuse all have the pieces to make a run.

Big Ten (Ohio State – Maryland – Penn State)
The Big Ten is having one of its strongest years in quite some time. Ohio State handled business in the regular season and emerged as Big Ten regular season champions. It’s fascinating to think that Nick Myers was on the “hot seat” at the beginning of the year but closed the regular season with a 12-2 record. Maryland and Penn State have also been absolute powerhouses this season, each securing 10-win seasons thanks to stellar defensive play. That’s really what the Big Ten has come down to this season—elite defenses. Ohio State, Maryland, and Penn State all rank within the top 10 of scoring defenses in Division 1 lacrosse. At the end of the day, the old saying rings true: defense wins championships.

Much like every other team in the country, each Big Ten team in the NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament has its flaws. But as previously mentioned, it’s all about the opportunity to prove yourself, and all it takes is one good run to make it to Memorial Day weekend. The Big Ten has shaped up to be in a position to do that this year, and it will be very interesting to see if any of these teams collapse come May.

Ivy League (Cornell – Princeton – Harvard)
The Ivy League has had a strong year at the top as well. Cornell has truly established itself as the number one team in the country, with a strong resume and a 12-1 record, their only loss coming to Penn State. Princeton has typically fallen right behind them in most of the NCAA men’s lacrosse media polls, ranked number two or three with an 11-2 record. It really seemed like multiple times this year that one of these two teams would drop the ball and slip down the rankings, but that didn’t happen. If anything, these Ivy League powerhouse programs have found their groove heading into May, which is exactly what you want.

Harvard has been one of the more exciting stories to watch over the past few years. The team has always been on the brink of greatness but has struggled to put together a consistent season without a few hiccups along the way that have prevented them from making an Ivy League or postseason run. This year, however, the Crimson are 10-3 and have one of the best offenses in the country. I surely hope Harvard makes it to at least the quarterfinals, as I think any team they play will be absolute cinema.

Conclusion
With all that being said, there are about four teams from the ACC, three from the Big Ten, and three from the Ivy League that legitimately seem like they can make a run not just at Championship Weekend but at an NCAA men’s lacrosse National Championship. The only team not featured from one of the previously mentioned conferences is Army, who is part of the mix as well. The writing is on the wall, and the regular season has set the stage for a sensational postseason tournament. Some of these 10 teams may have better odds than others, but at the end of the day, it’s all about the opportunity.

In 2016, North Carolina had the opportunity as an at-large bid to compete for a national championship, and they did exactly that. It really seems like the 2025 NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament will be pure chaos. While some teams have stronger records than others, those records go out the window when you’re playing postseason lacrosse in May.

Feels like the Big Ten can’t score, and the Ivy League is light on defense. ACC teams lack consistency. Who can play both offense and defense at a high level? Who can play complimentary lacrosse? We find out in May.

This is a huge week. Ten AQs are earned across the D1 landscape. Champ Week is an extension of the 18-team NCAA bracket. Seventy-four D1 teams get paired down to 18 by May 4. Let’s celebrate these moments and put these programs on a pedestal.

The NCAA tournament selection show is on Sunday, May 4 (ESPN+) at 9:30 p.m.

20) Sacred Heart
The Pioneers (11-2) pulled off a dramatic second-half comeback to secure an 11-7 victory over Manhattan in their MAAC finale. They’ve won seven straight and are the number one seed in the MAAC Championships. John Murray, Ryan Rooney, and Michael Moreschi had three points apiece. Dom Basti scored twice. The Pioneers host the MAAC Championships (ESPN+).

Coach Jon Basti was my guest on the Quintessential Podcast this week. The Sacred Heart success story is layered with an intense compete level in practice, guitar music, pizza, and a culture based on communication and relationships.

19) Fairfield
Fairfield (12-2) — Coach Andy Baxter has done an amazing job winning a dozen games in Connecticut. A 14-8 win over Monmouth featured a defensive lockdown, holding their opponent scoreless for a span of 28:49. During that time, the Stags caused seven turnovers and goalkeeper Owen Hirsch made seven of his 11 saves as Fairfield built an insurmountable 10-3 lead.

18) Towson
The Tigers (9-5) are winners of eight straight games after a 9-7 win over Hofstra on Long Island. The Pride’s Ben Niesman won 12 of 17 face-offs. The Tigers used a five-goal third quarter to capture the win. Goalie Matt Nilan made 14 saves and only gave up three goals in the second half. Towson went (7-0) in the CAA.

Shawn Nadelen’s team faces Hofstra (8-6) again on Thursday at 4 p.m. while Fairfield (12-2) and Drexel (7-7) take the field later that evening at 7 p.m. The winners of Thursday’s semifinal contests will face off for the CAA title on Saturday afternoon at Towson.

17) Michigan
Season is done at (7-7).

16) Rutgers
With their backs against the wall, the Scarlet Knights (7-8) found a way to defeat Michigan in an elimination game. Led by four goals and two assists from Colin Kurdyla, the Scarlet Knights earned an 11-8 win to stay alive. The defense held its ninth opponent to single digits.

Rutgers will return to Ann Arbor for a semifinals matchup against Ohio State at 5 p.m. ET on BTN.

15) Virginia
Forgettable 2025 season is officially over. The Cavaliers had their season ended by Duke in overtime on Saturday afternoon. Virginia kept fighting. The eight losses were to Duke, UNC, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Maryland, Richmond, Johns Hopkins, and Ohio State. The Wahoos finished #43 in scoring offense and #42 in scoring defense. Midfield production was lacking all season. Their shooting percentage was rated at #51 at 27%.

Now let’s see how the program reacts. National champs in 2019 and 2021, Virginia may have player defections into the portal and staff changes. Nothing would shock me.

14) Boston University
The Terriers (10-4) are the #2 seed in the Patriot League after a come-from-behind 14-12 win over Colgate. Jimmy O’Connell had eight points. The Patriot League tournament can be seen on CBS Sports on Friday, May 2.

13) Georgetown
I watched the Swamp Dogs (8-4) dispose of Villanova on Friday night in the rain. This game was sloppy. Fulton Bayman was terrific for the Hoyas and Jack Ransom couldn’t miss the net. Villanova was their own worst enemy with countless careless turnovers. The Big East is a one-bid league. Marquette, improved in 2025, plays Georgetown in the semifinals while Providence takes on Villanova. These games are on Thursday in Denver.

12) Richmond
The Spiders (11-3) sit at #9 in the RPI with quality wins over Virginia and St. Joseph’s. Unfortunately, their victories over Lehigh and Georgetown are currently outside the Top 20. Close losses to Duke and Cornell are viewed as just losses. So I don’t see Richmond landing an at-large bid if they lose in the conference tournament. If they capture their league AQ, they will be somebody’s first-round nightmare. They could potentially land the #8 seed and a home game.

Richmond will open the A10 Championship against fourth-seeded Massachusetts in the first semifinal, on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. High Point plays Saint Joseph’s at 2:00 p.m. Both games are in Philadelphia.

11) Syracuse
The Orange (9-5) were outplayed by North Carolina in the Dome and now find themselves living in the danger zone on the bubble, hoping for no chaos. Otto is a big fan of Army.

The Syracuse offense was stagnant for much of the UNC loss. Patterns rely on high wing dodges from Luke Rhoa, Michael Leo, and Sam English. They have more Canadian personnel than anybody but eschew the pick-and-roll game. Why is that? Joey Spallina needs to set more picks. They don’t have an attackman who can win a matchup. The biggest issue is the lack of separation speed on offense. So using picks is ideal. Their sticks are elite. But smart opponents just back in and pack it in.

Clearing woes hurt the cause on Saturday. Dodging success by midfielders was sold separately. Goalie Jimmy McCool kept his team in the game as UNC peppered him. SSDM Nate Levine is done for the season with a lower-body injury. That hurts. Syracuse allowed Dom Pietramala to take 20 shots. They paid the price. How many times this season has Syracuse taken dumb penalties at critical moments? #HH should be their hashtag. They aren’t playing with their heads. They don’t play with discipline.

The Orange drop into the #4 spot in the ACC and play Notre Dame on Friday in Charlotte, NC.

10) Harvard
The Crimson (10-3) squeezed past Brown on Saturday. A gritty 11-10 comeback win was essential for at-large survival. Logan Ip was the hero.

Their RPI is #10. Holding a head-to-head win over Syracuse may be critical on Selection Sunday, especially if Army stumbles. Harvard plays Princeton on Friday in Ithaca.

9) Ohio State
The Buckeyes (12-2) had a bye week. They needed it after only being able to manufacture five goals through 55 minutes against Michigan. They may have won that game, but to me it’s a red flag. Did you watch the game? Those who prefer final-score-based analysis will complain about their placement in this poll. That’s fair. They beat Penn State and Notre Dame. I was impressed with the comeback at Michigan, but I can’t just dismiss what went on for the majority of that rivalry game.

And if Ohio State played Notre Dame tomorrow on a neutral field, the Buckeyes would be Vegas underdogs. Goalie Caleb Fyock and the defense, I love. I just don’t see Ohio State as the fifth-best lacrosse team in the country. This isn’t about resumes. It’s not bracketology. It’s about who I think is best. It’s my opinion. And lastly, I’m becoming a little skeptical about the Big Ten as a league in 2025. Conference games have been rock fights. It’s an extremely well-coached, defensive-based league. Let’s see how that shakes down in May.

Ohio State plays Rutgers in the Big Ten semis. The Scarlet Knights rank #61 in scoring offense.

8) Duke
The Devils (11-4) moved a step closer to the NCAA tournament with a 10-9 overtime win at Virginia. Goalie Patrick Jameison was terrific. He made a flopping save in overtime when the ball bounced up his shorts. If you’re a goalie and wearing shorts, it pays to make them as baggy as possible. When you bend your knees and sit down on bouncers, the excess fabric can be your friend. Benn Johnston nailed the game-winner. Tomas Delgado found the net twice. Duke is RPI #7. They have a Top 5 defense in my estimation, but their attack production lags behind the serious title contenders.

Hard to believe that Denver beat Duke just a few weeks ago by a large margin. The Pios’ season ended abruptly on April 25. Along with fellow 2024 quarterfinalists Virginia and Johns Hopkins, the premature endings in 2025 will require reflection and adaptation. Things change quickly these days in college sports, and I expect to see major overhauls at Denver, Johns Hopkins, and Virginia during the offseason.

7) North Carolina
Just when you thought the Heels (10-3) were ready to fold up camp and hike into the woods, they delivered a gutsy and energetic road win in the Dome. I would estimate that the win and current resume are worthy of a Top 8 seed and home game in the NCAA tournament, regardless of what happens on Friday against Duke.

I said it last week and I’ll say it again. Dave Pietramala is the national assistant coach of the year. The work he’s doing with an inexperienced Carolina close defense has been remarkable. Dom Pietramala was unstoppable. The lefty took a whopping 20 shots himself, scoring six times with a stunning variety of releases. Owen Duffy didn’t look 100%, but Carolina got production from James Matan, Ryan Levy, Brevin Wilson, and Spencer Wirtheim. Syracuse finished the game with a 4-0 run to make it tense.

Carolina plays Duke in Charlotte next.

6) Army
The Black Knights (12-1) dusted Loyola and will now host the Patriot League semis and final. Jackson Eicher was once again lethal with his right-handed shot. When he can set his feet, the velocity overwhelms goalies. Army has dropped six RPI spots since the committee reveal.

Colgate is at Lehigh on Tuesday and Navy is at Lafayette in the Patriot League quarterfinals. Army and Boston University await the winners. Army’s RPI is #12. Their SOS is #27. An Army loss would drop them into bubble territory. They may get bypassed as an at-large team because of a low RPI. If they win out, will they host an NCAA tournament game? Their RPI says no. The eye test says yes. The Cadets are clinging to a win over North Carolina.

5) Penn State
The Nittany Lions (10-3) held off a late run by Johns Hopkins, advancing 13-12 to the league semis and likely locking up a home game in the NCAA tournament. Their RPI is currently #4. Kyle Lehman scored four times, while Luke Walstrum had four assists. JHU took seven of eight faceoffs in the fourth quarter while closing ground late.

Meanwhile, Hopkins started (6-2) and then lost all six Big Ten games. Dreadful. The last time JHU did not play a lacrosse game in May was 2020 with the Covid shutdown, and prior to that in 1945 during WWII.

Penn State will take on Maryland in the semifinals on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in Ann Arbor.

4) Notre Dame
The Irish (7-3) repeated scoreless streaks have to be a concern. They had a drought of 29:00 minutes against UNC, only scored one goal over 32:00 minutes on April 12 versus Virginia, and went without a goal for 40:00 in the Dome. It happened again on Saturday against Penn, trailing 6-1 through the first 28:00 minutes before unleashing a quarter of excellence on their way to a closer-than-expected home win on Senior Day. Bottle the seven-goal third quarter. 10-8 final highlighted by Devon McClane and Chris Kavanagh. But these types of dry spells forecast doom. Give Penn credit for their defensive effort and intensity. I expect Quaker defenseman Brendan LaVelle to get selected early in the PLL draft on May 6 (ESPN+).

ND has now won 14 straight games in May.

2025 ACC Tournament / Charlotte, N.C. / ESPN+
Friday, May 2 – Semifinals
5 p.m. – Syracuse vs. Notre Dame
8 p.m. – Duke vs. North Carolina

Sunday, May 4 – Championship
Noon – ???

3) Princeton
The Tigers ambushed Yale, jumping up 4-0 in the first five minutes on their way to a dominating 18-7 home victory. Goalie Ryan Croddick made 19 saves, Nate Kabiri hit the 100-point plateau, and senior Coulter Mackesy now has 160 goals, just three away from Jesse Hubbard. The 11 seniors honored were: Billy Barnds, Michael Bath, Sean Cameron, Liam Fairback, Koby Ginder, Michael Kelly, Coulter Mackesy, Colin Mulshine, McKnight Pederson, Jack Ringhofer, and Braedon Saris.

Princeton plays Harvard in the Ivy League semis on Friday night at 6:30 p.m. in Ithaca. They’ve sewn up a home game in the NCAA tournament first round.

2) Maryland
‘Be the Best’ (10-2) has losses to Michigan and Rutgers. That has to temper exuberance. John Tillman’s track record during standard prep weeks (five practice days) is without peer. He’s (10-1) in the NCAA quarterfinals and (8-2) in the NCAA semis. That’s incredible. On short rest, the Terps have been more vulnerable — they are (2-6) on Memorial Day and (4-2) in the Big Ten final.

The bye week was an opportunity to rest, reset, recover, and develop the back half of the roster. Maryland faces Penn State in Ann Arbor in the Big Ten semis. The Terps have locked up a Top 8 seed.

1) Cornell
The Big Red (12-1) got a record-setting day from CJ Kirst and strong outings from their specialists — goalie Wyatt Knust and FOGO Jack Cascadden — in a bland home win over Dartmouth.

The Big Red host Yale on Friday in the Ivy semis (ESPN+). I’m not sure how Yale will defend CJ Kirst and company.

Championship Week features 10 automatic qualifiers in leagues all around the nation.

NEC Tournament
Robert Morris vs. LIU
Le Moyne vs. Detroit Mercy

Thursday and Saturday on ESPN+

America East
The tournament kicks off on Thursday with semifinal action. Host Bryant takes on Binghamton in the first matchup at 4 p.m., while UMBC and UAlbany face off in the nightcap at 7 p.m.

The semifinal winners will go head-to-head for the 2025 conference championship on Saturday at 1 p.m. All games will air on ESPN+.

ASUN
Utah faces Bellarmine
Jacksonville plays Air Force

Semifinals on May 2 and the final on May 4, Sunday at noon from Jacksonville, FL (ESPN+)

Quint Kessenich covers lacrosse for the ESPN family of networks and writes for LaxAllstars. Check out his weekly podcast at laxallstars.com in the media section. Recent guests include players Ryan Goldstein (Cornell), Dom Pietramala (UNC), Alex Marinier (OSU), Max Sloat (Duke), and Eric Spanos (Maryland).

A Strong 2024 Campaign

The Blue Jays had a somewhat excellent 2024 campaign. Since Peter Milliman took over the program, the Hopkins lacrosse program has been on an upward trajectory, year after year. Milliman has done an excellent job recruiting and growing the team, to the point that they are now a consistent presence in the top 10. The 2024 season saw an 11-5 record and a big-time regular season championship, going 5-0. A shocking upset in the Big Ten semifinals against Michigan certainly took a hit on the Blue Jays, but they rallied the troops for the NCAA tournament. They handled Lehigh in the first round before facing the Virginia Cavaliers. This team showed that they were talented enough to make an appearance at Championship Weekend, as they were a double overtime loss against the Cavaliers from doing so.

A Season of High Expectations

That brings us to 2025, where the team was expected to have a massive breakout year, continuing their upward growth. Their preseason ranking in the polls hovered around 8th, with most media outlets expecting the Blue Jays to compete for a Big Ten championship and a Championship Weekend berth. The team certainly lost some well-recognized faces like Jacob Angelus and Garrett Degnon but still brought back many familiar faces like Matt Collison and Russell Melendez to carry the offensive load. There were also many young players from the 2024 campaign expected to make big jumps going into 2025, such as Brooks English and Hunter Chauvette. One of the biggest losses in retrospect was Chayse Ierlan, who was a monster between the pipes in 2024, securing a 56.7% save percentage.

The Collapse of 2025

Never in a million years did anyone expect the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays lacrosse season to be done in late April, not even making it to May. This is an extremely cataclysmic collapse that I assure you no one had on their bingo card. Coming into conference play, the Blue Jays were 6-2 with close losses against North Carolina and Syracuse. Considering both programs were comfortably within the top 10, neither of these losses was the end of the world. The following weeks quickly transcended from tough losses to straight-up nightmare fuel. The Johns Hopkins Blue Jays finished the year on a six-game losing streak, not winning a single Big Ten game. All five of the regular season conference losses were by three goals or more, with their matchup at Penn State being their worst showing, losing 4-10. They had a shot in the Big Ten tournament, where they inevitably lost by one to the Nittany Lions, which was the final page in their 2025 chapter.

What Went Wrong?

This begs the question: what exactly went wrong? Without watching every single game, certain statistics can still tell a story about where the team struggled. It is without question that the team struggled to find any rhythm offensively, with Matt Collison leading the team in points at only 33, followed by Hunter Chauvette at 31, and Brooks English at 26. Your top three players on the offensive end of the field have to be averaging more than two points a game. This led to the team ranking 54th in the country in goals per game, scoring on average only 9.9. The team was top 10 in both face-offs and clearing, so they had more than enough opportunities on the offensive side of the ball to find the back of the net. It wasn’t like they were just playing defense the entire time or couldn’t get possession through poor face-off play or a lack of clearing. Russell Melendez only playing seven games certainly hurt the Blue Jays’ offense, but it’s no excuse for their top three guys to be shooting on average 26.8%. The Blue Jays’ lack of success wasn’t entirely the offense’s fault either, as the team struggled to find which goalie they wanted between the pipes, finishing the year with a 48.5% save percentage between all three goalies who played. This led to the team being 37th in the country in goals allowed at 10.6.

What’s Next for Johns Hopkins?

So this begs the question: what now? This is certainly a season that Hopkins faithful and players alike would like to forget. But the reality of the situation is that it happened. Coming up short of your goals may feel like the end of the world in the moment, but the only way to grow, at the end of the day, is by inevitably failing. I guarantee you the coaching staff this offseason is going to do everything in their power to ensure that this never happens again. Players within the Hopkins locker room now know what losing tastes like on a consistent basis, and I’m sure they’re going to fight to make sure 2026 brings a different outcome.

This is why preseason expectations can be so detrimental to certain teams that may think they’re in a better spot than they actually are. A losing season really opens up what needs to be worked on and fixed within the X’s and O’s and also the culture. The Johns Hopkins lacrosse program will recover from this, as Peter Milliman is an excellent coach and the young men involved with the program are tremendous human beings. Don’t expect the Blue Jays to be stuck in mediocrity, as the Hopkins brand will always be tied to greatness.

An Interesting 2024 Campaign

The 2024 season was somewhat of a down year for the Virginia lacrosse program, despite making another Championship Weekend appearance. The team finished the year with a 12-6 record, which was the most losses they’d accumulated since 2018. Virginia handled its business out of conference week after week, but once ACC play kicked off, the team struggled to gain momentum. They finished the regular season with three consecutive losses to Duke, Syracuse, and Notre Dame. Despite a strong regular season, those conference losses took a toll on the team’s morale and their seeding come tournament time. The ACC tournament would be no different, as they got blown out by Notre Dame in the semifinals. The NCAA tournament, however, saw a solid win over Saint Joseph’s and a gritty double-overtime victory over Johns Hopkins, before ultimately coming up short against Maryland in the Championship Weekend semifinals.

High Hopes for 2025

Just like every season, the Cavaliers had extremely high expectations coming into 2025. Most media outlets ranked them around 6th in the country, with many expecting Virginia to potentially become the top dog in the ACC once again, with Notre Dame, Duke, and Syracuse still needing to prove themselves. The team was loaded with talent in 2024, and replacing faces like Connor Shellenberger and Payton Cormier was going to be no easy task. One thing you can credit Lars Tiffany for is his stellar recruiting year after year. Entering 2025, many young faces were expected to step up in a big way. Thankfully, McCabe Millon had an excellent freshman year and was able to gain some helpful experience while learning from the vets. Other players expected to step up in 2025 included Truitt Sunderland, Ryan Colsey, and Griffin Schutz. With all of that talent, many fans believed this team had everything needed for a national title run.

A Shocking Downward Spiral

If you had told fans in February that the Virginia Cavaliers’ season would be over by late April, they would have laughed in your face. No one saw this coming. In no world was this team supposed to fall short of an NCAA tournament appearance, especially considering the talent and expectations surrounding them. Virginia had a rough February, going 2-2, with losses to Richmond and Ohio State. The loss to Ohio State, specifically, was eye-opening as the Cavaliers were defeated 5-14, which was alarming. They would lose their following ranked matchups against Johns Hopkins and Maryland, putting the Cavaliers on red alert as they were 0-4 against ranked opponents at this point. Heading into conference play at 5-4, things were looking less than ideal, but ACC play could turn their season around with every matchup being highly touted. Somehow, someway, the Cavaliers didn’t win a single ACC conference game, closing out their 2025 season with no playoff appearance.

Breaking Down the Struggles

Breaking down the numbers and data from the year tells a clear story of where things went wrong in 2025. Offensively, certain players stepped up but never broke out to clear superstar status—something that’s needed to win a national championship. Truitt Sunderland finished the season with 51 points, Ryan Colsey had 40, and McCabe Millon had 50. While having your top three players averaging around 3.5 points a game is solid, the supporting cast struggled to keep up, making Virginia an easy team to scout and game plan for. This led to the Cavaliers ranking 42nd in the country in goals per game, scoring on average only 11.1. The team didn’t have as many offensive possessions as they would have liked, finishing the season 42nd in face-off percentage and 44th in clearing. These two numbers are telling: the only way to put the ball in the back of the net is to have ample possessions, and the Cavaliers didn’t have that in 2025. On the defensive end, the team finished with a 42nd ranking in goals allowed at 11.0. Having a break-even scoring margin was never going to be enough to win games consistently, and that’s exactly what happened to the Cavaliers this season.

What’s Next for Virginia?

So, where do the Cavaliers go from here? Losing has not been in Virginia’s bloodline for quite some time, so the 2025 season is certainly a shock for everyone involved. One thing is for certain, Lars Tiffany is one of the greatest coaches ever involved with the sport of lacrosse, and he will move his group of young men in the right direction. Having a losing season isn’t the end of the world, but never learning from it or growing certainly is. Coach Tiffany is all about growth and the journey along the way. While I’m sure not making the postseason hits home for everyone involved, he’s going to ensure the program learns from it and takes a step forward. Virginia has an excellent recruiting class coming in, and I’m sure the underclassmen will do everything in their power to make sure they don’t replicate this season moving forward. The Virginia Cavaliers will always be at the top of college lacrosse. One losing season doesn’t define the program, nor does it define the people involved. The Cavaliers will be back, and I promise you they will have a chip on their shoulder, with a level of gratitude for winning that will carry them to the top of the mountain.

So, which college lacrosse teams are performing at their peak in late April, and will that carry over into May? This is sometimes difficult to determine, as winning streaks towards the end of the year usually help build confidence. Late-season losses, on the other hand, can really sting and negatively affect any program’s momentum down the stretch. That said, there are three teams right now that have done everything possible over the past month to put themselves in the driver’s seat for the end of the season. So that begs the question: which teams are peaking at the right time?

Princeton (10-2)

The Princeton Tigers are having an extremely strong season. Their 10-2 record features an early season loss to Maryland and a tough Ivy League defeat against Cornell just about a month ago. Since that loss to the Big Red, the Tigers have been riding high on a six-game winning streak and look to close out the regular season against Yale on Saturday.

I’ve been hesitant about Princeton all season long. I think they’re a solid team, but I didn’t think they could truly make a run at a national championship or even Championship Weekend. However, there’s no denying their recent success has put them in a great position to peak at the right time heading into conference tournament play. Princeton has shown they can handle anyone in the Ivy League, even if some of the scorelines are closer than I’d like.

With quality wins over Penn State, Duke, and North Carolina, the Tigers have proven they can compete with top teams on any given day. Princeton has to be feeling pretty good about their season right now, and a six-game winning streak certainly boosts their confidence. It’ll be interesting to see if the Tigers can handle business down the stretch, but with a 10-2 record and one of the best winning streaks in the country, they’re getting hot at the right moment.

Penn State (9-3)

Even though Penn State has a solid record, I’m sure the coaching staff and players feel like they’ve left a lot on the table. A February overtime loss to Princeton is one they’d want back, especially considering they later took down the number-one team in the country, Cornell, just a few weeks later.

Penn State didn’t play its best games against Ohio State and Maryland, but since then, the team’s defense has really found a good rhythm. Their last three games include an 11-8 victory over Michigan, a 10-4 win over Johns Hopkins, and a 12-4 win over Rutgers. As we sit here in late April, heading into the conference tournament, Penn State is not a team I’d want to see on my schedule down the stretch. They’ve shown they have the talent to make it to Championship Weekend, but consistency is key. There’s no denying the Nittany Lions have been consistent in their last three games, but will that carry over into the conference tournament?

Penn State was in a similar position last year before making a run to the Big Ten Tournament Championship, where they were absolutely demolished by Michigan. I’m sure Nittany Lions faithful don’t want to repeat that history this year. Regardless, Penn State is one of the hottest college lacrosse teams right now, which is everything they could hope for as we head into May.

Army (11-1)

Army has been nearly flawless all season long, boasting an 11-1 record. They’ve blown out just about everyone they’ve played and hold a nice ACC win over UNC. Their only loss came in mid-March against Boston University in overtime, but that feels like a distant memory now. The Black Knights are riding a four-game winning streak, which should extend to five after their matchup against Loyola on Friday.

Army sits in a good position to secure the Patriot League Tournament Championship if they continue handling business. It’s been well documented that this team has aspirations of making it back to Championship Weekend, and they truly feel they can compete for a national championship. While I wish Army was a little more battle-tested, there’s a good amount of confidence surrounding this team late in the season. With only one blemish on their resume and a near-flawless year, why can’t Army make a run?

America’s team is hot right now, and I’m sure they’re going to do everything in their power to avoid losing to Boston in the Patriot League Tournament like they did last year.

I wanted to take a moment to break down some of the craziest developments from the 2025 college lacrosse season. My list is long, and I didn’t want to fit it all into one article, especially with postseason play on the horizon. I’m looking to do a second and possibly a third part at the end of the season. But for now, here are three of the craziest storylines to come out of the 2025 college lacrosse season.

Johns Hopkins Falling Apart

What an unfortunate year it has been for the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays. Starting the year as one of the favorites to win the Big Ten and a team certainly competing for a national championship, Johns Hopkins wraps up the regular season with a 0-5 conference record. Regardless of your feelings about Johns Hopkins lacrosse, I can assure you no one saw this coming. The lacrosse community was hopeful following a solid 11-5 season last year, where they were just an overtime loss away from making a Championship Weekend appearance. The pieces were still in place, and the team had shown resilience, making everyone feel fairly optimistic about the Blue Jays in 2025.

A 6-7 regular-season record was certainly not on my bingo card, and this 2025 college lacrosse Hopkins collapse deserves to be studied on its own.

Towson Turning Their Season Around

I remember Towson opening their year 0-4 and feeling like this was going to be a really rough down year for the Tigers. A close loss to Johns Hopkins and a blowout against Syracuse certainly weren’t the end of the world, but bad losses to Navy and St. Joseph’s really had the lacrosse community feeling like Towson was out of the CAA race this year. The Tigers entered the 2025 season as CAA conference favorites, but many fans felt heading into March that Towson’s season had ended in February.

That couldn’t have been farther from the truth. Towson is currently on a seven-game winning streak and is 6-0 in conference play. I’m not sure how they did it, but the Tigers’ coaching staff deserves a lot of credit for keeping that locker room intact and growing despite the rocky start.

Virginia Falling Short

Virginia was my favorite to win the NCAA National Championship this season. Lars Tiffany is one of the best coaches in the game, and the Cavaliers’ recruiting over the past few years has been on an entirely different level. It seemed like this year Virginia was going to break through and easily secure a spot at Championship Weekend. However, as I sit here writing this in late April, the team is 6-7? Impossible.

An early loss to Richmond and Ohio State really showed that this Cavalier team was not what we thought it would be coming into the 2025 season. The team has yet to win a conference game this year, and many of their wins have come against mid-tier Division 1 programs. I don’t know what Coach Tiffany is going to do this offseason, as I’m still not sure how this team collapsed so badly given their talent and expectations.

A theme will emerge in the 2025 conference and NCAA tournaments. I used to identify the senior class of contending teams because I felt like you could follow the seniors to championship weekend. This year, it might be the goalies. Goaltending makes the difference in championship games. Or face-offs may prove to be the tipping point in the tournament. Maybe it’ll be elite attack units. Or star power. Or coaches. Or the team with the best shorties. I’m not sure what it’ll be. But it’ll be something, as the group of title contenders looks to be ten deep. And that’s what makes 2025 so intriguing. The race for the gold trophy is wide open.

20) Sacred Heart
The Pioneers (10-2) have gone to overtime four times this season, finding a way to win three of those nail-biters. They are riding a six-game winning streak after beating Mount St. Mary’s 13-12 this weekend. Sacred Heart faces Manhattan on Wednesday. MAACtion is always a highlight of champ week.

When in Connecticut and craving pizza, coach Jon Basti recommends Capone’s Pizza in Branford or North Branford, and John and Maria’s Pizza in East Haven.

19) Saint Joseph’s
The Hawks (9-4) dropped a shocker to High Point. Hawk Hill will be buzzing as the Spiders travel to Philadelphia on Friday at 4pm. Richie LaCalandra has 24 of the Hawks’ 90 assists. Ben Dutton has scored 41 goals and Mark Watters is (24,0).

18) UMass
The Minutemen (9-4) lost to Richmond in a one-sided 14-5 affair. UMass has defeated Dartmouth, Albany, Vermont, Rutgers, and Saint Joseph’s. Hobart comes to Amherst on Friday in an elimination game.

17) Towson
The Tigers are (8-5) after starting the season (0-4). They have OT wins over Delaware and Stony Brook. Towson took care of Fairfield on Saturday and will host the CAA tournament. A trip to Hofstra is next. Ronan Fitzpatrick has scored 30 goals and Mikey Weisshaar has 53 points. Towson goalies have combined for a 45% save percentage while opponents are shooting 31%.

16) Georgetown
A week after scoring just three goals in a loss to Denver, the Swamp Dogs (8-4) crushed St. John’s 21-8 in Queens. They took 63 shots. Jack Ransom scored six times and Aidan Carroll added five goals. The Hoyas play Villanova this week.

The Big East feels wide open after Providence defeated Denver for the first time in program history.

Big East Standings
Villanova 4-0
Georgetown 3-1
Providence 2-2
Denver 2-2
Marquette 1-3
St. John’s 0-4

Upcoming games this week include Villanova vs. Georgetown, Providence vs. St. John’s, and Marquette vs. Denver. The Big East tournament during champ week is hosted by Denver. Somebody will emerge with the AQ and advance into the bracket of 18.

15) Virginia
The Cavaliers must run the table to secure an NCAA bid, and that starts with defeating Duke on Saturday. The winner of Duke–UVA gets an invite to the ACC tournament. The loser stays home. Virginia handled Lafayette by five on Senior Day.

Noah Chizmar is a great story for the Cavaliers. Originally a Marquette commit, the attackman from St. Paul’s in north Baltimore chose to walk on at UVA after getting accepted to the school without help from the lacrosse coaches. After a position switch to SSDM, he’s become a mainstay in the lineup and is now a senior captain. He’s earned everything, nothing has been given to him, and he competes with a spirit of gratitude.

14) Boston University
The Terriers (9-4) earned a 12-7 victory over Lehigh, highlighted by 23 saves from Will Barnes and four goals from Jimmy Kohr. Boston University owns a win over Army, and a victory over Colgate on Friday night would lock up the #2 seed in the Patriot League tournament.

Patriot League Standings
Army 6-1
Boston University 5-2
Lehigh 4-3
Colgate 4-3
Lafayette 4-3
Loyola 3-4
Navy 3-4
Bucknell 2-5
Holy Cross 1-7

13) Michigan
Yikes. This one had to hurt. The Wolverines (7-6) were up 8-5 with 5:40 to play and lost 10-8. Michigan blew a fourth-quarter lead at home to their archrival, and instead of winning the Big Ten and earning a bye in the league tournament, they now have to play Rutgers on Saturday. Any chance of an at-large NCAA tournament bid was likely squandered during the collapse.

12) Richmond
The Spiders (10-3) have won five straight. Their 14-5 win against UMass was a defensive flex, holding the Minutemen to just 22 total shots and 13 on goal. Joe Sheridan finished with four goals, and Gavin Creo scored twice. Richmond travels to Saint Joseph’s on Friday, April 25. The Spider defense ranks #5 in scoring defense nationally.

11) Harvard
In front of 4,000 fans at home, the Crimson (9-3) got dusted by Cornell 20-12. Harvard drops to the NCAA tournament bubble and will need more wins to feel comfortable.

The Crimson face Brown to close out their regular season. Their offense has been ranked in the top five in scoring for most of the spring. Holding head-to-head wins over Syracuse and Michigan may prove critical on Selection Sunday.

10) Ohio State
The Bucks (12-2) started the season with no preseason All-Americans and no Top 50 players. Goalie Caleb Fyock and defenseman Bobby Van Buren are now part of the Tewaaraton Top 25 group. They trailed Michigan 8-5 with less than six minutes to play and somehow left Ann Arbor with a 10-8 victory. Gannon Matthews was the hero. It’s their first Big Ten regular season title. OSU earns a bye as the #1 seed. The Big Ten semifinals and final will be played at Michigan.

9) North Carolina
The Heels (9-3) won four of the first five draws, took 16 shots, and scored four times while holding Notre Dame to zero shots on goal in the first quarter at Dorrance Field. That dominance quickly evaporated into a 12-6 loss. The Irish went on a 12-2 run, quashing Tar Heel momentum. Dom Pietramala and Owen Duffy shot a combined 1 for 15.

Carolina plays at Syracuse on Saturday at 5pm (ACCN). Defensive coordinator David Pietramala has his young close defense ranked #4 in scoring defense—quite an accomplishment considering the inexperience down low. Does Carolina have gas in the tank? The offense has struggled to hit double digits in their last two outings.

8) Syracuse
The Orange (9-4) fell behind 4-0 in Durham on their way to a sobering 11-7 road defeat. Syracuse just isn’t the same team outdoors—they’ve lost three of four this spring outside. Lack of offensive depth was evident as Owen Hiltz looked less than 100% healthy. Finn Thomson returned and ran a few shifts, which was a positive, but bench scoring was sold separately. The first midfield shot 3 of 17, and the second went 0 for 7. Two offsides calls in the first half were buzz kills. Syracuse doesn’t ride, and Duke, a bad clearing team, was given an EZ Pass. Not only did Duke clear effectively, but they also scored in transition—something Syracuse couldn’t duplicate.

North Carolina visits the Dome on Saturday at 5pm (ACCN). The #HHH offense ranks #5 in scoring, commits fewer than 13 turnovers per game, and is #2 in assists per game. A bounce-back is expected.

7) Duke
The Devils (10-4) changed the trajectory of their season with an 11-7 home win over Syracuse. Sunny skies and warmer temperatures greeted a packed house at Koskinen as the Devils jumped out to a 4-0 lead. Defender Cole Krauss, subbing in for Nikolas Menendez, was sensational. Eric Malever had a monster day with five goals. Syracuse cut the margin to 5-4, but Duke rattled off six straight to take control. Goalie Patrick Jameison, from Episcopal in Virginia—the same school as Army’s Jackson Eicher—made 13 saves. Aidan Maguire scored twice, and Mac Christmas rifled one from 15 yards as the rope unit contributed. Even Keith Boyer recorded a hockey assist. Duke has serious athletes on defense. This was a giant step in the right direction.

Head-to-head wins over Syracuse, Michigan, Richmond, and St Joe’s offer legitimate value on Selection Sunday. Duke has struggled in clearing and on man-down, but those issues disappeared against Syracuse.

Duke challenges Virginia on Saturday at 3pm on ACC Network. The winner plays in the ACC Tournament.

6) Army
The Black Knights (11-1) saw their RPI drop to #11 and their street cred take a hit as UNC lost to Notre Dame, and Rutgers, Navy, and UMass also fell. Army destroyed Bucknell 20-11.

The #1 ranked scoring defense is slow to slide and leaves personnel on the island. What will the committee do with Army if they don’t win the Patriot League AQ? Their strength of schedule sits at #27. Loyola comes to Michie Stadium on Friday.

5) Penn State
The Nittany Lions (9-3) abused the Rutgers ten-man ride, jumping out to a 10-3 halftime lead on Friday night. Goalie Jack Fracyon hit the empty net from 62 yards out—a one-hopper—and scored the first goalie goal for Penn State since 2008. The senior finished with 13 saves and is trending in the right direction, having eclipsed the 600-save mark on Saturday. Penn State’s 12-4 win further illustrated just how much Rutgers struggles to score.

Big Ten teams by scoring offense:
Ohio State – 13
Michigan – 42
Maryland – 37
Penn State – 14
Rutgers – 57
Johns Hopkins – 54

Penn State has had an incredibly successful 2024-25 athletics year, with the wrestling team and women’s volleyball both capturing NCAA titles. The men’s hockey team made the Frozen Four, and the football team was a playoff semifinalist after beating SMU and Boise State in the first two rounds. Success on campus is palpable.

4) Notre Dame
The Irish (7-3) turned a 4-0 deficit into a 12-6 win on Tobacco Road, alerting the nation that Notre Dame may be on an upward swing. Chris Kavanagh’s compete level was on full display. Matt Jeffrey is a budding superstar. Jordan Faison is inching back to being 100%. Shawn Lyght gave a defensive clinic. Kavanagh now has 140 career goals and Jake Taylor is at 124—both ranking top five all-time in South Bend.

Penn travels to Arlotta on Saturday at 2pm (ESPNU). How is Penn going to score on the Irish?

3) Princeton
The Tigers (10-2) were down three at halftime to Penn, but went on a 5-0 run to defeat the Quakers 12-8. Penn shot 1-for-14 in the second half and committed 11 turnovers. Peter Buonanno had four points for Princeton. Kabiri, Burns, and Mackesy combined to shoot just 2-for-17.

Yale visits Princeton this Saturday at noon on ESPNU. The Tigers are ranked #62 in face-off percentage, which will be worth watching in both the Ivy League and NCAA tournaments.

2) Maryland
I was not overly impressed with ‘Be the Best’ (10-2) on Friday night as they disposed of Johns Hopkins 11-8 in front of a raucous crowd. The TV product, shot from the sixth floor roof, was unwatchable. The Terps weren’t bad—just not exceptional. They were solid. The Jays won the majority of the face-offs. Terp Braden Erksa finished with five points.

Maryland ranks #63 in ground balls per game—not stellar—yet out-ground balled Hopkins by plus 11. Considering the face-off disparity, that’s dominance of non face-off ground balls. Hopkins won 14 draws and had only 16 ground balls for the game. I’ve never seen such a low total—that had to be a mistake in the stats. Blue Jays didn’t emerge from any piles with the ball? Maryland put 31 of 36 shots on goal. The Terps enjoy a bye week to rest, recover, and sharpen their swords.

1) Cornell
The Big Red (11-1) torched Harvard, scoring 20 goals in Cambridge and clinching the host spot in the Ivy League tournament. CJ Kirst tied Payton Cormier for the most career goals all-time at 224. Cornell used a 5-1 first quarter and a 5-1 run in the fourth to ice the Crimson. They were plus-15 in face-offs and shot 20-for-41. Willem Firth scored four times and Ryan Goldstein had six points. Jack Cascadden had 14 ground balls and went 23-for-29 at the face-off dot.

Big Green at Big Red on Saturday—a tricky game for the color blind. The Cornell offense ranks #1 in scoring.

he NCAA Tournament Selection Show is on Sunday, May 4, at 9:30pm on ESPN+.

Quint Kessenich covers lacrosse for the ESPN family of networks and writes for LaxAllStars. Check out his weekly podcast at laxallstars.com in the media section. Recent guests include players Ryan Goldstein (Cornell), Dom Pietramala (UNC), Alex Marinier (Ohio State), Max Sloat (Duke), and Eric Spanos (Maryland).

While the other rivalries are specific to lacrosse, the Wolverines and Buckeyes have hated each other for a long time. In football, the matchup is referred to as “The Game” due to its grandeur and spectacle. The rivalry goes deep, and that animosity is always evident on the field. Both football programs have gone back and forth dating all the way back to 1897, and that has carried over into all other sports.

Ohio State has hosted a Division 1 lacrosse program for quite some time now, while Michigan made the jump in 2012. Both teams officially joined the Big Ten when it launched its men’s lacrosse section in 2015. Since then, the two teams have played 14 times, with Ohio State leading the series 8-6. However, things have gotten interesting in recent years. Ohio State owned the rivalry from 2015 until the end of 2022, with an 8-2 record. But in 2023, Michigan flipped the script, defeating Ohio State in both the regular season and the Big Ten Tournament. The Wolverines repeated the feat in 2024, again taking down the Buckeyes in the regular season and the Big Ten Tournament, eventually becoming Big Ten champions.

This change coincides with Ohio State’s lack of recent success. Since 2022, the Buckeyes have gone 5-9 in 2023 and 6-9 in 2024. Coming into 2025, it seems like Michigan has taken over as the dominant team in the rivalry. As of the morning of Saturday, April 19th, both teams hold a 3-1 record in conference play and will face off at 4:00 p.m. to determine who will win the Big Ten regular season championship and earn the number-one seed in the tournament. You can’t ask for higher stakes than this. The rivalry already means so much to both players and fans alike, but now, with postseason implications on the line? It’s pure cinema.

The good news for the Wolverines is that it’s a home game, and the stadium will be packed with a sold-out crowd. On top of that, the Big Ten tournament runs through the University of Michigan this year, so regardless of the outcome, Ohio State will have to return to Ann Arbor very soon. Both Coach Conry and Coach Myers have surely done everything they can to prepare their teams for what’s going to be an all-out shootout.

Ohio State, with an impressive 11-2 record, really needs to come out on top to end their four-game losing streak against the Wolverines. Michigan, with a 7-5 record, desperately needs this win to push for a strong finish in the Big Ten tournament and the NCAA tournament.

Regardless, the Big Ten regular season championship is on the line, and that’s more than enough reason for both teams to bring their A-game. Grab your popcorn and tune into the Big Ten Network at 4:00 p.m. today.

Nowadays, when I hear “America’s Team,” I picture a team or program that captures the hearts of the nation. A team that you look at and just have to support because of how hard they worked to get to where they are. Typically, these teams have low expectations and raise the bar in just one year, making it difficult to root against them. Regardless of where your fan allegiance lies, you can look at America’s Team that year and say, “I’m glad they’re doing well.” This story is common in just about every sport, with the title holder changing from year to year.

In the NFL, the 2023 Detroit Lions season was nothing short of remarkable. They clinched their first division title in 30 years, paired with their first playoff victory since 1991. No one in the country was rooting against them. In the same year, March Madness featured its own version of an underdog story when Florida Atlantic University made an unexpected and thrilling run to the Final Four. The Owls were just the nine seed, but as the tournament progressed, everyone started supporting them, watching in wonder as they kept advancing.

The team that I think really originated the cultural shift with the term “America’s Team” was the 2018 Loyola-Chicago men’s basketball team. The University wasn’t very well-known at the time but made it all the way from the 11th seed to the Final Four. Anyone following college athletics back then knew that Loyola-Chicago had captured the hearts of the nation, and they had nearly everyone supporting them in their underdog story.

Now that we have an understanding of the term itself, let’s take a look at the current 2025 college lacrosse season and determine who is our America’s Team as we head into the conference and NCAA tournaments. I’m not going to pick a clear winner, but rather, I’ll make my case for three teams that I think qualify for the title.

Army (10-1)

It’s somewhat ironic to feature the Army Black Knights as America’s Team. Patriotism aside, Army deserves a spot on this list for several reasons. The team has had recent success but has struggled to get over the hump toward its inevitable goal: a national championship.

Out of the teams on this list, Army has been the most consistent, making it difficult to classify them as a true underdog. My main argument for supporting Army is simply: how can you root against them? Unless you’re a Navy diehard, any time Army is having a successful season, it’s widely regarded as a massive accomplishment in the lacrosse world.

I remember when the Black Knights were just one goal away from Championship Weekend two years ago. That was an electric season, and it seems like 2025 is building up to something similar for Army. This team is too likable not to support down the stretch.

Harvard (9-2)

Harvard is back? It feels like for the past couple of years, Harvard has been on the brink of a breakout season. They’d pull off some quality wins and pull an upset or two, but never really seemed to get over the hump.

As we head into May, the team currently holds a 9-2 record. An early season loss to Colgate means nothing to me at this point since Colgate is known for pulling off February upsets every year. A two-goal loss to Princeton definitely hurt but wasn’t the end of the world.

This team holds some solid quality Division 1 lacrosse wins this season, including victories over Syracuse, Michigan, Yale, Boston University, and Dartmouth.

The real test comes this weekend when they play at home against Cornell. This could really shake up the Ivy League and the national landscape. Regardless of whether Harvard wins the Ivy League outright or not, they certainly have a place in the NCAA tournament.

Harvard has grown every year, and I don’t see how anyone could argue against supporting the Crimson down the stretch. A likable team with a likable coach, defying the odds on their path to a potential conference and national championship—that’s what underdog stories are made of.

Fairfield (11-1)

The clear front-runner on this list has to be the Fairfield University Stags. The program has been relatively mediocre for a number of years, but that’s all changed this year. The Stags currently hold an 11-1 record, with their only loss coming in a surprise upset against Stony Brook. Other than that, Fairfield has been flawless.

Their strength of schedule might not be the strongest, given their middle-of-the-pack status, but even in this landscape, it’s difficult to escape the regular season with only a handful of losses. Fairfield also possesses another likable coach in Andrew Baxter, which makes it easy to root for them.

Fairfield has never had much national relevance in the lacrosse world, but they fit the bill of an underdog story, similar to Loyola-Chicago and FAU in basketball. A team that has no business pulling off upsets and winning down the stretch but carries themselves with a ton of heart—that’s what the Fairfield University lacrosse program is this year.

They certainly aren’t high on my list of teams I’d want to face in the NCAA tournament, but even if they make it out of the first round, that would be a momentous achievement for the program.

Eleven teams are in the hunt for an NCAA tournament seed. League tournaments in the Big Ten, ACC, and Ivy will shape the bracket. The questions are simple—who can keep improving? Who can stay healthy? Who can find that extra gear when the calendar flips to May?

In terms of hosting a playoff game, eleven teams appear to be in the mix (in my opinion). Based on current RPI order, the list includes:

Princeton
Maryland
Penn State
Cornell
North Carolina
Army
Harvard
Syracuse
Notre Dame
Ohio State
Duke

Perhaps Michigan can leapfrog into the conversation with two more wins. Duke holding head-to-head wins over Saint Joe’s and Richmond is critical. But remember, three of the above will fall out of the top eight and end up with road games in the first round. If Army doesn’t win the Patriot League, someone on this list may be bumped entirely from the at-large picture.

20) Sacred Heart
Pioneers (9-2) have won five straight, the latest over Quinnipiac, and are now (5-1) in the MAAC. Canisius and Siena are front and center for the league AQ. Graduate goalie Alex Pazienza has made over 500 career saves. The bouncy righty is stopping shots at a rate north of 57%.

19) Yale
Welcome back. Three straight wins over Brown, Penn, and Dartmouth have Yale and coach Andy Shay in the Ivy League tournament mix. A 21-12 win over the Big Green marked a step in the right direction in a season filled with injuries. Don’t forget about Chris Lyons and Leo Johnson. The Bulldogs finish the regular season with Hofstra, Albany, and Princeton.

18) Rutgers
Scarlet Knights (6-7) missed the net 13 times in the first 30 minutes. Minimally invasive offense never wins. Dodge to the dirt. It’s hard to believe this squad beat Maryland. Scarlet Knights try hard, they’ll hit you, but the 24 turnovers and lack of separation quickness on offense prove fatal. RU tries Penn State on Friday night (BTN).

17) UMass
Minutemen are on the verge of a ten-win season (9-3) for coach Greg Cannella, with victories over Rutgers, St. Joe’s, Dartmouth, Albany, and Vermont. Trace Hogan, Aidan Drunsic, and Robbie Granara are leading the way. The Gorillas face Richmond on Saturday.

16) Denver
Following Army-Navy, the televised 7-3 win at Georgetown was tough on the eyes. Pios (6-5) mixed zone and man-to-man defense. Malcolm Kleban made 11 saves in the swamp. The EMD unit was in shutdown mode. Hoyas shot 3 of 33. Noah Manning had four goals for coach Matt Brown. It’s hard to trust anybody in the Big East this year. Expect chaos the rest of the way. What’s up with scoring goals this year? Marquette scored two. Georgetown scored three. Duke scored seven. Hopkins just four. Hofstra, High Point, and Penn managed only six.

15) Fairfield
Stags (11-1) picked up a giant win at Delaware as Will Consoli had seven points and goalie Owen Hirsch made 16 saves. Fairfield heads on the road to face Towson this week. The CAA race is no joke.

14) Saint Joseph’s
Hawks (9-3) have won nine of their last ten games, the latest over Hobart. Richie LaCalandra put up eight points and Ben Dutton scored five times. Hawks face High Point next.

13) Richmond
Spiders (9-3) stung High Point 11-6 on Senior Day to improve to (3-0) in the A10. Going 7-for-21 on face-offs wasn’t ideal, but the defense, led by Mitchell Dunham (6 GBs and 5 CTs), limited High Point to 25 shots. A critical game with UMass is next on the calendar. The Atlantic 10 trio of UMass, St. Joe’s, and Richmond are all having stellar seasons. The A10 winner is a nasty draw in the round of 16.

12) Michigan
Wolverines (7-5) were tied 3-3 at halftime in a defensive battle and went over 23 minutes without a goal. It was a hard-fought game at Rutgers, devoid of transition. Ryan Cohen pumped one past the wide-stanced RU goalie Cardin Stoller for an 8-6 lead with 8:00 to play. Big Blue held on for the 8-6 win. Not impressed with Big Ten offenses right now. Michigan (3-1) in conference currently sits in first place with OSU. The rivalry game in Ann Arbor with Ohio State is always theatre.

11) Duke
Devils (9-4) couldn’t find the net in an 8-7 loss to UNC. When the starting attack combines for three points, you’ve got problems. Six failed clears didn’t help, and scoring just two goals over the final 30 minutes is a recipe for disaster. The defense was excellent—holding Carolina to eight goals is a winning effort.

Junior FOGO Luke Engelke has exceeded expectations in Durham. Close defender Charlie Johnson has helped lessen the blow of losing Kenny Brower. Johnson covered Brennan O’Neill daily on the scout team last spring, and matchups with Owen Duffy, Joey Spallina, and McCabe Millon will define his season. Devils entertain Syracuse on Saturday at 2pm (ACCN). Duke could use another quality win to elevate off the bubble.

10) Penn State
Penn State (8-3) dominated Hopkins 10-4 as Matt Traynor poured in seven goals. “We Are” leaves Hopkins wanting more, with the Jays having now lost four straight in Big Ten play. The Nittany Lions rank #3 in both RPI and strength of schedule.

Rutgers and Penn State meet on Good Friday, April 18, on BTN.

9) Harvard
Crimson (9-2) had too much firepower for Penn, as Jack Speidell continued his magical ways with five goals. This kid is a star, and the combo with Sam King is lethal. For once, Harvard won the majority of the face-offs. Martin Nelson, their top defenseman, deserves All-American status. He plays close, takes LSM runs, and lines up on the wing when they double pole face-offs. He creates mayhem and causes turnovers. Ray Dearth and Owen Guest are two underrated SSDMs for coach Gerry Byrne. Harvard plays a lot of defense because they win under 40% of their draws, but they create possessions with a relentless ride.

Crimson face Cornell next. A Big Red win means they host the Ivy Tournament. A Harvard victory could trigger a party in the North End and a three-way tie with Princeton and Cornell.

8) Notre Dame
A must-win against Virginia gives the Irish a 6-3 record and an RPI of #9. A third-quarter surge and a seven-goal run made the difference. Bagpiper Ben Ramsey went coast to coast, igniting the Arlotta crowd. Ten different players recorded a point in the much-needed 12-7 win that bolstered their otherwise mediocre resume.

Four players are flying under the radar this season. Defender Nate Schwitzenberg has been rock solid in his first year as a starter. Freshman midfielder Matt Jeffery looks like a future star. Short-stick Christian Alacqua has made major strides in 2025, and LSM Will Donovan is winning his matchup every week.

Golden Domers travel to North Carolina on April 19 (ESPNU).

7) Ohio State
The Buckeyes’ 11-game win streak came to an end in a 13-8 loss to Maryland. Ohio State’s first midfield was underwhelming. Righty sniper Alex Marinier, who switched from defense after two years, has been lighting up goalies, but Maryland clamped down on him. Through their first eight games, OSU shot 29.8%. Then they heated up, shooting 41% over four games. On Saturday, they crashed back to 8-of-33 (24%).

Ohio State’s RPI is #10, and a strength of schedule of #19 shows some weak spots in their slate. The Buckeyes play Michigan next in Ann Arbor. There’s still work to be done, or they’ll be sweating it out on Selection Sunday.

6) North Carolina
Heels (9-2) took a gritty 8-7 win over Duke in a defensive battle. Painting Durham Carolina blue is always a special moment. Injury concerns around Owen Daly and Dom Pietramala do temper the optimism.

North Carolina faces Notre Dame on Saturday at noon on ESPNU. Anish Shroff and Paul Carcaterra will be on the call from Dorrance Field.

5) Army
Black Knights tied it up 4-4 at the buzzer before halftime on a soft, no-angle goal. That momentum carried into the third quarter, building a 7-4 lead. Navy started to take on water after giving up five in a row, but they righted the ship and were down just 8-6 to begin the fourth. Army leaves defenders on an island with slow-to-slide mechanics. Navy tied it 8-8 with 12:00 to play, then took a 9-8 lead on a sneak by Mac Haley after a late Army defensive rotation. This game always delivers epic ground ball battles. Navy led 10-9 with 6:00 remaining after midfielder Jack Flaherty scored while falling down the right alley. It became 11-9 with 2:06 left. Army midfielder Evan Plunkett scored on a rollback to make it 11-10, then struck again off the invert to tie the game at 11 with 1:23 remaining. Timeout. Navy turned it over high in the zone, and Army scored on a fast break just as the clock hit zero. Extra time in Annapolis. Army had the first possession in OT, but Dan Daly made a point-blank save on a high-to-high sneak attempt from Plunkett. Level changes matter. Navy took possession and called timeout, but their drawn-up play fizzled into a weak-angle shot. Army regained the ball, and coach Joe Alberici called timeout. Jackson Eicher won it by bulldozing his way right-handed up the hash. The rent is due. Army wins 12-11 in OT and sings second. This rivalry never disappoints. Saluting all the men who stepped into the arena and battled.

Army’s (10-1) hopes for the Patriot League AQ and an at-large bid both remain intact. Their SOS of #22 is a drag. Bucknell, the most erratic team in the country, is next.

4) Syracuse
Syracuse (9-3) held Notre Dame scoreless for 39:53 last week. RIT transfer Michael Grace effectively covered Jake Taylor in that game, so surrendering 17 goals to Cornell a week later was a massive step in the wrong direction. Shot selection on offense wasn’t up to par. Too often, Syracuse takes the first available shot instead of hunting the best one. Coverage of CJ Kirst and Ryan Goldstein struggled with a slide-happy scheme. Against elite opponents, seven penalties is a losing formula. The Orange seemed to unravel in the cold rain and continue to struggle outside the cozy Dome.

Syracuse is at Duke on Saturday at 2pm (ACCN). I’ll be in Durham with Chris Cotter for this one.

3) Maryland
‘Be the Best’ (9-2) silenced Ohio State in Columbus, 13-8. Maryland trailed 2-1 midway through the first quarter, then sparked an 8-1 run to take a 9-3 halftime lead. Maryland bench scoring remains non-existent.

Maryland hosts Johns Hopkins on Friday night at 8pm on BTN, with Joe Beninati and Mark Dixon six floors above the action.

2) Princeton
Princeton handled Brown 17-7. When you watch the Tigers play, LSM Michael Bath jumps off the screen for his impact in the middle of the field. SSDM Cooper Mueller, a Princeton legacy whose dad Kit played hoops for PU in 1991, has put together a strong campaign. Coach Matt Madalon and staff continue to produce winning results.

Tigers and Quakers play this week.

1) Cornell
Big Red (10-1) hit the ten-win mark after putting up 17 goals against Syracuse on Long Island. CJ Kirst and Ryan Goldstein ran circles around the Orange defense with patience and precision. Goalie Wyatt Knust was razor sharp early while building an 8-2 lead. Cornell has nine Long Island public school players on the roster. I love the grit. You have to respect the 16 goals per game this offense is averaging.

Sophomore Ryan Goldstein is averaging three assists per game. The X attackman and Cornell legacy joined me on the podcast this week.

Cornell did not qualify for the NCAA tournament in 2024. They’ve made champ weekend appearances in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2018, and 2022. This senior class played in that 2022 title game. The 160-year-old program owns NCAA titles in 1971, 1976, and 1977. Dust ’em off.

The men’s and women’s NCAA lacrosse championships will be held at Gillette Stadium on Memorial Day weekend. Men’s Quarterfinals are set for Hofstra and Navy on May 17 and 18, and it looks like those matchups will be can’t-miss games in 2025. The bracket will feature ten automatic qualifiers and eight at-large selections. The top eight seeds will host first-round games in the round of sixteen. The NCAA selection show airs on Sunday, May 4 at 9:30pm on ESPN+.

Quint Kessenich covers lacrosse for the ESPN family of networks and writes for LaxAllstars. Check out his weekly podcast at laxallstars.com in the media section. Recent guests include current players Dom Pietramala (UNC), Alex Marinier (OSU), Max Sloat (Duke), Eric Spanos (Maryland), Shawn Lyght (Notre Dame), Coulter Mackesy (Princeton), Billy Dwan III (Syracuse), and Casey Wilson (Denver).

Lacrosse Reference does an outstanding job of processing all the hard data into useful analytics. If you want to get lost down a rabbit hole, I highly recommend checking out their website.

However, for today’s article, I wanted to keep things simple. I’m going to break down Quint Kessenich’s Top 20 and look at the top 10 teams, comparing their offensive and defensive scoring margins. Lacrosse scoring margins is one of the easiest stats to track in any sport, but it tells an important story—especially for teams competing for a national championship. If you look at the last five national champions and their scoring margins, trends start to emerge. Here are the last five NCAA Division 1 lacrosse national champions alongside their offensive and defensive margins:

2024: Notre Dame (#1 Offense 15.6) | (#1 Defense 8.9) | (#1 Scoring Margin 6.7)
2023: Notre Dame (#3 Offense 15.5) | (#6 Defense 9.6) | (#1 Scoring Margin 5.8)
2022: Maryland (#1 Offense 17.6) | (#4 Defense 9.0) | (#1 Scoring Margin 8.6)
2021: Virginia (#3 Offense 14.6) | (#40 Defense 11.6) | (#12 Scoring Margin 2.9)
2019: Virginia (#7 Offense 14.1) | (#18 Defense 10.2) | (#4 Scoring Margin 3.8)

For the past three years, the team with the number one scoring margin has gone on to win the national championship. This shows an upward trajectory of what your scoring margin needs to be in order to succeed. Virginia got away with being ranked 12th in 2021 and 4th in 2019, but the sport has truly evolved with the implementation of the shot clock. After COVID, teams started to really find their groove with offenses structured around the shot clock, and I believe this shift is reflected in the number one scoring margins over the past three years.

At this point, it’s safe to say that you should comfortably be in the top five for both scoring offense and defense. With that baseline in mind, let’s take a look at Quint’s top 10 teams in his most recent poll and compare their scoring margins, starting with offense.

Offense

1) Cornell (#1 Offense 15.9)

9) Harvard (#3 Offense 15.2)

4) Syracuse (#5 Offense 14.9)

8) Notre Dame (#6 Offense 14.7)

7) North Carolina (#7 Offense 14.7)

5) Army (#11 Offense 13.6)

2) Ohio State (#13 Offense 13.3)

10) Penn State (#14 Offense 13.0)

3) Princeton (#21 Offense 12.1)

6) Maryland (#42 Offense 11.0)

There are a few surprises here. To see number three Princeton with one of the lower scoring offenses in the top 10 was not expected. The same goes for Ohio State—based on the eye test, I thought they’d crack the top five. Maryland being at the bottom didn’t surprise me, as their defense has really been carrying them all year long. The difference between scoring 12 goals and 14 goals in the national tournament is massive. So while these margins may seem tight on paper, in reality, they can make a world of difference.

Defense

5) Army (#1 Defense 6.1)

6) Maryland (#2 Defense 7.6)

7) North Carolina (#4 Defense 8.2)

4) Syracuse (#5 Defense 8.2)

2) Ohio State (#9 Defense 8.5)

8) Notre Dame (#14 Defense 9.1)

10) Penn State (#18 Defense 9.5)

1) Cornell (#19 Defense 9.7)

3) Princeton (#36 Defense 10.5)

9) Harvard (#53 Defense 12.0)

What a year it’s been for defense. Army holding teams to just 6.1 goals per game is astonishing. But don’t let that take away from Maryland’s 7.6 goals per game—an impressive feat as well. The more surprising takeaways here come from the bottom of the list. Harvard is certainly not going to get very far, even in the Ivy League tournament, allowing 12 goals per game. The same could be said for Princeton at 10.5 goals allowed. Cornell really stood out to me—having the #1 offense is great, but if you have the 19th best defense in the country, you might be cutting it close.

Total Scoring Margin

5) Army (Scoring Margin 7.5)

4) Syracuse (Scoring Margin 6.6)

7) North Carolina (Scoring Margin 6.5)

1) Cornell (Scoring Margin 6.2)

8) Notre Dame (Scoring Margin 5.6)

2) Ohio State (Scoring Margin 4.8)

10) Penn State (Scoring Margin 3.5)

6) Maryland (Scoring Margin 3.4)

9) Harvard (Scoring Margin 3.2)

3) Princeton (Scoring Margin 1.6)

Army leading the pack in lacrosse scoring margins wasn’t surprising to me. It’s been clear all year that their offense is explosive, but the defense really grounds the team. Some may say that because they play in the Patriot League, they aren’t facing stiff competition—which is reflected in their scoring margin. My response would be that according to Lacrosse Reference’s data, Army ranks eighth in the country in overall strength of record, showing that their schedule is tougher than it may seem. Army also managed to take down North Carolina, who falls to third in the scoring margin category.

This Army team is legit and could make a run at a national championship. However, don’t sleep on Syracuse, North Carolina, and Cornell, because at the end of the day, national championships are determined by play on the field, not analytics. Having great D1 lacrosse scoring margins is great, but are not the determining factor of who will win the game. However, if you want to make a run at a national championship, it certainly shows which teams are capable of doing so.

Why aren’t teams playing more stand-alone games on Sunday? Does anyone care about attendance or eyeballs? I would estimate a 50% increase in fans and five times the social media impact by playing in a solo time slot. Saturday noon games offer a low ROI. There were 50-plus games (men’s and women’s) to choose from on ESPN+ at 1pm on Saturday. Where is the promotion and innovation in men’s lacrosse? Teams continue to bypass creative scheduling opportunities. I wish coaches’ compensation was tied to attendance and TV ratings rather than camps and prospect days.

20) Sacred Heart
Pioneers have won five straight, the latest over Quinnipiac. (9-2) with Mount St. Mary’s on the horizon. MAAC race always unpredictable. Canisius and Siena both playing well in league.

19) Georgetown
Hoyas (7-3) survived in double overtime 10-9 at Marquette. Aidan Carroll and Fulton Bayman have been standouts. Opponents shooting 33 of 87 (38%) in the first quarter against GT. Denver travels to the swamp on Saturday. GT has losses to JHU, Notre Dame and Richmond with zero top 20 wins. The Big East is a one bid league. GT and Nova both 2-0 in the league.

18) Fairfield
Stags (10-1) ran past Hofstra a week after losing to Stony Brook. Ten wins for Fairfield is tremendous but the road gets rough at Delaware next. CAA is a tight battle between Towson, Fairfield, Hofstra and Delaware.

17) Dartmouth
Big Green (7-3) still in the hunt for the Ivy Tournament but floundering some after consecutive losses to Princeton and Harvard. Keep in mind Dartmouth was (3-10) last spring. Coach Sean Kirwin is transforming the program. Making the Ivy field of four would be a huge deal in New Hampshire. Dartmouth travels to Yale.

16) Rutgers
Scarlet Knights (6-6) have an RPI of 16 and put themselves into the B10 race with an 8-6 win over Maryland. RU offense is ranked #55 in scoring. Defense is #15. Close defense of Tommy Mendyke, Ben McKelvy and Ben Stephanos. They don’t have any bad losses and play a challenging schedule with a #14 SOS. The win was historical. RU claimed its highest ranked win in program history. It was just the second lifetime win over Maryland, and first since 1980, snapping a 19-game winning streak for the Terps. Wow. Would never have guessed that. Cardin Stoller made 14 saves and scored a goal against the ten man ride.

I’ll say it again. A ten man ride without ball pressure is a ticking time bomb. Rutgers faces Michigan next.

15) Boston University
Terriers (8-3) were toasted by Duke at home. Wins over Siena, Brown, Monmouth, Air Force, Bucknell, Loyola, Holy Cross and Army are not enough right now. RPI of 17 just isn’t in at-large range. BU is at Lafayette in coal country. Goalie Will Barnes is trusting his intuition and defender Connor Kehm reads opponents well. The Patriot League revolves around Army with BU, Colgate and Navy the possible upsetters.

14) Saint Joseph’s
Hawks (8-3) have won eight of nine and dominated St. Bonaventure 15-3 on Saturday playing 36 men. Ben Dutton scored five times and Collin Campbell had a hat trick. D-man Levi Verch scooped up seven ground balls and has 66 on the year. Hobart plays in Philly on Saturday.

13) Richmond
Spiders (8-3) used a 5-0 start and let goalie Zach Vigue do his thing, earning the 36th victory of his career in a win over Hobart. High Point visits the Web this weekend. The Richmond defense is underrated, and they have quality wins over Georgetown and Virginia.

12) Michigan
Wolverines (6-4) try hard, but they are offensively challenged. Pick-heavy offense makes sense for a team without alpha dodgers. Scoring doesn’t come easy. A 7-6 lead after 45 minutes on Sunday in front of a packed house in Ann Arbor disappeared as the offense went dormant late. Penn State grabbed the key game with a late surge. Wolverines face Rutgers on Sunday at noon (BTN). Offense sold separately. Michigan has wins over Maryland and Hopkins in the Big Ten and an RPI right in the mix at #12. More work to do.

11) Duke
Devils (9-3) suffered a pair of seven-goal losses to Denver and Notre Dame before departing for Boston University. So the 12-7 win over BU stops the bleeding. An 8-2 run during the middle portion of the game provided the separation. Duke’s midfield defense was excellent. Coach John Danowski got offensive production from Max Sloat, Luke Engelke, Liam McClane, Aidan Maguire and Graham Blake. Team weakness remains the attack unit, which seems to change each week. Duke vs. Carolina rivalry game is on Saturday at 4pm on ACCN. This will be an outstanding game.

10) Penn State
Looks like Penn State (7-3) is sliding more on defense this year, leading to opponent step-down looks with feet set. They struggle when sliding, rotating, and recovering, which means they aren’t giving up goalie-friendly shots. Sliding less would help keep things simpler for their All-American goalie, and that’s one reason Jack Fracyon’s save percentage is down in 2025—he hasn’t forgotten how to play. Fracyon was excellent in the second half against Michigan. PSU double-poled Michigan’s first midfield and a pair of quick goals gave the Lions an 8-7 lead with 11:00 to go.

They never looked back, winning 11-8 for their first league victory. Matt Traynor hit the 100-goal mark in the win. FOGO Colby Baldwin has played great in 2025 and gets tested by JHU’s Logan Callahan this week. “We Are” welcomes “We Want More” to Happy Valley.

9) Harvard
Crimson (8-2) ride is elite. It’s energy-based and often an offensive midfielder drops back to deny a shorty an easy outlet before playing defense. That tweak has made a major difference. Why does Harvard have a #5 RPI? Wins over Syracuse, Michigan, and BU make up a smart résumé with no RPI drainers on the menu. Jack Speidell continued his mastery of the crease with six goals in an 18-7 win at Dartmouth. A 7-0 first quarter and 11-1 halftime margin told the tale. Penn comes to Cambridge on Saturday.

Coach Gerry Byrne was my guest on the Quintessential Podcast this week—he talks all things Harvard lacrosse.

8) Notre Dame
A 3-0 lead in the Dome quickly unraveled into a lopsided loss to Syracuse. Irish (5-3) shorted Michael Leo while placing a pole on Sam English and paid the price. Leo controlled the matchup and SU’s picking game caused defensive confusion. Teams that attack Notre Dame from behind the cage tend to have more success than those who initiate from the alleys. Irish made uncharacteristically sloppy defensive mistakes. The first midfield lacked pop and the face-off trio struggled all day. Virginia limps into Arlotta Stadium for a 5pm game on Saturday on ESPNU. Jake Taylor is shooting over 50% from the slot and Chris Kavanagh is pouring in around five points per game.

It’s bounce-back time for the Irish, who already have quality wins over Michigan and Duke.

7) North Carolina
An important home win over Virginia was a step toward both the ACC tournament and NCAA tournament for a UNC program moving in the right direction. The Heels (8-2) used relentless possession to break open a 7-7 tie in a commanding 18-9 win on an 84-degree afternoon in front of a lively crowd. UNC took 51 shots and got contributions from Spencer Wirtheim, Ty English, Mason Szewczyk, Ryan Levy, Parker Hoffman, Brett Koopman and FOGO Brady Wambach.

It was a critical rebound after the Army loss and solidifies the Heels as a potential NCAA seed. They’ll take the short trip to Durham for a rivalry showdown at Duke on Saturday at 4pm on ACCN.

6) Maryland
‘Be the Best’ (8-2) got upset by Rutgers 8-6 in what might be the most shocking result of the weekend. That score resembles something from the stall-ball era, not the shot clock era. Playing in an empty football stadium can be tricky. The Terps shot just 6-for-40 and once again got zero bench production—non-starters shot 0-for-20. Turtles now head to Columbus to take on Ohio State on April 12 in what should be a showcase goalie matchup between Caleb Fyock and Logan McNaney.

All six Big Ten teams qualify for the conference tournament, but Maryland still has work to do.

5) Army
Duty. Honor. Country. Those three words greet you at Michie Stadium. Jackson Eicher has a right-handed bazooka—when his feet are set, goalies have no chance. On the run, he’s a tank like Dylan Molloy. Army (9-1) worked their bread and butter by isolating Evan or Hill Plunkett to create space for Eicher. The Black Knights took care of Colgate 13-7, showcasing their physical, stingy defense. A 4-0 first quarter set the tone, and a 4-0 third quarter slammed the door. Despite nine failed clears and an 0-for-5 day on EMO, Army still won by six. Eicher scored five times, and FOGO Will Colletti was fully back in the mix.

Army heads to Navy on Saturday for a big-time rivalry game, televised by CBS Sports Network. Evan Washburn returns to the lacrosse booth after covering the NFL and March Madness. Rent’s due in Annapolis.

4) Syracuse
11,000 fans in the Dome feasted on Dome dogs while the Orange took care of Notre Dame, pulling away 14-9 despite clearing just 19-of-28. Offensive coordinator Pat March leaned heavily on the picking game, isolating Joey Spallina’s defender, Shawn Lyght, in difficult spots. Spallina was masterful off-ball. FOGO Johnny Mullen won the day, and midfielder Sam English continues to be the ultimate Swiss Army knife. SSDM Carter Rice remains one of the most underrated players in the country.

Now sitting at (9-2) with serious momentum, the swag kings head to Long Island to face Cornell. Joey Spallina and company are going back home. This one’s going to be epic.

3) Princeton
FOGO Andrew McMeekin has been improving steadily over the past few weeks. Hustle is a skill, and he’s displaying it. A 17-12 Tuesday win over Lehigh was powered by the starting attack and freshman Peter Buonanno, who finished with (2,2). Tigers fired off 58 shots but had six failed clears, which allowed Lehigh to reach double digits—a red flag. Goalie Ryan Croddick leads the nation in saves per game, a credit to his play but also a symptom of a defense yielding too many shots.

Saturday’s 10-5 victory over Vermont showed how mid-week games can impact energy and execution. Princeton led 7-1 at half behind strong defense. Coulter Mackesy scored four times and Barbecue Burns added a hat trick. Brown visits New Jersey next. Princeton’s RPI is strong with key wins over UNC, Duke, Harvard, Dartmouth, and Penn State.

2) Ohio State
Eleven-game win streak still rolling after the Buckeyes spoiled Johns Hopkins’ homecoming party. Righty sniper Alex Marinier buried six goals and Garrett Haas registered his third hat trick of the season. Hopkins slid erratically and didn’t get enough from the goalie position, allowing OSU to lead wire-to-wire. At (11-1), the Bucks hold a #11 RPI—partially a result of scheduling Detroit, Cleveland State, Bellarmine, and Air Force. Next up: Maryland in Columbus. This is the sequel to “glove gate.”

1) Cornell
Big Red (9-1) handled Albany 18-11 on Tuesday with their dynamic attack trio accounting for 16 points. Brendan Staub, Jayson Singer, and Matt Dooley anchor the close defense. Against Brown on Saturday, the toll of the two-game week showed as Cornell needed a late 4-1 push to secure a 13-9 win. FOGO Jack Cascadden had a day, going 15-of-22 with seven ground balls and a goal.

Now it’s time to embrace the moment. ‘Hard Hat 21’ travels to Long Island to face Syracuse on Saturday. Big Red’s RPI still trails their poll ranking. CJ Kirst continues to put up Tewaaraton-level numbers, averaging over five goals per game. Michael Long is shooting 47% for the nation’s top-scoring offense. Face-offs and defensive stops will be key in this heavyweight bout.

The men’s and women’s NCAA lacrosse championships will be played in Gillette Stadium on Memorial Day weekend. Men’s Quarterfinals will be played at Hofstra and Navy on May 17 and 18. It would appear as if the quarters will be amazing in 2025. Ten automatic qualifiers and eight at-large selections form the bracket. Higher seeded teams host in the round of sixteen. The selection show is on Sunday, May 4 (ESPN+), when the dust settles.

Quint Kessenich covers lacrosse for the ESPN family of networks and writes for LaxAllstars. Check out his weekly podcast at laxallstars.com in the media section. Recent guests include current players Dom Pietramala (UNC), Alex Marinier (OSU), Max Sloat (Duke), Eric Spanos (MD), Shawn Lyght (ND), Coulter Mackesy (Prin), Billy Dwan III (SU) and Casey Wilson (DU).

On the inverse, however, talking about teams to sell stock in? That gets a little difficult. The three teams I discuss on the sell list could certainly surprise me down the stretch—and boy, would I look like quite the fool. However, this list is purely subjective and based entirely on my own discretion, team momentum, confidence, and the overall eye test of how they’re playing on the field.

There isn’t much analytics or data driving this—just vibes, results, and what’s ahead.

Duke (8-3)

The Blue Devil resume is just ugly this year. An 8-3 record feels solid, but when you look deeper into the resume, it just doesn’t carry much weight. The most impressive part of Duke’s 2025 season was a one-goal loss to Princeton on a Friday night.

Other than that, their most impressive win is an overtime game over Michigan. Richmond took the Blue Devils down to the wire, and Duke was lucky to walk away with the double-overtime winner. Ugly losses against Notre Dame and Denver have truly left a poor taste in my mouth.

I’m not exaggerating when I say I truly believe Duke can lose their next four games to close out the regular season. Their upcoming road game against Boston University just feels like a trap. North Carolina and Syracuse seemingly have too much talent on their respective squads to lose to the Blue Devils.

I truly think Duke will be 0-3 at that point and then have to go on the road to Klockner Stadium to face off against Virginia. Even though Virginia is in a down year, I don’t think Duke’s confidence will be high enough to walk away with a win.

I don’t think many people had much confidence in the 2025 Duke lacrosse season, but I don’t think anyone had them potentially falling out of the Division 1 lacrosse top 20 by the end of the year. They certainly could surprise me, but the trajectory they’re on doesn’t have me confident at all. Therefore, I’m selling all stock in Duke.

Georgetown (6-3)

The Georgetown Hoyas have been one of the most consistent teams in all of Division 1 lacrosse over the past few years. Coming into this season, it seemed like a Big East Championship matchup between the Hoyas and Denver Pioneers was inevitable.

That’s just how the story has been written in recent years, and there was no reason to think differently in 2025. But the Georgetown resume is confusing, to say the least.

The Hoyas don’t really have a quality win on their schedule. Their six wins have come against Loyola, Penn, Brown, Albany, High Point, and Providence. Their three losses are even more confusing: an ugly early-season outing against Johns Hopkins, a tough affair with Notre Dame, and a one-goal loss at home to Richmond.

After their 14-13 victory over Providence this past weekend, I do not think the Georgetown Hoyas make it to the Big East Championship—or the Division 1 lacrosse tournament.

Penn State (6-3)

This one is definitely going to turn some heads, and I’m not fully sure I’m entirely confident in including them on my sell list either.

Penn State has seemingly been a top-10 lock all season long based purely on the eye test. Their best win of the season came on the road in overtime against Cornell, the current number one ranked team in the country. Solid win—and I love that for the Nittany Lions, as they’re a program I like to see succeed.

Their next-best win? A week-one victory against Villanova on the road? Maybe a six-goal win over Navy? I just don’t love how the Nittany Lions have achieved their six wins so far.

That loss to Ohio State seemingly killed Penn State’s confidence, as they followed it up with a five-goal loss to Maryland.

Something in my gut is just telling me that Penn State is not going to finish the year strong. On the road against a hot Michigan team right now does not play in the Nittany Lions’ favor. They wrap up the year at home against Johns Hopkins and Rutgers—which is a huge plus—but either of these teams can win on any given Saturday, especially in Big Ten play.

Call me crazy, but I truly think Penn State is going to fall off as the Division 1 college lacrosse season concludes here in April.

Even teams that may have had early-season success, whether through outright wins or close losses, seemingly become meaningless as the weeks go on. We are in the heat of conference play, with everyone looking to make a push toward conference and national tournaments.

This past weekend spoke volumes as to where certain teams lie in the landscape of Division 1 college lacrosse. My hypothetical list on whose stock I am buying and selling is purely subjective and my own opinion.

There’s not much data or analytics going into these decisions, as they are purely based on results and the overall eye test.

Notre Dame (5-2)

I was hesitant about Notre Dame coming into the season. They had lost so much talent coming off of back-to-back national championships, it didn’t seem like this team was going to operate at the same level.

A weak out-of-conference schedule and a close Georgetown win meant nothing to me. Once they then lost games to Ohio State and Maryland by one goal apiece, I was officially out on the Fighting Irish.

However, their last two games have been very eye-opening. A 19-7 win against Michigan followed up with a 14-7 win against Duke feels like the Irish have corrected their flaws following those two losses.

Conference play is going to be very interesting for Notre Dame. If they can escape conference play, who knows—they might even make it back to the Division 1 lacrosse Championship Weekend.

Michigan (6-4)

What an odd year it has been for the Wolverines. At the midway point of March, it seemed like the sky was falling. Losses to North Carolina, Duke, Harvard, and Notre Dame seemingly pulled down any hype the Wolverines may have had.

A 4-4 record felt ugly—that was until Michigan pulled off the triple-overtime win over Maryland followed up with a nice win over Johns Hopkins this past weekend.

Michigan always finds a way to get hot at the right times, and I would not count them out in any of their three remaining Big Ten games against Penn State, Rutgers, and Ohio State.

Remember, this is the team and coaching staff that shocked the world in back-to-back years winning Big Ten tournament championships. It seems like their four losses against quality opponents have truly shown the Wolverine coaching staff what needed to be fixed.

I truly believe Coach Conry has got the boys right for a late-season run. The Big Ten has proven to be a gauntlet, and it seems like Michigan is only going to add to that plate as the season goes on. I like the Wolverines in the later stretch of the season.

Harvard (7-2)

Harvard is back? It feels like for the past couple of years Harvard has been on the brink of a breakout season. They would pull out quality wins, pull an upset off here and there, but never really seemed to get over the hump.

As we enter May, the team currently holds a 7-2 record. An early-season loss to Colgate means nothing to me at this point, as Colgate pulls out one or two of these February upsets every year. A two-goal loss to Princeton definitely hurt, but it was not the end of the world.

This team holds some solid quality Division 1 lacrosse wins this season, such as Syracuse, Michigan, and Boston University.

I like the road ahead for Harvard featuring Dartmouth, Penn, Cornell, and Brown. It truly wouldn’t shock me at this point if Harvard was able to go 4-0 in this stretch and finish the regular season with an 11-2 record. At worst, they would be 10-3.

I like this Harvard squad and I’m all in for the remainder of the season. They have shown that they can hang with the Ivy League on a consistent basis, and that would be huge for tournament play.

With Yale and Penn both being down compared to years past, Harvard is truly an upset win away from making the Ivy League tournament championship. The Crimson being good is not only good for the Ivy League but for all of Division 1 lacrosse, as they have been a program that has been on the rise for a couple of years now and it would be nice to see that finally pay off.

Pace ratings according to IL (1–77, with 1 being the fastest): UNC is 69, Notre Dame 70, Penn State 72, Maryland 74, and Dartmouth 75.

Why? It’s difficult to score goals six-on-six. Most goals are coming within the first 10 seconds of the shot clock or the last 10 seconds of the shot clock. Teams are more deliberate and working deeper into the clock.

It’s also a down year for star-powered offensive personnel compared to 2024. Outside of CJ Kirst, Sam King, and Owen Duffy — who is instant offense? Nobody has a decent second midfield this spring, and goaltending is getting stronger and more consistent.

The result is a slower overall pace of play.

20) Georgetown

The Hoyas (6-3) cling to the final Top 20 spot ahead of Sacred Heart, Fairfield, Colgate, Lafayette, LIU, VMI and Hofstra. Georgetown has a #17 strength of record but a lowly #30 RPI. A 14-13 win over Providence shows how tight the Big East race will be. Pax Marshall, a sophomore lefty from Victor, NY who’s recently become a starter, scored four goals. The Big East is clearly a one-bid league this year, with its tournament scheduled for Denver on May 1 and 3.

The men’s and women’s NCAA lacrosse championships will be played at Gillette Stadium on Memorial Day weekend. The men’s quarterfinals will take place at Hofstra and Navy on May 17 and 18. Ten automatic qualifiers and eight at-large bids will form the 18-team bracket. Higher-seeded teams will host first-round games.

19) Virginia

A 12-10 home loss to Syracuse on the Klöckner grass marked what might be the Cavaliers’ best offensive outing of 2025. After jumping out to a 5-1 first-quarter lead, Virginia squandered the advantage. Their midfielders only contributed three goals. The Wahoos (5-5) have a tough road ahead with games remaining against UNC, Notre Dame, Duke and Lafayette. They likely need to win at least three of the four to be in the bubble conversation. The ACC, remember, does not get an automatic qualifier.

Virginia ranks #30 in adjusted offensive efficiency and is still seeking chemistry, connection and competency from the midfield. Transfer Johnny Hackett, who sometimes resembles a dancing squirrel on the front lawn, is gradually finding his rhythm. Ben Wayer remains the Cavaliers’ ground ball king. The Wahoos will face North Carolina in Chapel Hill on Saturday on ACC Network.

18) Johns Hopkins

The Blue Jays (6-4) were punchless in their biggest game of the year, dropping a disappointing contest at Michigan. “We Want More” hosts Ohio State on April 5, a game that could make or break the Jays’ season. Right now, it’s fair to ask: will Hopkins win another game?

Their ground ball numbers are down—averaging 25.7 per game compared to 31.2 a season ago. When you have LSMs and starting defenders with fewer than one ground ball per game, you’ve got a problem. Hopkins is getting no real offensive boost from its short sticks, the goalie group is sitting at just 47%, and the team has a negative turnover margin. You can’t win playing like that.

17) Saint Joseph’s

Hawk Hill will never die. The Hawks (7-3) dropped a tight one-goal game at home to UMass, further heating up a tight Atlantic 10 race between UMass, Richmond and Saint Joe’s. Defender Levi Verch continues to be a menace, causing turnovers and dominating ground ball play. The Hawks take on St. Bonaventure this weekend.

16) Boston University

The Terriers were blasted by Harvard on Tuesday. Jimmy Kohr had four goals, but the starting attack was held to a combined (0,2)—a stat line that never wins. Freshman Tim Shannehan is emerging as a gifted passer, and goalie Will Barnes remains north of 60% in saves. BU rebounded with a 16-4 win over Holy Cross, leading 13-0 after three quarters. Coach Ryan Polley continues to push the right buttons. The Terriers head to Duke this weekend while the vibes on BU’s campus are strong with the men’s hockey team heading to the Frozen Four.

15) Dartmouth

The Big Green (7-2), who were just 3-10 a year ago, gave Princeton a scare on Saturday in nasty sleet, snow and icy rain. Goalie Mason Morel has been lights out and is saving at over 60%. With Penn, Brown and Yale struggling, the race for the third and fourth spots in the Ivy League tournament is wide open, and Dartmouth is firmly in the mix. The Big Green take on Harvard next, and the winner will take a giant step toward Ivy postseason qualification.

14) UMass

The Minutemen (8-2) pulled off a crucial 11-10 road win on Hawk Hill against Saint Joseph’s, a result that keeps them on the national radar. FOGO TJ Casey was dominant, winning 14-of-17 draws, and freshman goalie Owen Salanger played like a veteran in the cage. Trace Hogan chipped in two goals and three assists, while Robbie Granara had a hat trick. Six other players scored single goals, showcasing a balanced and dangerous offense. UMass has now won seven straight and carries a #17 RPI that’s within shouting range of an at-large resume.

13) Michigan

A sweet victory in the rain over Johns Hopkins has Michigan (6-4) right in the mix in both the Big Ten and the at-large conversation. This team appears to be peaking just as others are starting to fade. The big question is: which version of the Wolverines will show up this week? The one that got dusted by UNC and Notre Dame, or the squad that played Duke close and beat both Maryland and Hopkins?

Michigan continues to struggle at the face-off dot in 2025, a weakness that often masks other deficiencies. That said, they give up fewer than 10 goals per game and have a defense that can match up with anyone. They perform best against opponents who lack elite offensive talent. Teams like Duke, Hopkins and Maryland struggled, while teams with star scorers like UNC, Notre Dame and Harvard had their way. Michigan is currently ranked #2 in adjusted defensive efficiency.

On offense, they remain challenged. There is no clear alpha scorer, and Ryan Cohen, though talented, is inconsistent and turnover-prone. The Wolverines lack high-end dodgers capable of breaking down top cover defenders, which makes their offensive success vary wildly week to week. Still, the matchup with Penn State this weekend on BTN should be one of the best games on the schedule.

12) Harvard

The Crimson (7-2) are surging after handling Binghamton 17-12 on Saturday. They own wins over Providence, Syracuse, Michigan, BU and Yale, and a dominant 16-7 rout over BU on Tuesday. Their RPI has skyrocketed to #5. Jack Speidell is shooting 21-for-49, while Sam King is averaging five points per game. Though their save percentage is under 50%, Harvard is highly efficient on offense and thrives at a fast pace.

One red flag: Harvard ranks just #73 in face-off winning percentage. That may come back to haunt them in high-stakes games.

11) Richmond

The Spiders (7-3) have only lost to Maryland, Cornell and Duke, all elite opponents. The backloaded Atlantic 10 schedule means we’re still waiting for heavyweight matchups against UMass and Saint Joseph’s. Lucas Littlejohn leads the way with 36 points, while Aidan O’Neil orchestrates the offense from X and Max Merklinger continues to make timely plays. This is a tough, well-coached group, and whoever wins the A10 title will be a brutal draw in the NCAA first round.

Richmond faces Hobart on Saturday.

10) Duke

The Blue Devils (8-3) were humbled in South Bend in a 14-7 loss to Notre Dame. Their attack struggled to penetrate against the Irish defense, and without significant upgrades to the offense, it’s hard to consider Duke a true title contender right now.

Clearing has been a persistent issue, and the offense lacks the dynamism needed to compete with top-tier defenses. The Devils will look to rebound against Boston University, a game that could become an important résumé builder if they have aspirations of playing deep into May.

9) North Carolina

UNC (7-2) was down one at halftime to Army on the road and couldn’t string together enough quality possessions to pull out a win. Defense and goaltending were inconsistent, and the Heels didn’t play a clean enough game to take down a tough opponent in a hostile environment. Winning on the road in that kind of setting is like swimming upstream—everything has to go right. Despite being +12 on face-offs, Carolina was only +1 in shots on goal, a clear sign the offense wasn’t firing efficiently. Owen Duffy and Dom Pietramala each had three goals, accounting for half of the team’s output, but the Heels are still looking for ways to create outside the six-on-six offense. Defensively, they struggled to contain Jackson Eicher and didn’t establish control of key matchups.

The face-off unit remains elite, ranking #4 nationally in win percentage, and the offense is a top-ten unit in scoring. But resume wins over Johns Hopkins, Penn, and Michigan are tepid, so Saturday’s game against Virginia on ACC Network is critical. Chris Cotter and I will be in Chapel Hill to call it. Lefty shooter Dom Pietramala was my guest this week on the Quintessential Podcast, and I came away very impressed with his demeanor and insight.

8) Army

Even with Michie Stadium under construction on the reservoir side, the crowd energy was high and the Black Knights (8-1) fed off it in a hard-fought win over North Carolina. The officials didn’t exactly bring their A-game, but Army powered through. Jackson Eicher was lights out, scoring six goals to keep the offense rolling in the absence of FOGO Will Colletti. The Black Knights led 8-7 at halftime and never gave up the edge. AJ Pilate matched up with Owen Duffy and helped slow the UNC star, while SSDM Christian Mazur continues to be one of the toughest matchups in the country. Army showed toughness and discipline, proving again why they’re near the top of the Patriot League and now sit with an RPI of #9.

Next up is a key league clash on the road at Colgate.

7) Penn State

The Nittany Lions (6-3) have now dropped two straight Big Ten games to Ohio State and Maryland, falling to 0-2 in league play. Despite holding Maryland to just 25 shots, they couldn’t come out with a win. For the season, opponents are shooting 30% against PSU, which is both surprising and a little alarming. The defense isn’t necessarily playing poorly, but the offense isn’t doing enough to tip the balance.

They’ll face Michigan next on BTN, and with the Wolverines heating up, this becomes a must-win for Penn State to stay afloat in the Big Ten.

6) Syracuse

The Orange (8-2) erased a 5-1 first quarter deficit and closed the game on a 3-0 run to earn a gutsy 12-10 road win over Virginia. It was an impressive response to early adversity, and while Syracuse isn’t playing perfect lacrosse yet, they’re showing signs of growth and resilience. There are still several areas in need of cleanup, particularly around situational execution, but they’re trending in the right direction. Sam English continues to be one of the most versatile players in the country, evoking shades of Matt Abbott. Owen Hiltz was clutch, and goalie Jimmy McCool delivered a poised, sharp performance in a tough road setting.

Syracuse ranks in the top ten in both scoring offense and defense, and their turnover margin is elite. The Orange welcome Notre Dame to the Dome on Saturday afternoon in a marquee ACC showdown on the ACC Network. Joey Spallina enters averaging 3.5 assists per game. This rivalry never disappoints.

5) Notre Dame

What a statement from the Irish (5-2). Notre Dame dominated Duke 14-7 on Saturday in front of a lively home crowd at Arlotta Stadium and looked like a fully-formed title contender. They lead the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency, and it showed. Even without All-American defender Shawn Lyght, they were lights out on both ends of the field. What was a 2-2 tie quickly became an 8-2 cushion, and from there, it was all Notre Dame. The ball movement was crisp, the defense airtight, and Jake Taylor put on a clinic, finishing with five goals and two assists. Taylor is now converting 49% of his shots and continues to be the ultimate closer.

Notre Dame is shooting 36% as a team and looked the best they’ve been all year. They’ll take that momentum into a hostile Dome environment this Saturday against Syracuse. Anish Shroff and Paul Carcaterra will have the call on ACCN.

4) Ohio State

The ten-game win streak for Ohio State remains intact after a methodical 13-11 win over Rutgers. Playing in the late Sunday slot on the road definitely impacts the upcoming week’s preparation and freshness, but the Buckeyes continue to find ways to win. Red-hot goalie Caleb Fyock made 19 saves in the victory and has been the engine of this surge. “Big Tasty” is on fire, and it’s hard not to admire the consistency and confidence with which he’s playing. While the Buckeyes weren’t sharp in the clearing game or at the face-off X, they got enough timely plays to stay in control.

Ohio State’s defense is ranked seventh in scoring defense and continues to shine. Cullen Brown has become a weekly turnover machine, and the entire unit plays a gritty, disruptive style. At 10-1, OSU rolls into Baltimore for a huge Homecoming matchup with Johns Hopkins. The biggest question—how will the Blue Jays score on Big Tasty?

3) Princeton

The Tigers (6-2) survived a cold, messy trip to New Hampshire with a 11-8 win over Dartmouth in a game that featured rain, sleet, snow and snowbanks framing the field. Despite the conditions, Princeton extended its win streak over the Big Green to ten straight, thanks to Coulter Mackesy’s empty netter that gave them breathing room with just over a minute to play. Goalie Ryan Croddick made a point-blank stop off a late Princeton turnover and finished with 13 saves. The attack unit of Mackesy, Nate Kabiri, and “Barbeque” Burns combined for eight goals and four assists. Princeton dominated the stat sheet, outshooting Dartmouth 60-34 with a +8 ground ball margin and just six turnovers.

Faceoffs remain a problem—the Tigers rank #70 nationally in face-off win percentage—but their resume still includes big-time wins over Duke, North Carolina, and Penn State, though all three of those teams lost this past weekend. Princeton hosts Lehigh and Vermont this week as they look to solidify postseason positioning. Tuesday is for the Hunter on April Fool’s Day.

2) Maryland

“Be the Best” bounced back in a big way after the loss to Michigan, taking down Penn State 13-8 in front of 5,023 fans. The Terps clamped down defensively, holding PSU scoreless in the second quarter, which proved to be the turning point. Maryland only took 25 shots and lost the face-off battle 16-8, but their rope unit completely took over the game. Braden Erksa and Eric Spanos each scored three goals, but it was the short-stick defensive midfielders who were most impactful. Jack McDonald, AJ Larkin, George Stamos, and Eric Kolar combined for five points and continue to prove why they’re the best D-mid group in the country.

Maryland now sits at 8-1 with quality wins over Penn State, Princeton, Notre Dame, Richmond, and Syracuse. Their defense ranks third in scoring defense, and they’ll look to continue that dominance against Rutgers this week.

1) Cornell

Big Red (7-1) laid the hammer down on Penn with a 15-5 win, jumping out to a 7-1 and 10-1 halftime lead before coasting to the finish. With this win, Cornell maintains control of its destiny in the Ivy League race and is on track to host the conference tournament. The trio of Michael Long, CJ Kirst, and Ryan Goldstein continues to dominate as arguably the nation’s best attack unit. If the Big Red can win face-offs and get solid goaltending, they might be impossible to beat.

CJ Kirst is averaging more than five goals per game while shooting an absurd 58%. The passing game has been elite—Cornell leads the country with 10.6 assists per game. Goalie Wyatt Knust is giving them more than 13 saves per contest and has been steady when called upon. Cornell will host Albany on Tuesday before traveling to Brown on April 5.

Quint Kessenich covers lacrosse for the ESPN family of networks and writes for LaxAllstars. Check out his weekly podcast at laxallstars.com in the media section. Recent guests include current players Dom Pietramala (UNC), Alex Marinier (OSU), Max Sloat (Duke), Eric Spanos (Maryland), Shawn Lyght (Notre Dame), Coulter Mackesy (Princeton), Billy Dwan III (Syracuse), and Casey Wilson (Denver).

CJ Kirst has been a problem for opposing defenses his entire career at Cornell. During his freshman year, the red-headed madman casually threw up 55 goals and 24 assists, totaling 79 points in 19 games—roughly 4.1 points per game. Kirst somehow found a way to improve his game entering his sophomore year, scoring 65 goals on 36% shooting. Pair that with 19 assists, and you get 84 points on the year through just 15 games, averaging 5.6 points per game. His junior year was a down year given what he achieved the year prior, throwing up 45 goals and 22 assists for 67 points across 14 games. That 4.7 points per game average is still elite, but not quite the 5.6 from his sophomore year—which is really just nitpicking.

Now on his senior year farewell tour, Kirst has been operating on a level never seen before. Through just seven games, Kirst has already amassed 37 goals and 13 assists, totaling 50 points on an alarming 57% shooting percentage. Averaging 7.1 points per game is completely bonkers, but pair that with a 57% shooting percentage? Absolutely unheard of. Just to put this into perspective, I wanted to compare CJ Kirst’s current averages to some recent Tewaaraton winners.

Tewaaraton Winner Comparisons

• 2025: CJ Kirst (Cornell) – 7.1 PPG / 57% Shooting
• 2024: Pat Kavanagh (Notre Dame) – 4.7 PPG / 35% Shooting
• 2023: Brennan O’Neill (Duke) – 5.1 PPG / 35% Shooting
• 2022: Logan Wisnauskas (Maryland) – 5.7 PPG / 48% Shooting
• 2021: Jared Bernhardt (Maryland) – 6.1 PPG / 49% Shooting
• 2019: Pat Spencer (Loyola) – 6.7 PPG / 35% Shooting
• 2018: Ben Reeves (Yale) – 5.7 PPG / 35% Shooting
• 2017: Matt Rambo (Maryland) – 4.5 PPG / 33% Shooting
• 2016: Dylan Molloy (Brown) – 6.4 PPG / 38% Shooting
• 2015: Lyle Thompson (Albany) – 6.3 PPG / 44% Shooting

Looking at these numbers before the end of the season might be misleading, but Kirst has been consistent in his level of play through seven games, even against ranked opponents. He dropped 8 points against Denver, 3 against Penn State, and 7 against Princeton. There is no denying that what CJ Kirst is doing right now is unfathomable, and I would expect that consistency to carry through the rest of the season. At this rate, Kirst could potentially hit 100 points before the start of conference tournament play. With Cornell currently ranked as the number one team in the country, the expectation is that they make a run at Championship Weekend. Anything less would be disappointing. You give CJ Kirst more games to play at the rate he’s been going, and we’re talking about all-time numbers in terms of totals and averages.

At the end of the day, there is still a lot of season left to be played and things could potentially go south. But with how Kirst is currently playing, he looks like the clear front-runner to win the Tewaaraton—and maybe break some records along the way.