The opening weekend of the 2023 PLL season did not disappoint and has fans excited for the summer. The weekend was loaded with highlight reel goals, great defense, and down-to-the-wire finishes. However, the most impactful addition of the weekend was the new shot clock. A fresh 32-second shot starts after possession has been established following a faceoff. When the offense maintains possession for a shot clock reset following a shot on goal, the 32-second clock also starts to run (but only if it was 32 seconds or less at the time of the shot).

After seeing this new way of play on display this weekend, I can say the new PLL shot clock is an excellent addition to the sport and truly helps embody what the league is looking to accomplish. 

Since the league’s inception, Paul Rabil has been doing everything possible to make the sport as exciting as possible and ensure the game’s speed was on display. From shortening the field length, adding the two-point arc, and the initial 52-second shot clock, it was clear from the inaugural season the game was meant to be fast and exciting. This year’s change to a 32-second shot clock reset adds not only an urgency for speed but forces more out of the athletes in terms of creativity and athleticism. 

With an additional 20 seconds, teams had more time to sit back, set up the motion or ideal dodge, and wait for the perfect look. Instead, teams now must consistently move at a higher tempo, be more creative with shot releases, and be ready to play both ways now more than ever. These changes are going to favor the more athletic, run-and-gun style teams who like to get up and down and play fast.  

Many creative shot releases were on display throughout the weekend, mainly due to the shorter shot clock and the need to get the ball out before the violation occurs. Even the goalies seem to be beneficiaries as well, getting more looks at the ball, allowing them to start hotter and faster in the net during the game.  

It should be interesting to see which teams and players thrive in the newest PLL shot clock era and how it will affect the games throughout the season. It is going to take some time for all the teams to adapt to the new pace of play, but these guys are professionals and will certainly make it happen. In terms of creating an even faster-paced and more exciting game, the new shot clock rule has absolutely achieved its goal and has added an exciting dynamic to the games. 

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For the last decade, the University of Maryland has been a gold standard for NCAA Division 1 Men’s Lacrosse. The team motto of “Be The Best” has been embodied in the program with its consistent dominance across the sport. During the 2022 season, the Terps lived up to the saying and completed a perfect season capped off by a national championship.

While always being a powerhouse, the national title has eluded the Terps at times. A major reason for the title coming home to College Park in 2022 for the first time since 2017, was the goaltending from Logan McNaney.

McNaney was an absolute wall in net for the Terps last season and was elite in the postseason for the Terps, earning the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award. However, with McNaney suffering a season ending injury during Maryland’s loss to the Loyola Greyhounds early in the season, the Terps were left with a massive void between the pipes which was made apparent during the following game against Syracuse. 

Enter the third string freshman, Brian Ruppel. 

Ruppel splashed onto the scene for the Terps in his first start against the Princeton Tigers. Ruppel made 14 saves against the Tigers while allowing five goals, securing a win and a .737 save percentage. An absolute dream debut for the hometown freshman. Since his starting debut, Brian Ruppel is 2-1, only dropping a game to Notre Dame in a triple overtime thriller. But this past weekend, Ruppel truly cemented himself for the Terps as the starter with his performance against the Virginia Cavaliers. 

In a battle of two of the best teams in the sport, it was only right that the sold-out crowd at Klöckner Stadium witnessed an elite back and forth battle that needed overtime to claim a winner. In overtime, Ruppel would be the difference maker and produce an unbelievable three save sequence against two wide open step-downs and a doorstep finish to thwart an overtime win for Virginia. Maryland would ultimately take the ball to the other end and put the ball behind a declining Virginia goaltender to claim the victory. 

In a game that came down to a single goal, Brian Ruppel was the key to success.

The injury to Logan McNaney during the upset loss to the Loyola Greyhounds, left even more questions for the Terps early in the season. McNaney is undoubtedly one of Maryland’s best goaltenders since Niko Amato and Kyle Bernlohr, losing him was a major blow to the Terps who were undoubtedly entering the season with extremely high expectations. But fortunately, it looks like Ruppel will be able handle the pressure, and allow this Maryland team to make a run for another championship. 

While only time will tell how the Terps season will finish, it would be fair to say that at this point it does not look like goaltending will be holding them back.

The Terps return to action on March 25th to faceoff against a No.5 Penn State team who is looking to rebound after a tough 11-12 loss to Marquette.

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The Ivy League had a breakout season last year and was arguably the best conference in all of college lacrosse. Despite the conference beating up on one another during the regular season, six of the seven teams in the Ivy League made the NCAA Lacrosse Tournament. The Ivy League is riddled with talent from top to bottom and it looks like the conference may be on track for another successful 2023 lacrosse season.

Cornell University

2022 Season Record

(14-5)

2022 Season Recap

The Big Red had an outstanding 2022 season that was full of success. The team finished the season with a 14-5 overall record while going 4-2 in conference play. Additionally, the Big Red landed three players on the USILA All-American Team including a First Team selection in Gavin Adler. Adler was joined by teammates John Piatelli and CJ Kirst. Cornell went the distance in 2022 ending the season with a heartbreaking loss in the national championship against the University of Maryland by a score of 7-9. Cornell was certainly the Cinderella team of Ivy League lacrosse.

2023 Expectations

Cornell was red-hot in 2022 and it is fully expected they return in the same fashion. Cornell returns a wealth of experience and star power to the team for the 2023 season. Defensively, the Big Red return star players Gavin Adler and Chayse Ierlan who are both long-standing pillars on the defensive side of the field. On the offensive end, reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Year, CJ Kirst, will continue to be a pivotal component of the offense. The Big Red look to continue their dominance while hopefully incorporating the young talent they have brought aboard in the freshman class as well.

Yale University

2022 Season Record

(12-5)

2022 Season Recap

Yale University Men’s Lacrosse had a quality 2022 season that featured double digit wins and a birth into the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs went 12-5 and 4-2 in conference play, where they earned a share of the Ivy League Championship after a thrilling OT win against Harvard in the regular season finale. Unfortunately, the Elis lost the conference tournament championship against Penn and then lost to Princeton in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament. Despite an unwanted result at the end of the season, multiple Elis were selected to the USILA All-American team, specifically Matt Brandau, Chris Fake, and Brian Tevlin. 

2023 Expectations

Following the conclusion of the 2022 season, the Yale Bulldogs parted ways with some outstanding talent and leadership. Chris Fake, a four-time All-American selection on defense, and Brian Tevlin, another USILA All-American selection and two-time captain, have both transferred to University of Notre Dame for their final season of lacrosse. This is guaranteed to leave voids within the team that will give other players the chance to step up and lead. Additionally, expect to see Matt Brandau be the key player and pillar for this team to lean on as he is their most prominent returning player.

Brown University

2022 Season Record

(10-6)

2022 Season Recap

Despite not making a deep run in the post season, Brown had a good 2022 season overall. The Bears finished with a 10-6 record while going 4-2 in conference play. The Bears made it to the conference semi-finals where they fell to Penn after going down by 6 goals early in the game. In the NCAA Tournament, Brown would fall in the first round to the University of Virginia by a score of 17-10. Following the conclusion of the season, four Brown players were named to the USILA All-American including star player and 4th round PLL draft pick, Ryan Aughavin. 

2023 Expectations

For the 2023 season, expect to see Brown take another step forward in their quest to be a consistent national power. Fortunately, Brown returns a wealth of talent at crucial positions across the field. Brown’s starting goaltender, top defensive midfielder, and an attackman were all awarded with USILA All-American honors and should be great leaders in 2023 despite the departure of senior Ryan Aughavin, since they are all upperclassmen who know what it takes to win. 

University of Penn

2022 Season Record

(11-5)

2022 Season Recap

The University of Penn had a great 2022 season that featured great team and individual success for the program. The Quakers finished 11-5 in the regular season and 3-3 in conference play while capturing the Ivy League Tournament Championship in a 16-9 victory over Yale. Penn kept the energy rolling entering the NCAA Tournament with a thrilling overtime win against Richmond in the first round before losing to Rutgers in the quarterfinals. Following the conclusion of the season, six players were named to the USILA All-American team, including First Team selection, Sam Handley. Additionally, Handley was named the USILA Midfielder of the Year becoming only the second Penn player to do so since 1977.

2023 Expectations

In 2023, fully expect to see that same star power return to the field as the Quakers return a lot of their key contributors from last season. Players like Sam Handley, BJ Farrare, and Dylan Gergar will all be returning for the 2023 season, providing experience on both sides of the ball. However, the Quaker defense will have a new face in net as All-American goalkeeper, Patrick Burkinshaw, graduated at the conclusion of last season. Expect a new keeper in between the pipes to come with some growing pains along with some chemistry rebuilding early in the season. I would fully expect to see this team make a run at the Ivy League and potentially the NCAA Lacrosse Tournament.

Princeton University

2022 Season Record

(11-5)

2022 Season Recap

The Princeton Tigers had a solid overall 2022 season that featured a deep postseason run in the NCAA tournament. The Tigers finished 11-5 overall while being 3-3 in conference. The Tigers played well out-of-conference, gaining big wins over teams like Georgetown and Rutgers early in the season. However, they fell short in conference play to Harvard and Cornell late in the regular season. Fortunately, the Tigers were able to right the ship, and get to the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament where they would ultimately fall to the University of Maryland. Despite a tough end to a season, the Tigers still had five players named to the USILA All-American teams with 4 out of 5 returning in 2023.\

2023 Expectations

For the upcoming season, expect to see Princeton continue to build on last year’s success. All-American selections like Beau Pederson, Sam English, Jake Stevens, and George Baughan are expected to be the key contributors and on-field leaders for the Tigers in 2023. Additionally, expect to see Princeton tighten up defensively and work to give up less points. In all five of Princeton’s losses in 2022, they gave up at least 13 goals and as many as 19 to their opponents. 

Harvard University

2022 Season Record

(8-5)

2022 Season Recap

2022 yielded one of the most successful seasons in Harvard Men’s Lacrosse history as they posted their best regular season winning percentage since 1998. The Crimson posted a 3-3 conference record with an 8-5 regular season record that featured no major/significant out-of-conference wins. However, Harvard was still given an NCAA Tournament bid but would go on to lose to Rutgers in the opening round by a score of 9-19 to end their season. Fortunately, the Crimson did see one of their own in Greg Campisi, named to the USILA All-American team at the end of the season.

2023 Expectations

For 2023, do not expect to see Harvard in the NCAA tournament again unless Harvard adds some more strength to their out-of-conference schedule. Harvard returns the least amount of talent within the conference and typically does not play a strong out-of-conference schedule. With the talent currently in the Ivy League currently, it would be hard to expect Harvard to be able to keep up with the upper half of the conference. Furthermore, the opening round of the NCAA Tournament when Rutgers absolutely handled Harvard, showed they need to play more challenging opponents earlier in the season.

Dartmouth College

2022 Season Record

(4-9)

2022 Season Recap

Despite a good start, the Big Green did not have the 2022 season they hoped for. The team finished under .500 with an overall record of 4-9 and went 0-6 in conference play. Despite starting the season 4-1, the team would go on to close the season on an 8-game loss streak. Despite a disappointing season, the Big Green’s goaltender, Daniel Hincks, was named to the USILA All-American Second Team at the conclusion of the season.

2023 Expectations

For 2023, expect Dartmouth’s struggles to continue. The Big Green have not been competitive on the lacrosse field for some time now and there have been no major changes to do something about it. Furthermore, Dartmouth lost their best player in Daniel Hincks to graduation and he will now be playing his final year between the pipes at Georgetown. With their best player departing and no big names entering, it will be hard to see the Big Green climb out of the bottom of the conference. 

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The Big East is one of most interesting conferences in college lacrosse. With teams like Georgetown and Denver sitting at the top, the conference has the potential to bring home a national championship. However, the lower half of the Big East has been lackluster in recent years. With multiple new coaches at the helm, expect the Big East to be on the rise for years to come, starting in 2023.

Every week we will be taking a look at every NCAA Division 1 Lacrosse conference and breaking down each team along with identifying their main focus for the upcoming season. This week we are taking a look at the Big East.

Georgetown

2022 Season Record

(15-2)

2022 Season Recap

The Georgetown Hoyas had an outstanding 2022 season full of team and individual success. The Hoyas went 15-2 with a 5-0 record in conference play, capturing the Big East Championship. The Hoyas had nine different players named to the USILA All-American team including Owen McElroy and Will Bowen who each earned Player of the Year awards respectively. The biggest letdown to the 2022 season was Georgetown’s heartbreaking 10-9 loss to the University of Delaware in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.

2023 Expectations

With such an outstanding season in 2022 that ended in a first round loss, the expectations for the upcoming season are the same if not much higher. The team returns a wealth of talent while also continuing to dominate the transfer portal. Returning Hoyas, Graham Bundy Jr. and Will Bowen were both named First Team USILA All-American selections and have been named captains for the 2023 season. Fully expect them to lead the charge for another impressive season. The additions of players like Syracuse transfer Tucker Dordevic and former Dartmouth goaltender Danny Hincks, should only raise this team’s potential. In 2023, expect for the Hoyas to dominate the Big East and make a run in the NCAA lacrosse tournament. 

Denver

2022 Season Record

(9-6)

2022 Season Recap

The University of Denver put together a decent season in 2022, but did not live up to the team’s expectations. The Pioneers finished 9-6 overall and faced some tough losses early in the year to teams like Jacksonville, North Carolina, and Duke. However, Denver bounced back and played well down the stretch of the season in Big East conference play going 4-1 with their only loss coming against Georgetown. The Pioneers’ season came to a close during the conference semifinals in a 15-14 loss to Villanova. Despite an early end to the season, the Pioneers still had seven players named All-Big East selections including three players earning First Team accolades. Denver’s star player, Jack Hannah, was named to the USILA All-American team as well.

2023 Expectations

For 2023, expect a strong run from the Pioneers’ senior class. Five of the seven Pioneers named to the All-Big East Teams were juniors during the 2022 season. Furthermore, these players offer a mix of offensive and defensive personnel, showing the balance of talent across the field. Given the returning talent in players like JJ Sillstrop and Jack DiBenedetto, this team should see similar success in Big East conference play along with picking up a couple out-of-conference wins this college lacrosse season.

Villanova

2022 Season Record

(9-6)

2022 Season Recap

The Villanova Wildcats put together an exceptional season in 2022 that exceeded the expectations of many. The Wildcats went 9-6 on the regular season with all of their out-of-conference losses coming from Ivy League opponents who ultimately made the NCAA tournament. The Wildcats made it all the way to the Big East Conference Final where they faced off against Georgetown in a tight 12-14 loss to end their lacrosse season. Villanova had five players named to the All-Big East Team and two named to the USILA All-American Team in Matt Campbell and Chet Comizio.

2023 Expectations

After what Villanova displayed last year, expect to see the Wildcats return in 2023 looking to make a similar run. The Wildcats were close in nearly every game they lost last season with multiple losses decided by two goals or less. Expect returning players such as Campbell and Comizio to be instrumental in turning the corner for the Wildcats to earn some extra wins. Given how they performed last year and the talent returning, Villanova looks like a strong contender for the No.2 spot in the Big East with the capability of competing for a conference championship. 

Marquette

2022 Season Record

(4-11)

2022 Season Recap

Marquette University had a disappointing season that featured multiple close games resulting in losses. The Golden Eagles went 4-11 overall on the season while going 2-3 in conference play. Despite opening the season with a triple overtime victory, Marquette would go on to drop their next 6 of 7 games including a double overtime loss to Drexel. Fortunately, in conference they managed to gain victories over Providence and St. John’s before their season was ended at Georgetown’s hand in the semifinals of the conference tournament.

2023 Expectations

For the 2023 season, the expectations are more of the same. The Golden Eagles return some good talent including 2022 Big East Freshman of the Year, Bobby O’Grady, along with a couple other All Big-East selections. However, the talent throughout the upper half of the conference might be too hard to handle at this point. Aside from gaining a couple extra wins out-of-conference, Marquette is expected to be at the bottom half of the Big East again this year.

Providence

2022 Season Record

(6-8)

2022 Season Recap

Like others in the Big East, Providence had an underwhelming 2022 lacrosse season. The team finished below .500 with a 6-8 record and went 1-4 in conference play with their only conference victory coming against St. John’s. Despite a handful of wins outside the conference, the team struggled overall and could not get the results they were looking for on the field. To cap off a frustrating season, Chris Gabrielli resigned as head coach. Fortunately, attackman Matt Grillo was awarded with Second Team All-Big East honors to take some momentum into the 2023 season.

2023 Expectations

Despite a lackluster season, the expectations for the Friars this upcoming season are high due to the hiring of new head coach, Bobby Benson. Benson was the Offensive Coordinator at the University of Maryland for the past two years and is coming off of a 2022 National Championship. The hiring of Benson signals that Providence is looking to bring back a winning culture to the program and they believe Benson is the man for the job. Fully expect to see Benson bring that championship mentality to Providence to get the Friars performing at a high level.

St John’s

2022 Season Record

(2-12)

2022 Season Recap

St. John’s has been a team that has struggled in recent years and 2022 was no different. St. John’s finished 2-12 overall and went winless in conference play. The season was full of lopsided losses that lacked consistent offensive and defensive production. Following the close of the season, Jason Miller resigned after 16 seasons at the helm of the program.

2023 Expectations

Fortunately, the St. John’s Athletic Department brought in a new young head coach in Justin Turri. Turri, a two-time All-American and national championship winner as a player, has been tasked with leading the resurgence at St. John’s after spending the last four seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Michigan Wolverines. Michigan had one of the top offenses this past season and Turri and his new staff are expected to bring that recipe to Queens, NY. Expect to see a stronger, more disciplined team at St. John’s in 2023 with the ability to pick up some more out of conference wins. 

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The ACC in years past has been arguably the best conference in college lacrosse. Last year, the ACC took a step backwards as Virginia was the only team to make the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse National Tournament. The 2023 season leaves a lot of opportunity for the ACC to reclaim its throne at the top of the lacrosse world, but how exactly will it get there?

Every week we will be taking a look at every NCAA Division 1 Lacrosse conference and breaking down each team along with identifying their main focus for the upcoming season. This week we are taking a look at the ACC Lacrosse Conference.

Duke

2022 Season Record

(11-6)

Notable Returning Players

Brennan O’Neill (53G, 21A) – Dyson Williams (43G, 9A) – Tyler Carpenter (67GBs, 3G, 2A) 

Focus for the 2023 Season

The expectations for Duke are the same as any other year; perform at a high level, win the ACC, and make the NCAA Lacrosse Tournament. The Blue Devils return a high amount of offensive star power in players like Brennan O’Neill who was named a Second Team USILA All-American this past season, along with Dyson Williams who led the nation in overall shooting percentage last year.  

However, the Blue Devils will be looking at a new face between the pipes which is expected to come with some learning moments and growing pains.  Expect for this defense to lean on leadership from experienced players like Tyler Carpenter and other experienced defensive personnel as the new netminder gets used to the starting role.

In order to meet the expectations that come with the Duke name, the Blue Devils must avoid any “bad” losses early in the season. Duke is typically beaten by a lesser opponent every year and with the ACC receiving less NCAA tournament bids as of late, the Blue Devils cannot afford these blemishes on their record.

Notre Dame

2022 Season Record

(8-4)

Notable Returning Players

Pat Kavanagh (25G, 39A) – Chris Kavanagh (22G, 11A) – Liam Entenmann (.573% Save Percentage) 

Focus for the 2023 Season

Hailing from the Midwest, Notre Dame has always been an exciting program to watch.  Notre Dame is consistently a strong powerhouse that is known for a strong defense that will make you earn every point.  For the upcoming season, expect that same defensive force to be at an all-time high.  Goaltender Liam Entenmann, has been a major bright spot and anchor of the Notre Dame defense since he arrived on campus.  Entering his senior season, Entenmann is fully expected to give another All-American caliber season to help propel this Fighting Irish team towards an NCAA tournament bid.

Offensively, Pat and Chris Kavanagh need to lead the charge this year and take jumps in their game.  These two were the offensive leaders for the team last year and that will need to continue in order for the team to have a serious shot at the tournament.  After missing the NCAA Tournament last year despite a strong close to the season, the Fighting Irish offense will need to take the next step and put more points on the board against their tougher opponents to come out with more victories on the schedule at the end of the year. They say defense wins championships, but the Fighting Irish need offense to keep them in the game to begin with.

North Carolina

2022 Season Record

(8-6)

Notable Player Departures

Jacob Kelly (20G, 15A) – Chris Gray (48G, 32A)

Focus for the 2023 Season

UNC has always been a phenomenal program and a pleasure to watch. However, we can all agree that the Tar Heels have seen better seasons than the 2022 season.  Despite the additional power added by Chris Gray, the Tar Heels did not have the season they had hoped for.  Last season the Tar Heels were outscored, more penalized, and less efficient than their opponents throughout the year.  

The expectation for UNC this year is to not just get better, but to get back to being a competitive team within the conference.  With the Tar Heels going 1-5 in conference play along with the departures of players like Chris Gray and Jacob Kelly, the offense is going to have to find its identity early in the season to avoid unnecessary losses.  It should be anticipated that they will likely still have struggles in the coming season as well, but expect them to begin their climb back upwards. 

Defensively, expect a jump in productivity from the Tar Heel goalkeeper.  UNC was very average to below average between the pipes this year and goaltender Collin Krieg’s save percentage has dropped every year so far as the starter.  The Tar Heels need to find the answer in net in order to establish a defensive rhythm and avoid blowout conference losses like we saw last year. 

Syracuse

2022 Season Record

(4-10)

Notable Player Departure

Tucker Dordevic (47G, 12A)

Notable Transfers/Freshmen

Will Mark (GK) – Joey Spallina (A)

Focus for the 2023 Season

Syracuse undoubtedly had one of the worst seasons in program history.  This was even more upsetting to the Orange faithful considering they just hired two of the best players in lacrosse history as coaches. To make matters worse, they could not get any consistency between the pipes and lacked the offensive power needed to propel them forward in close contests.

For this upcoming season, expect a much stronger defense from Syracuse.  The Orange picked up a very talented goalie in Will Mark from LIU through the transfer portal. The addition of Will Mark between the pipes should yield a lot more consistency than what they were receiving previously.  This will lead to a better defense and more offensive opportunities for the team.  However, the departure of offensive weapon Tucker Dordevic will undoubtedly be missed. Syracuse did land the No.1 rated recruit out of high school, Joey Spallina, to fill this void.  While Spallina cannot be the entire answer, expect for him to be a bright spot for the Orange wearing the legendary #22 jersey.

Virginia

2022 Season Record

(12-4)

Notable Returning Players

Connor Shellenberger (32G, 44A) – Payton Cormier (50G, 10A) – Matthew Nunes (GK)

Notable Incoming Freshmen

Truitt Sunderland (A)

Focus for the 2023 Season

The University of Virginia is a top five team in the nation almost every year.  The expectations of this program are the same every year; championship weekend partnered with a national title at the end.  For the Cavaliers, this expectation is a real possibility as they bring back a wealth of star power, experience, and young fresh talent for the 2023 season.  

The Cavaliers return stud offensive profiles like Shellenberger along with Payton Cormier to continue their offensive dominance.  The additions of recruits like Truitt Sunderland, one of top rated recruits coming out of high school, will only make this offense even more difficult to handle.

On the opposite end of the field, goalkeeper Matthew Nunes returns to the Cavaliers as the reigning ACC Freshman of the Year and brings along with a ton of valuable in-game experience.  Expect for this young goaltender to be a staple for this Virginia defense and take a jump in net finishing the season above .500%.  

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It seems crazy to already be talking about the 2023 college lacrosse season, but once the PLL is over, all attention will be on fall ball of the college landscape. It’s fun to look ahead towards next season especially coming off an electric 2022 season.

There is a lot to be excited about for the 2023 college lacrosse season as expectations are starting to be set. Expectations can be a teams best friend or worst enemy depending on what exactly is expected from them. With those expectations comes disappointment as not every team will be able to reach their potential.

All this talk of expectations is the perfect transition to talk about some of my hot takes for next season.

Rutgers Will Struggle Compared to Last Season

Rutgers has been nothing short of a pleasure to watch over the last two seasons. They were loaded with highly skilled athletes, the team was full of tenacity, and they were a competitive team down the stretch that many teams did not want to run into. 

However, this team has been dominated by seniors and graduate players built out of the transfer portal over the last few years. Players like Mitch Bartolo, Ronna Jacoby, and Brian Cameron who all notched at least 30 goals and 10 assists in the 2022 season, were all seniors who will be thoroughly missed. Additionally, the loss of starting goaltender Colin Kirst will leave another large void in the team as well. Kirst was nothing short of outstanding in his time between the pipes and left Rutgers as a two-time USILA All-American. Replacing his talent will not be an easy task. 

While Rutgers is still expected to be a competitive Top 20 program this year, it also should be expected the team will miss that senior leadership and talent that propelled them forward in so many close contests during the 2022 season.

Syracuse Will Be Back in the Top 3 of the ACC

The Orange weathered a rocky season last year that had issues across the board. After finishing the season 4-10, there were obviously multiple areas to be addressed. However, Syracuse seems to be making all the right off-season moves to ensure they get back to the Syracuse team the lacrosse world is used to seeing. 

Goaltending was never spectacular or consistent during the 2022 season for the Orange. In response, they went and secured a standout goaltender from LIU, Will Mark. Will Mark finished his time at LIU as a two-time All-American and a two-time conference player of the year. This 6’3 goaltender should provide a huge lift on the defensive end of the field as they have struggled to find consistency in the position. 

Offensively, the Orange have added two more high producing and skilled graduate players, Denver’s Alex Simmons and Lehigh’s Cole Kirst. The addition of these two players should greatly assist in the mentorship of this very young and talented Syracuse offense that will welcome 5-star recruits, Joey Spallina and Finlay Thomson along with 4-star recruit, Michael Leo. 

Syracuse usually never lacks talent and this upcoming season’s roster does not appear to be any different. But it seems like the additional pieces coming in are going to add talent and some needed leadership to this new era of Cuse’ lacrosse headed by legends Gary Gait and Dave Pietramala.

Michigan Will Escape the Bottom of the Big 10

Michigan has always been a team that the lacrosse world wanted to see do well simply because of the location of the school, the size of the school, the desire to see the game grow. Unfortunately, Michigan has fallen victim to some tough seasons and last year was no exception. Michigan ended the 2022 on an 8-game losing streak after jumping out on the season 7-0 and demolishing a ranked University of Delaware by a score of 18-8. 

Despite the 0-5 conference record the Wolverines posted, the Wolverines were competitive in all games with the exception of Maryland (but to be fair, Maryland dominated everyone in 2022). Michigan lost two of the conference games by single goal margins, and another two by 2-3 goal margins. Despite ultimately resulting in a 0-5 conference season, it also shows the margins of loss are getting smaller. It may also point to an imminent turning point in the Michigan Men’s Lacrosse program approaching in the near future.

With the talent that they are returning, the Wolverines should be able to pull out some more conference wins. Starting goaltender Shane Carr, who earned 2nd Team Big-10 honors will be returning back to Ann Arbor with 1st Team Big-10 selection and teammate, Josh Zawada. These two players were major bright spots for the team this year, and should be expected to only further build on that success they had in the beginning of the season to carry it to the end of the 2023 college lacrosse season. 

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The goalie position in the PLL is undoubtedly one of the most competitive positions and the hardest position on the field. Even more so, it is rare to see a switch in personnel during the season after a starting goaltender is named. However, this season Jack Kelly has been the man to step up to the plate for the Redwoods.

Following a rough start to the season, the Redwoods were looking for a spark and they did just that, making a goaltender switch from Tim Troutner to Jack Kelly. Jack Kelly is a highly awarded and extremely talented goaltender, at one point he was regarded as the best in the country. However, he found himself in the second string role for the Redwoods for the majority of his time there despite being an MLL All-Star and collegiate stud. 

In order to understand the depth of his return between the pipes, who is Jack Kelly?

Lacrosse Career

In college, Jack Kelly was a four year starter at Brown University. During his time at Brown, he was nothing short of outstanding between the pipes. Kelly consistently led the Ivy League in saves and was a force between the pipes for his team. He was a two-time captain, and earned all USILA All-American honors along with First Team All-Ivy League honors in 2015. Following his unbelievable Final Four performance against the University of Maryland in 2016, it was clear that Jack Kelly was a top tier talent as a goaltender.

When asked by Brown staff to describe Kelly, they had nothing but high praise, saying “The man is a rarity in college athletics as a two-time captain. The honor of leading our team is certainly appreciated and embraced by Jack. But in reality, the rest of us are the ones who truly feel honored and fortunate to have Jack’s guidance and words.” 

When Kelly entered the MLL in 2016, he picked up where he left off and took the professional league by storm. Kelly was drafted by the Denver Outlaws where he would win Rookie of the Year and his first MLL Championship in 2016. In his 2017 campaign he captured the Goalie of the Year award and in 2018 he would win another championship and would be named to the 2018 Team USA Men’s Team. Everything was going perfect for Jack Kelly heading through 2018. 

However, while playing with Team USA in Israel, Kelly suffered a torn ACL while making a leaping outlet pass in one of the pool games. This injury would ultimately end up sidelining Kelly for three years due to repeated complications and having to undergo multiple surgeries to address the complications. It took 1,085 days for Kelly to suit up and take the field for the first time as a PLL Redwood. 

What should the Redwoods expect from Jack Kelly?

The Redwoods should expect what every team has gotten out of Jack Kelly, great goaltending and great leadership. Jack Kelly has been getting more comfortable each week and it has shown and with the Redwoods finding their rhythm at the X, it looks like they could make a strong push at the end of this season and in the postseason. Kelly brings an athletic, unorthodox style to the Redwoods that should lead to big stops and even bigger defensive stands. 

Regardless, Jack Kelly is an outstanding goaltender and to see him back in the lineup is nothing short of a success story for himself personally. But, if the Redwoods make a strong run, Jack Kelly getting back in the lineup will likely be a part of Redwoods’ success story as well.

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There is an unwritten understanding in the lacrosse community on what it means to be a “lax bro” but the definition greatly changes depending on who you ask. Instead of sitting here and trying to describe what exactly being a “lax bro” entails, I’m going to assume that most everyone in the lacrosse world has a basic understanding on what exactly this term means.

When it comes to the PLL, there are just some names that resonate “lax bro” energy. Not only do these names roll off the tongue well but they also embody what it means to be a hardcore lacrosse player. Here are the most “lax bro” names in the PLL.

Archers: Connor DeSimone and Tre Leclaire

These two names for the Archers are going to take the cake for most “lax bro” names on their roster. From the moment you hear these two names, it gives off an immediate “I ski in the winter and snipe corners in the summer” kind of vibe. I think everyone can agree they have played with a Connor or a Tre on the lacrosse field, maybe not DeSimone or Leclaire caliber, but I know we have all been there. Fortunately, with names like this, the two of these players answer the bell. Both are capable of sticking the ball in the back of the net and have been doing so for some time. 

Atlas: Tucker Durkin and Dox Aitken

I do not believe there is a more fitting name for a 6’2, 215lb monster, running around with a long pole, than Tucker Durkin. From the moment this name is heard, I am imagining someone who takes the field with the intention to cause pain to their opponent and is looking to put the ball on the turf as many times as possible. Fortunately, that’s exactly what this guy likes to do. At 31, Durkin is still running around with the best of them in the PLL and doing what his name calls for.

Dox Aitken, another top tier lax name. First of all, let’s just start with the name Dox. The amount of pressure that comes with that name is unreal. You cannot just be named Dox Aitken and be average at lacrosse, he had to be great. Also, a name like Dox Aitken comes with a non-negotiable shorts well above the knee requirement per an inside source. Luckily, Dox is in fact, an elite lacrosse player who can be caught rifling shots by goalies almost every weekend in the PLL.

Cannons: Brodie Merrill

This another easy top five “lax bro” name. For starters, you do not see a ton of people walking around with the name “Brodie” but when you do, it’s on the lacrosse field. Much like we said before with Dox, certain names you just have to live up too. If your name is “Brodie” and you are going to take on lacrosse, you better be good. However, Brodie is a legend in the professional scene and his game has been getting admired since his time at Georgetown in the 2000s and has continued to be a force with the Cannons.

Chaos: Blaze Riorden 

The Chaos ball club is loaded with special names but none is more special than Blaze Riorden. For starters, you must applaud the parents’ confidence to see a baby for the first time, and name him Blaze. It has to be fair to say the parents knew he was destined for athletic greatness from the moment they saw him and tasked him with carrying that name. Fortunately, Blaze has done just that, he has set fire to the league and is redefining what it means to be a goaltender right before our eyes.

Chrome: Mike Messenger

For Chrome, Mike Messenger is by far my favorite name on the roster. For some reason, this name just pops and just gives a little extra bounce. Even more so he’s a bit of a wildcard – Messenger is a Canadian short stick d-mid who played his college ball at Limestone. So if a name like Mike Messenger does not jump out on the PLL roster to you, once you add he’s a former D2 player from Canada, he gets even more interesting. 

Redwoods: Ryder Garnsey

Once again, this is another name that from the moment you hear it, you know he plays lacrosse and there’s a chance you may not like him. Ryder Garnsey is an amazing lacrosse player and his name sounds like it came off the same shelf the stick did. With Ryder already not being a super common name, you pair it up with elite lacrosse skills and his style of play and it immediately becomes an easy “lax bro” name. After his time at Notre Dame, Ryder busted onto the PLL scene as a rookie and has not looked back. 

Waterdogs: Ryan Conrad, Connor Kelly, and Ryan Brown

This was one of the easiest picks to make because the names are so simple, but they still bring lacrosse to the front of the mind. All three of these players have some of the most basic names possible, but all three of these players have lacrosse skillsets that are well above and beyond basic. In addition, all three of these players are well known in the lacrosse community individually as well for their accomplishments. So despite the names being basic, lacrosse is engrained in all three of those names.

Whipsnakes: Wheaton Jackoboice

Not only is this the best name on the roster, it’s one of those names you have to say out loud. Although the Notre Dame grad has not seen a lot of field time, his name alone is worth some conversation. Wheaton Jackoboice has a ring that immediately puts me in the countryside where nobody even knows what lacrosse is yet. With a name like this, I hope to be hearing it called more and more as his career progresses in the PLL. 

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In the sport of lacrosse, there are few players who have a presence as captivating as Myles Jones. In 2013, Myles stepped onto the college lacrosse scene as a staggering 6’5, 200+ pound freshman at Duke University. From that point he took the world by storm and has not slowed down since. Since 2013, Myles has captured multiple national titles, earned multiple All-American honors, and has continued to be one of the most impactful players on every roster he is on. 

But what exactly makes Myles Jones such a fun and talented lacrosse player to watch? Arguably, it’s the fact that he is more than just a lacrosse player, but actually a physical specimen and phenomenal athlete that the game of lacrosse does not see often. But even more so, like many great lacrosse players in history, this sport was not his first choice nor was he a natural.

Myles Jones was always a multi-sport athlete leading from his early youth all the way through his time in high school. But initially, Myles was just a basketball and football player in his younger years. This did not change until around sixth grade, when another parent would suggest to Myles’ father he start playing lacrosse. Despite his father not knowing much about the sport, he knew Long Island was a hotbed for lacrosse that could present his son with lots opportunities in the future for him. 

Boy, was he right. Myles’ described his first lacrosse practice in very simple terms.

“I couldn’t catch. I couldn’t throw. I didn’t care. I loved lacrosse.”
– Myles Jones

From that day forward, Myles would begin dedicating every day of his week to becoming a better lacrosse player and that hard work would soon pay off as he entered high school. 

In high school, Myles was nothing short of athletically phenomenal. He had the attention of national powerhouses like Duke, Virginia, and North Carolina from an early point in his high school lacrosse career and rightfully so. He was a four-time Suffolk County All-League selection, a three-time All-County selection, and was an Under Armour All-American selection in his senior campaign. 

In addition to this mountain of lacrosse accomplishments, Myles was also a four-year participant and standout on both the football and basketball teams at his high school. Myles was an all-Long Island , all-league, and all-county basketball player along with being an all-league and all-county football quarterback as well. Needless to say, he was a dominant force in every sport he took on. 

After a post-grad year at Salisbury School playing basketball and lacrosse, Jones would enter Duke as a freshman in 2013 where he would cement his name in lacrosse history forever by putting together four of the best seasons any midfielder could ask for. 

In his freshman and sophomore campaigns, Myles would hit heights many players only dream of, winning back-to-back national championships in the 2013 and 2014 seasons. Jones would play nearly every game in both his freshman and sophomore season, totaling 21 points as a freshman and skyrocketing to 63 points as a sophomore where he would earn All-ACC, NCAA Tournament Team, and capped off with USILA Second Team All-American honors. Despite all the success, Myles still had not even tapped into his full potential until his junior and senior years where he would truly take the nation by storm. 

As a junior, Myles would have one of the best midfield seasons in Duke Blue Devil history. Myles Jones started every game on the first line midfield that year and put together a 77 point season, leading all midfielders nationally in scoring and was fourth overall in points per game. In that same season, Myles would earn his first USILA 1st Team All-American selection while also being named a finalist for the coveted Tewaaraton Award.

But if that wasn’t enough, he was also named the, LT. Donald MacLaughlin Jr Award Winner for being the nation’s top midfielder. For his senior season, it was only fitting that Myles would close out by duplicating his exact success from the season prior. Myles would again close the season as a USILA 1st Team All-American, LT. Donald MacLaughlin Jr Award Winner, led all midfielders nationally, and was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Year. 

Following his senior season, Myles Jones would go on to be the No.1 overall pick in the MLL being selected to Chesapeake Bayhawks where he would also become the first lacrosse player to sign an endorsement deal with Adidas. This truly showcased that he was a special kind of player and big brands already began to take notice early in his career. 

Following three years in the MLL where he averaged around 30 points a season in his three years with the Bayhawks, he made the transition over to the PLL where he was selected by the Chaos in the 2019 inaugural season. After a year with the Chaos, he was traded over to the Redwoods where he is now a high quality piece of their midfield line following only behind Jules Heningburg in points on the season. 

With Myles’ contract expiring this year, it is imperative that he has a good season and functions as an integral part for the Redwoods offense. He must continue to show that his size and strength makes him a miss-match in almost every situation, while showing he has the lacrosse IQ to still take good shots and find the right looks as a feeder for his team as well. With a 6’5 and 260 pound build, Jones brings a size advantage and mismatch that any team would want to have on their side, but he still must make sure his lacrosse skill and IQ is just as strong in order to keep him marketable in this league.

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Trevor Baptiste is undoubtedly one of the best (if not the best) faceoff specialists the game of lacrosse has ever seen. He was a NCAA Division 1 national champion at the University of Denver in 2015, an NCAA record holder, and still is one the most dominant faceoff specialists in professional lacrosse today. However, the most impressive fact about him is that over halfway into his senior year of high school he did not have a single NCAA Division 1 lacrosse offer and was slated to play at a Division 3 school in rural Pennsylvania. 

But how does a kid go from no NCAA Division 1 offers heading into March of his senior year, to one of the best players in the game today? 

Let’s start from the very beginning of his lacrosse career. 

Trevor Baptiste is not your typical lacrosse legend. He was not born with a lacrosse stick in his hand, he did not come from a family of talented lacrosse players, he actually is the complete opposite. Leading up to sixth grade, Trevor’s passion was swimming, where he was one of the best young swimmers in the state and northeast region. It was after some persuasion by his friends he picked up lacrosse that year in the sixth grade and fell in love with the sport despite not being a natural.

Fast forward to spring of his freshman year of high school, Trevor would go on to make the varsity lacrosse squad as a freshman and his love for swimming would take a backseat as he fully submerged himself into the sport of lacrosse. Heading into his sophomore year was when Baptiste decided he would hone in on the faceoff-x as his true position.

It wasn’t until March of his senior year when he would get the call from Bill Tierney (University of Denver Men’s Lacrosse Head Coach) that would change the trajectory of his athletic career and life forever. That spring, Coach Tierney flew Trevor from his small town in New Jersey, to the University of Denver for an overnight visit and to watch a game. This is where he would ultimately convince Baptiste to spend his next four years playing college lacrosse at the University of Denver. 

Baptiste’s four years at the University of Denver was nothing short of historic. Baptiste earned the starting role at the faceoff position as a freshman and never looked back. In his freshman campaign, Baptiste would help Denver to a NCAA Division 1 National Championship while simultaneously earning himself a spot on the USILA All-American First Team slate. He would go on to earn that All-American First Team spot every season for four years straight, being the first person to do so since Mikey Powell in 2004. 

Additionally, he was a four-time All-Big East First Team selection, a four-time Tewaaraton nominee, and two-time finalist for the Tewaaraton award as well. Trevor would finish his career as an NCAA record holder with over 1100 faceoff wins and a .714% win percentage. Nothing short of historic for a person that nearly never saw the Division 1 stage.

Shortly following the conclusion of his senior year, he would go on to win a gold medal playing with Team USA in the FIL Lacrosse World Championships and would be the number one draft pick in the MLL Draft that year being selected by the Boston Cannons.

As a professional lacrosse player, Baptiste has not disappointed. Following a brief stint in the MLL with the Cannons prior to the inaugural PLL season, Trevor has continued to be a force in the sport at the faceoff-X. In the PLL inaugural season, Trevor put up an amazing season with over 70 groundballs and a 63% faceoff win percentage, earning himself an All-Star Team selection and the Paul Cantabene Faceoff Man of the Year award. In the 2021 season, Trevor would also end the season leading the PLL in faceoff win percentage and groundballs. 

With the 2022 PLL season underway, he is off to another hot start. Baptiste has his Atlas team sitting at 2-1 currently holding a 73% faceoff win percentage and is second in the league for groundballs at 20. If Trevor can continue his dominance, this could be the year that the Atlas make a serious run at the championship given the new pieces brought to the team. Although only time will tell what the Atlas will accomplish with him, time has already shown Trevor Baptiste to be a generational talent in the sport of lacrosse.

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Rutgers men’s lacrosse has put together a phenomenal season this year and they are finally headed to Championship Weekend. Rutgers has made 11 National Tournament appearances since the introduction of the playoff system in 1971 and only two since 2004.  Needless to say, this has been a long time coming for the program.  

The Scarlet Knights have been a solid team for the last few years now, not always making the tournament or showing dominance within the Big Ten, but performing at a high enough level to show that they were trending in the right direction. In 2021, Rutgers finally had their breakthrough where they truly emerged as an elite team in college lacrosse. Rutgers got some great additions from the transfer portal, they went 8-2 in Big Ten conference play, and made the NCAA tournament where they lost in the second round in overtime to No.1 North Carolina. While the season had a bitter ending, Rutgers knew they were returning a lot of talent for 2022 lacrosse season and they would be poised to make another run. 

For the 2022 men’s lacrosse season, Rutgers did not disappoint and put together one of their best seasons in program history. Rutgers enters this game on Saturday with a 15-3 record that included a 7-0 record at home. Additionally, they were excellent during regular season conference play going 4-1, and they played very well out-of-conference as well only losing one game against Princeton. To top it off, all of this on-field success has been followed with seven players being named to the USILA All-American teams as well. 

Amongst the seven All-American’s for Rutgers, two players have been especially important to the team’s success this year, Ross Scott (Attack/Jr) and Colin Kirst (Goalie/Sr). Both of these players have led the nation statistically in their respective areas but both have been key leaders as well.

Kirst, a 2x All-American, is currently fourth in the nation for most saves on the season, totaling 221 saves after the Penn game. Additionally, Kirst sits at nearly 55% save percentage on the season. Kirst has shown the ability down the stretch to be an X-factor on the defensive end for his team. In last week’s game, he made 18 saves in order to secure the 11-9 victory over Penn. 

As for Ross Scott, he has proven to be equally valuable to the team as well. Scott busted on the scene in this 2022 season as he currently leads the team with 49 goals on the year, the second most in any single season by a Rutgers player, and currently 14th in the nation. Ross showcased this elite goal scoring ability in the first round of the NCAA tournament where he put up 8 goals in the 19-9 victory against Harvard.

Rutgers’ biggest strength this year has typically been its defense and goaltender.  Kirst in net and the rest of the defensive unit has provided a huge advantage down the stretch of the season as the defense has held over ten teams to 10 goals or less in a game. Rutgers also leads the nation in successful clears, clearing over 91%. 

On the flip side of things though, Rutgers will have to do a better job at the faceoff X and with turnovers.  Currently, Rutgers is underneath 50% at the faceoff while their competition on the other side of the bracket is averaging 50% of more. Additionally, Rutgers will have to focus on minimizing their turnovers in the game as they currently lead the nation, averaging 13 turnovers a game with 238 total on the season. 

Quint Kessenich’s NCAA D1 Lacrosse Semifinals Preview

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The committee not selecting Notre Dame for an at-large bid for the 2022 NCAA lacrosse tournament is undoubtedly the biggest snub that we have ever seen on Selection Sunday. But the question is, why is this snub so much worse than other snubs we have seen in the past?  

Carrying a modest 8-4 record, Notre Dame closed out the regular season with a dominating six-game win streak. They beat the entire ACC with the exception of Virginia, and they had no “bad” or blowout losses.  This was nothing historic, but a solid resume for sure. What makes the decision to not include Notre Dame the biggest snub of all time, was the decision to include Harvard instead. 

When you look at Harvard’s final six games, it is the complete opposite of Notre Dame. Harvard would go 3-3 in their final stretch of games including a blowout loss to Cornell by a score of 17-9, and they were nearly upset by Colgate in a 7-6 game. Meanwhile, Notre Dame was convincingly beating their opponents down the stretch of the season. The only team who came close to defeating them down the stretch was the Duke Blue Devils, who ultimately lost both times by a combined 3 goals. Clearly, when it came to which team was playing their best lacrosse down the stretch of the season, it is hard to say that Harvard had any argument to be made over Notre Dame.

The next big difference between these teams is the quality of their out-of-conference schedules. Notre Dame played Georgetown, Maryland, and Ohio State. Three high quality teams that Notre Dame played competitively with for all four quarters and ultimately came up short by a handful of goals or less. The strongest out-of-conference game that Harvard possesses is Ohio State, another at-large bid team who the Crimson lost too. Their best out-of-conference-win came in a close match against Boston University at home back in March. The rest of their out-of-conference games were layups for the most part (NJIT, Fairfield, Michigan, Colgate). 

The Ivy League has a dominant presence in the 2022 NCAA lacrosse tournament this year featuring Princeton, Penn, Yale, Harvard, Brown, and Cornell. Selecting Notre Dame for the tournament over Harvard would have brought more competitive value to the tournament. Looking at the final stretch of the season, Harvard lost to Cornell, Penn, Yale, and barely squeaked by Princeton during final four games of the season. It was pretty clear that they were not amongst the upper echelon of their own conference let alone the nation. Meanwhile, Notre Dame was showing dominance in all of their late season matchups and the ability to beat conference opponents multiple times. Not to mention Notre Dame was the only team this year to hold Maryland to 11 goals when they played them to a 9-11 final.

At the end of the day, you want the best programs competing in the tournament.  When you look at the records for both Harvard and Notre Dame, they are the exact same at 8-4. But when you consider the quality of play and momentum that each program could have brought to this year’s tournament, it is hard to deny Notre Dame was the go-to decision and would have been a serious underdog contender for a run at Championship Weekend. 

Seeing Notre Dame be sidelined for a less dynamic lacrosse team that has shown less in-conference play and is not carrying the same level of momentum, is what makes this undoubtably the biggest snub of thsi season, and potentially of all time.

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In recent years, the lacrosse world has seen an expansion in helmet options. Teams across the country have been taking a chance on some of the newer styles of helmets. We now have a world where Cascade, Warrior, and STX are all bringing new looks to the game, but how do they stack up against each other?

On top of the type of helmet being used, the design process is just as important as any helmet can look awful with poor design. I decided to pick my favorite colleges wearing each of the three brands previously mentioned to show the best options that brand has to offer when the helmet is done right.

STX Rival Helmet Favorite:  University of North Carolina

UNC brings my favorite Rival design by far, specifically in their chrome colorway helmet. This helmet has all the design elements that bring a more intense look to the helmet rather than some of the more basic colorways that other schools have.

The UNC chrome helmet brings a large menacing Tar Heel logo on the side of the helmet while adding an argyle stripe down the center of the helmet.  The helmet also features a blue chin piece, further adding the color variations in the helmet giving it a more explosive look.

Cascade XRS Favorite: University of Maryland 

The University of Maryland has been extremely dominant on the field this year and they have not missed a beat in the helmet department either. This is one of the best helmets in college lacrosse.

Maryland’s red XRS with the waving Maryland flag print across the side in my favorite look of the season.  The helmet features a red body that is then paired with white accents across the helmet. The helmet has a white chin, white facemask, and the flag has touches of white throughout as well.  The white paired against the red backdrop creates an amazing look that pairs well with talent on the field. 

Warrior Rival Helmet Favorite: University of Virginia

The University of Virginia brings a clean white rival with lots of blue accent touches that flow nicely with the overall look. 

For starters, the intersecting sword logo on the visor of the helmet is a great touch. While it is small, they have it on every helmet and its another subtle yet nice tribute to the Cavalier’s brand. 

On a larger scale, the side of the helmet features a white and blue designed Cavalier figure as well. This figure however is a much larger tribute to the Cavalier brand and the meaning behind it. Lastly the backs of the helmets feature the word “HOOS” in big bold letters, one final touch to rep the brand at max capacity. 

The helmet is finished off with a blue chin piece, the final touch to complete the overall blue and white color theme and many would agree it pairs much better with the helmet rather than a basic white chin would have.

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With the 2022 NCAA lacrosse conference tournaments starting, it only makes sense to look at both the favorites and the underdogs. This has been an extremely enjoyable season thus far and post-season tournaments looks to elevate the level of play to the next level. While there certainly are many favorites in each conference, there are many underdogs who could potentially pull off the upset.

ACC 

While there is no ACC tournament due to the conference only possessing five teams instead of the required six, I still think it’s fair to discuss the NCAA tournament implications of the teams in question. The ACC has been confusing this season with some questionable in-conference losses all around. There are two or three teams in the ACC that may make it to the NCAA tournament with the potential to make a run, and we fell like those teams are worth discussing here. It is a shame there is no true ACC tournament.

Winner: Virginia

The Cavaliers are the best team in the ACC at the end of the regular season. They have been dominant all regular season, suffering only three losses and have been equally dominant in conference play, with only one loss to Duke.  They have all the pieces required to win in the NCAA postseason, but they simply must execute. 

Underdog(s): Duke and Notre Dame

These two teams are clear underdogs in this conference with a shot of making the NCAA tournament.  Notre Dame is currently on a four-game win streak which includes a key win over Duke in a 15-16 contest. On the opposite side, Duke has had some rocky conference play suffering losses to Syracuse and Notre Dame. It is unsure what the future has in store for these two teams, but I would not want to play Duke or Notre Dame in the NCAA tournament.

America East

Winner: Vermont

Vermont has shown dominance in conference play and has been on a six-game win streak after opening the season just 2-6. In their last six games, Vermont has scored nearly 100 goals and has been limiting opponents to ten or less goals a game. At this rate, the Catamounts are going to be a tough team to stop offensively in the tournament.

Underdog: Stony Brook

Stony Brook will be entering the tournament as another team to watch. Stony Brook opened their season strong with four straight wins before dropping some tough games against some nationally ranked opponents. They have since been on a four-game win streak with nobody left on the regular season conference schedule except for Vermont. They should be expected to  make a deep run in the conference tournament with Vermont.

ASUN

Winner: Utah 

Utah has spent the last several years gradually working its name higher up in the lacrosse world and this year they had a tremendous breakthrough. Utah has put together an 8-3 season with multiple first-time program wins along with other statement wins against teams like Jacksonville, Vermont, and Robert Morris. This team is primed and ready to capture the ASUN conference championship this season. 

Underdog: Air Force

Air Force opened up the season with a slow 0-4 start with some close losses against opponents like Denver and Colgate. Since the slow start, Air Force has bounced back and has been competing at a high level. Both conference losses come from Utah and Robert Morris by a combined total of three goals. It should be expected that if Air Force has another chance at these teams in conference play, they should come back stronger with a better chance for victory and capturing the conference championship. 

Big 10

Winner: Maryland

This is an easy pick. One of the most historically dominant programs is having a historically dominant season. It would be unbelievable to not expect Maryland to not win the Big 10 tournament.  They are beating opponents easily and the talent they have on the field comes in bunches. I cannot see many teams in the Big 10 with a chance to stop them. 

Underdog: Rutgers

Rutgers is another powerhouse program, but they simply do not possess the same level of talent that Maryland does. However, Rutgers has never avoided competition and has the best chance to give Maryland a run in the Big 10 lacrosse conference tournament. Rutgers touts a highly talented goaltender who can easily become a game changer for the Scarlet Knights in the tournament. Elite goalie play would be a must have if Rutgers were to have a chance. 

Ivy League

Winner: Cornell

The Ivy League has been an extremely fun and competitive conference to watch this year whether they are playing in or out of conference. Despite Cornell’s most recent two goal skid, they are extremely well rounded and talented across the field. This Cornell team is not unfamiliar with success and should have the leadership to bounce back from these late season hiccups and win the conference tournament.

Underdog: Brown

Brown University has been hot down the stretch of the season and hot in the Ivy League. Brown brings some big wins from Cornell, Penn, and Yale along with a goaltender who has been playing extremely well. This kind of confidence along with an anchor in the net is exactly what is needed to propel Brown to a lacrosse conference tournament championship this year. 

Patriot League

Winner: Army

Army has been having an amazing season to this point. They carry a 10-3 record where the three games they lost totaling to a combined five goals. Army has an excellent offense, strong defense, and great leadership in order to bring them through the Patriot League lacrosse conference tournament with victory. This elite combination was just displayed against Cornell University in a 17-10 victory. Army should have no issue competing for a conference championship after the regular season they just had.

Underdog: Boston University

Boston University has historically been known for shaking up the conference and that is exactly what I expect from them this year. While they have not always had the spotlight on them, Boston has been absolutely perfect in conference play this year and is coming off of a gritty 9-8 victory against Lehigh. Expect Boston to make an equally deep run in their conference tournament as well, which would be a huge achievement for the growing lacrosse program.

SoCon

Winner: Jacksonville

Jacksonville has been taking care of business this year. At 13-2, Jacksonville brings high profile and statement wins to the table, accompanied by only two losses. The only thing missing from the Jacksonville season is a conference championship. With Jacksonville on an eight-game win streak which includes wins over conference rivals Richmond and High Point. Jacksonville should be able to duplicate that same level of success in the tournament, and bring home the program’s first championship. 

Underdog: Richmond Spiders

Richmond is one of the few teams who played Jacksonville close and they also took down the next strongest SoCon opponent, High Point, in commanding fashion this season. If Richmond can get a rematch with Jacksonville, they have the best chances to beat them out of anyone in the conference. 

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The 2022 college lacrosse regular season has been an absolute thrill to watch. We have been treated to excellent lacrosse week after week coming out of multiple conferences. With playoffs and the NCAA tournament approaching, it is time to really consider who will be the major threat in the brackets this year. The team to beat this year in the tournament is going to be the Georgetown Hoyas.  

Almost everyone this year wants to point the finger at the dominant, Maryland lacrosse team who has yet to take a loss on the season. But Maryland is no stranger to the tournament, historic regular seasons, and heartbreaking postseason endings.  For that reason, I expect a similar end to this season as well. 

Recapping the regular season to this point, the Hoyas have put together an extremely impressive run and have shown that they have all the tools to make a deep run at the tournament.  When taking a deeper look, three things come to mind for why Georgetown will be tough to beat; out of conference schedule, experience, and defense.

Strength of Schedule and Dominance

Georgetown undoubtedly had the best out-of-conference schedule performances in NCAA lacrosse this year. During their out-of-conference schedule, the Hoyas won 4 out of 5 different games they had against ranked opponents with the lone loss coming against Princeton in a tight 8-10  battle. Georgetown has wins against ACC, Big 10, and IVY league opponents. Knowing how to play against these kinds of teams will be extremely beneficial for Georgetown down the stretch compared to teams who have not played other powerhouse programs.

Additionally, the Hoyas have been extremely dominant within their conference which is not surprising.  However, they are still beating their less skilled opponents with strong conviction.  They have beat every opponent in the conference by at least 7 points or more. 

This kind of consistency and dominance is extremely important and valuable coming down the stretch heading into the tournament.

Experience on the Field and in the Locker Room

Georgetown has been in every NCAA lacrosse tournament since 2018 and in each year following they have done considerably better.  In 2021, the Hoyas found their comfort on the big stage when they knocked off Syracuse in the first round.

Over those years they have amassed a team of senior leadership that was bred in-house, along with some more senior leadership from the transfer portal. The Hoyas joined players like senior attackman Dylan Watson, graduate goalkeeper Owen McElroy, with other older leaders like Alex Trippi (North Carolina), Connor Morin (Notre Dame), and Will Bowen (North Carolina). All of these players have been able to come on and make an immediate impact and contribute to the success we have witnessed this year.  

With this amount of tournament experience on this team, it is hard to imagine that they will not thrive in the high pressure situations the tournament inevitably brings.

Defense Wins Games

On the defensive end, the Hoyas are ready to compete and have been a force all season. This defensive effort is still being led by their Graduate goalkeeper, Owen McElroy.  

Owen McElroy opened the season hot and has stayed hot. McElroy currently sits at 62% save percentage while still average less than 9 goals per game. His in-net presence has proved to be a true asset to Georgetown and is expected to continue to be one going forward. 

Additionally, the defense as a whole, is playing well rounded ball and are limiting teams shots and furthermore, limiting teams scoring ability. In their last four games, the Hoyas have held all of their opponents to 10 goals or less, and held other opponents earlier in the season to similar goal totals as well. 

The defense is moving like a well oiled machine and the chemistry looks as solid as ever. Defense has always won championships in sports and if Georgetown is looking to secure a lacrosse championship, the defense will have to be strong.

Overall, there are a lot of great teams in the tournament who could make a run in the tournament this year if they get in. But when you look at the overall seasons and what Georgetown is bringing to the table, I fully expect them to be the team to beat.

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This week, we cover the best and worst uniforms coming out of the Big East Lacrosse conference.  Let’s take a look where these schools stack up amongst each other. 

Big East Lacrosse Conference Uniform Rankings

6. St. Johns

Up to this point in the season, St. Johns men’s lacrosse has definitely seen better days, and so have their uniforms. St. Johns comes in at the bottom of the list for me due to the absolute drop off from the uniforms seen in years prior.

For starters, both the white and red jersey set ups are so plain it is actually upsetting. They recently left their Under Armour threads behind which featured multiple design elements like sleeve stripes and accents down the sides of the entire uniform, they now have the most basic and bland Nike uniforms possible. 

These uniforms look as if someone bought a set of white and red uniforms from Nike, and popped some St Johns logos on them. For a school that once had some very nice uniform set ups, these threads just miss the mark. 

5. Providence 

Providence comes in just a hair over St Johns spot in the Big East Lacrosse uniform rankings. The reason they come in so low is for a similar reason to St Johns, the uniforms fail to bring any sort of “pop” to them. 

Providence is not only a Nike school, but they have the EASIEST colors to work with; black and white. There is a lot of opportunity with such a simple colorway to produce some really cool set ups or details, but these uniforms miss on both. 

I would have loved to have seen some stitched/embroidered lettering or numbers, possibly even some touches of metallic silver to give the white and black that “pop”.  But unfortunately, the jerseys are just plain white with the basic black numbers and lettering.  

On the upside, the jersey and shorts do feature an accent stripe down the side, but still, its just a basic solid black stripe.  It’s something, but not much. 

4. Villanova

When it comes to the Big East, Villanova’s lacrosse jerseys come in strong. Nothing flashy, but still stylish and consistently clean. 

For Nova, I love the use of different blues throughout the entire jersey. We see alternating blue stripes on the sleeves and we see blue outlining the jersey numbers on the home, away, and alternate threads.  It creates a classic look that will always be respected in the lacrosse community. 

The reason these uniforms come in at the No.4 spot is because while they are clean and classic, nothing about them is really special or overly exciting. It is something that is reliable and nice, but nothing that will make you look twice. 

3. Georgetown

Georgetown has made a lot of noise in college lacrosse this year and they have the jerseys to match. The Georgetown uniforms have a lot of upscale touches along with some interesting combinations that land them at No.3 on the list. 

The home and away jerseys both feature a strong stitched and embroidered “Georgetown” and numbers across the front. While the home whites are a clean and classic look, the real favorite is the blue and gray away game setup. The blue away jerseys feature gray numbers embroidered by white stitching that pairs great with the gray shorts. One of the few programs who opts for the two-tone colorway on away games.  

Even more interesting, the Hoyas opted for a bold style choice, in using the iconic bulldog logo as the center chest piece for the alternate jerseys they wore against conference opponent Providence.  Typically with the alternate jerseys, most teams opt to change the word across the chest – Instead of having the jerseys say “Georgetown” they could have said “Hoyas”.  But instead, Georgetown took a completely different route and put their logo on the top of the chest almost resembling a pendant.  

I cannot say for sure that I love the look, but it is definitely an uncommon choice that sets them apart from the rest. 

2. Denver

Denver lands at this spot because not only do they have a ton of options, but they reached a high level of creativity with an uncommon brand in New Balance with the crimson and gold colorway. 

As we all know, New Balance has not always been one of the top apparel names in the sport of lacrosse but they have slowly climbed their way up. When taking a look at the design elements of the jerseys, all the must haves are there for the Pios. The jerseys have multicolored sleeve stripes, large stitched and embroidered numbers, and a strong “Denver” across the front. But what sets these jerseys apart are the smaller details in the creativity.   

For starters, the collars of the jerseys are also multicolored but they also feature the wording “Pioneers” in bold letters visible along the sides of the collar. Also, the subtle arch in the way the word “Denver” is written across the front is an equally impressive detail seen in the jerseys. Additionally, the Pios uniforms always work in three to four different colors in their jerseys, which is not easy considering their school colors of crimson and gold.

However, the best design feature on the jerseys is displayed in the alternate threads the Pios have worn.  These jerseys feature a mountain like backdrop throughout the top of the jersey and the bottom of the shorts that is extremely unique. Considering the fact that the school is located significantly farther away from most schools playing Division 1 lacrosse, the mountainous display really does emphasize the sort of “island” that they are on in the midwest. 

1. Marquette

Marquette claims the top spot in the Big East because they have stayed true to the sleeveless lacrosse jerseys and continue to exploit all the color options available. Period.

For starters, the school boasts three strong sets of uniforms in white, blue, and yellow that they have been known to alternate to create some nice combinations and a multitude of helmets. Additionally, Marquette pairs these sleeveless jerseys with shooting shirts that also have the number on the side to really round out the look and give a lightweight look to the uniforms. 

As always, these Marquette uniforms check all the same necessary boxes on the uniform check list, but they also feature subtle design touches like the thicker stripe that goes down the sides of all of their uniforms as well. Luckily for Marquette, they have the luxury of also having great colors that allow for so many easy and fun combinations. 

IVY LEAGUE LACROSSE: UNIFORM RANKINGS

ACC LACROSSE: UNIFORM RANKINGS

BIG TEN LACROSSE: UNIFORM RANKINGS

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This weekend, the ACC treated us to lacrosse upsets and high-scoring statement wins. Let’s recap the weekend for the ACC and take a look at what it means coming down the stretch towards the end of the regular season. 

#2 Virginia (13) – Richmond (17)

In a shocking upset, the Cavaliers fell to the Richmond Spiders by a score of 13-17 for the first time in the eight years since the programs have played against one another. Despite Virginia opening the game strong, scoring 7 of the first 10 goals of the game, the Spiders continued to fight. Later in the second quarter, Richmond would go on a 7 goal run to take a 12-9 lead in the game. Coming down the stretch, the freshman goaltender for the Spiders would make key saves that would preserve the Richmond lead as the Spiders claimed the 17-13 victory over in-state rival Virginia.

Key Takeaways and What to Expect Moving Forward

1. Petey LaSalla Injury: Petey LaSalla was a dominant force at the X prior to being taken off the field due to a hard hit that he did not return from. As the Cavs head through conference play, Virginia would be at a severe disadvantage competing without him if he does not return.
   
2. Connor Shellenberger: Despite his dominance throughout the entire season, Richmond’s freshman defender, Griffin Kology, found the answer to minimizing Shellenberger’s success.  After switching to man-to-man coverage, Shellenberger was held to one goal and three assists total on the day. Expect to see teams taking a good look at the film from this game and looking to see how they can adopt and adapt a similar strategy. 
   
3. Goaltending: Matthew Nunes has undoubtedly been one of the most impressive goalies and freshmen in not just the ACC, but all of college lacrosse this season. However, Nunes has been underneath 50% in 4 of the last 5 games and this loss comes off of his best career game last week.  Nunes finding his rhythm again will be crucial to the Cavaliers making a run at the championship for a third straight year.
   

#9 North Carolina (5) – #16 Duke (15)

Coming off a disappointing loss against Syracuse, the Blue Devils responded with a dominating performance against the Tar Heels. This performance was heavily attributed to two standouts performances by Brennan O’Neill and Mike Adler. O’Neill led the team with 7 goals on 10 total shots, an offensive performance to be remembered for the young sophomore. On the other side of the field, Mike Adler opened up the game early making nearly 10 saves in the first quarter alone and finished with 19 saves on the day.  These two performances set the tone and cleared the way for a dominating ACC conference win over rival opponent UNC.

Key Takeaways and What to Expect Moving Forward

1.  Remaining Schedule: Duke University only has ACC opponents on the remainder of their lacrosse schedule. After responding to the Syracuse loss in this fashion, I fully expect to see the Blue Devils bringing that same energy to every game moving forward. However, every game remaining on their schedule brings strong opponents in Notre Dame, Virginia, and UNC.
   
2. Individual Performances: While O’Neill and Adler’s performances were impressive, Duke cannot begin to rely on individual efforts from specific players to secure victories. Future opponents are not going to be able to be defeated on the back of one or two individual players.
   
3. UNC Record vs. Remaining Schedule: Despite a 7-3 record, the Tar Heels three losses all have come from other nationally ranked programs with 2 of the 3 games being humiliating losses for the Tar Heels. It will be important to see how they respond on the field throughout the remainder of their schedule as it will impact what happens on selection Sunday. With the Tar Heels already having two ACC losses against them, it will be important to pick up some wins coming down the stretch of the lacrosse season.
   

#18 Syracuse (8) – #15 Notre Dame (22)

Coming off a tough loss to the Virginia Cavaliers, the Fighting Irish absolutely destroyed Syracuse this weekend in a 22-8 onslaught. Surprisingly, it would be Notre Dame’s Jake Taylor who would lead the charge for the Irish posting a program record, 8 goals against the Orange. As for Pat Kavanagh, he did his own share of damage with 9 total points (6G, 3A). Defensively, Notre Dame was treated to a strong performance in net by Liam Entenmann, who finished with 13 saves and only 8 goals allowed.

Key Takeaways and What to Expect Moving Forward

1. Notre Dame’s Record: Despite the big win, Notre Dame unfortunately does not hold an impressive record. While those who have watched Notre Dame’s games know what they are capable of, the reality is that they have no credible wins so far this season. Notre Dame must finish the ACC conference season strong and must play well in the ACC Lacrosse tournament in order to give themselves a fighting chance come selection Sunday. 
   
2. Liam Entenmann: Notre Dame’s goalie is going to need to play well down the stretch as you look att the remaining ACC opponents. Entenmann will be seeing Duke twice, North Carolina, and Syracuse one more time as the regular season comes to a close. 
   
3. Syracuse’s Season: Syracuse’s season has been what we expected thus far; bright spots, tough losses, and learning what will need to be done going forward. As seen against Duke, if you don’t respect the Orange, they can surprise you. But outside of that, it is clear that Syracuse has a future, but this will not be the year they actualize that potential. 
   
4. Syracuse Defense and Goaltending: Syracuse is still looking for answers defensively across the board this season. Expect to see new faces for some of the remaining games and a lot of new faces for the upcoming season. 

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The Georgetown Hoyas have gradually climbed from just being another team in the Big East Conference, to an elite Top 10 contender in the college lacrosse looking to secure a National Championship.  Georgetown has gradually been making noise in college lacrosse for a few years now, but 2022 seems like the year the Hoyas have a real shot at winning it all.

Let’s break down what has been taking place in Washington DC over the last few years starting after the 2016 and 2017 lacrosse seasons, where the team finished underneath .500 in back-to-back seasons. 

Coming out of the Big East, Georgetown fell victim to living in the shadow of the Denver Pioneers, who were the team to beat in the conference. In 2018, the Hoyas took their first major step to cracking the mold set by Denver. The first major change seen in the 2018 season that carried over into the future seasons, was the preseason scrimmages against the University of Maryland. The mindset of playing the best teams in the nation to open up competitive ball was a major focus shift the team needed. That same year, Georgetown would win the Big East knocking off Denver, and ultimately earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament where they would come up short against Johns Hopkins University in overtime of the first round.

Following a successful 2018 season, Georgetown would create a winning culture that has continued all the way into the 2022 season. Since the 2018, Georgetown has won three straight Big East Championships, made multiple NCAA tournament appearances, and earned a tournament win against Syracuse last year. Needless to say, Georgetown has emerged from Denver’s shadow and have created and cultivated a winning environment that has taken the college lacrosse world by storm this year. 

But what made Georgetown so noticeable in 2022? These are the three main factors contributing to Georgetown’s success. 

1. Strength of Schedule

When you look at the Georgetown schedule, it is impossible to not notice the strength of their out-of-conference schedule and the success they have had. Out of the eight games played so far, five have been played against ranked opponents. Furthermore, the Hoyas have victories in four of their last five ranked matchups including teams such as Penn, Notre Dame, Johns Hopkins, and Lehigh. With wins against consistent powerhouses to start the season, it was clear that the Hoyas were ready for the season and are looking poised for another Big East championship run but more importantly, a National Championship run. 

2. Winning the Stat Board

Taking a deeper dive into the stat lines for the team, it is even more clear why they are finding so much success.  Simply put, they are winning every category on the board.  The Hoyas have collectively outshot, out-groundballed, and outscored their opponents with conviction.  The Hoyas have 116 goals scored with only 68 goals allowed on the year, they have won 290 groundballs compared to opponents 246,  But most notably, the Hoyas are getting over 60 percent of their shots on goal compared to an opponent 57 percent.  The Hoyas are playing higher quality and more efficient lacrosse compared to their opponents so far, rewarding them with a 7-1 record. 

3. Experience and Leadership

When looking at the Hoyas on field/statistical leaders, it is impossible to not notice the experience these players bring. The Hoyas winning culture proved to attract more winners as they gained additions from graduate players like Alex Trippi (North Carolina), Connor Morin (Notre Dame), and Will Bowen (North Carolina). All of these players have been able to come on and make an immediate impact as Trippi is one of the Hoyas leading scorers and Bowen leads the team in caused turnovers on the defensive end. 

Graduate transfers aside, the team also boasts senior talent from within as well.  Players like senior attackman, Dylan Watson, is leading the team with 27 goals this season and is an in-house product who has made a major impact for the team offensively. Defensively, graduate goalkeeper, Owen McElroy, has been a force between the pipes for the team. A five year Georgetown product, McElroy currently sits with an astounding .629 percent saves average while holding an 8.29 goals against average. These numbers alone are impressive but when considering the competition they have faced thus far, it is even more head turning.

The Hoyas are looking like they will be the team to beat heading into their conference play, but more importantly, in the NCAA tournament. It will be interesting to see if the Hoyas continue to dominate throughout the Big East schedule, or will we see an in-conference team knock them off.  Regardless, the Hoyas have more than impressive thus far this year and it should be exciting to see what they do moving forward. 

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With lacrosse season back in full swing, it is time to start taking a deep look at teams, specifically, the threads on their backs. Let’s dive into the ACC lacrosse conference and see how their uniforms stack up.

This week, we are taking a look at the ACC uniform combinations and see where they rank amongst their fellow ACC schools. The conference saw big jersey design changes this year so there has never been a better time to rank the uniforms.

Regardless, these jerseys are only as good the men wearing them. It should be exciting to see if one of these jersey combos are hoisting a trophy in May.

ACC Lacrosse Conference Uniform Rankings

5. Virginia

For some, this will be the hardest take of the article. Virginia is unmatched when it comes to talent on the lacrosse field, but Virginia hands down has some of the most boring uniforms in college lacrosse.  Compared to the Virginia that had an elite three sleeveless-jersey rotation, this is a severe regression.  

Aside from the lack of color in the jerseys and the ACC lacrosse patch being on the sleeve, my biggest gripe with this jersey is the awkward stripes leading from the neck down to the arms. That aside, I actually did love the font choice used and the number style as well. 

As for the shorts, they could not have been more basic. A Virginia logo and a colored stripe… 

I am all for the classic looks from programs in the lacrosse world like Penn State, but there is nothing “classic” about this.  It is just outright boring. 

4. Syracuse

Syracuse is another program that typically takes the lead in innovations with uniforms. They were the first program I saw wear the Nike “Volt” color and they were one of the first teams to go sleeveless along with Virginia. 

This year, Syracuse opted for a much cleaner and classic look compared to recent seasons. While it is still a little plain for my taste, there was a lot I liked. 

For starters, I love the font choice on the letter and number style. The previous jersey had an awkward font and number style to it that I always felt made the numbers a little harder to read. The new jerseys have very clean lines and lettering on the words and numbers.  Additionally I love the subtle difference between the white and orange jerseys with the white jersey having the word “Orange” stitched across the front, and the orange jerseys having “Syracuse”. 

Lastly, I love the names on the backs of the Orange jerseys, simply because you do not see it often in college sports but especially in lacrosse. 

However, like Virginia, I hate how boring the short design is. With Syracuse being a Nike elite school, I like to see them push the tempo, but considering the goal for the year was clean-classics, I think they hit the mark. 

3. Duke

Coming in hot at number three are the Duke Blue Devils and the reason is simple: they have options on options. 

Between the multiple combinations Duke brings out between blue, black, and white jersey and shorts, Duke is limitless in options. But Duke’s two different white jersey options were one of my favorites this year.

The first white jersey with the blue numbers has been seen in prior seasons, but I still love the design. Most specifically, the perforated numbers on the uniforms because they really add a visual element to the jerseys not seen in most jerseys.  

The next all white jersey is a little more classic in style, but still brings flare and dimension by adding three stripes in alternating sizes to both arms wrapping the jersey sleeve. 

Both jerseys pair great with their blue or white shorts creating a perfect gameday look. 

2. Notre Dame

Notre Dame comes in strong at number two. The reason for Notre Dame’s number two ranking comes from the strong clean lines and gold accents in their uniform. Notre Dame is the only Under Armor school in the ACC lacrosse field and they bring a unique uniform design with them.

The white Notre Dame uniforms feature strong stitching throughout the jersey, staring with the big UA logo right at the throat, following down to the blue letters and numbers edges with a thick gold embroidering. The jerseys also feature the ACC logo and American flag on opposite sides of the chest, which is a nice touch

 Additionally, the sleeves also feature two stripes alternating colors as well. Another simple touch that brings a lot of definition to the uniform as a whole. 

The away jerseys follow the same design concept, but with a more navy blue and gold dominated colorway. This design echoes the same features as the home jersey, and is just as visually pleasing as the home jerseys.

1.University of North Carolina

At the top of the list, we have the Carolina Tar Heels. The reason for UNC being at the top is due to the design elements and attention to detail in everything they do.

At first look, the jersey looks similar to a lot of the others. However, the seamless design pattern of intersecting diamonds that flow from the side of the jersey down onto the side of the shorts is something unseen in any of the other ACC lacrosse uniforms. Most other uniform combinations have a very plain pair of shorts paired with them. UNC’s shorts did not follow that pattern in the home or away jersey. 

My next favorite feature of the jerseys is the design of the angry Tar Heel mascot underneath the numbers on the back. The Tar Heel mascot is a very large and elaborate character with a lot of attention to detail in its face. The jersey successfully turned a large image into a backdrop for their jersey numbers on the back.  In my opinion, this is one of the best designs in college lacrosse simply due to the skill to create something like that. 

Big Ten Lacrosse: Conference Uniform Rankings

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March lacrosse kicked off this weekend with a bang and the games brought everything from upsets, blowouts, and shootouts.  

Lets review the Top 5 games of the weekend.

Michigan (18) – Delaware (8)

There has been a lot of debate over the University of Michigan this year in regards to their out-of-conference strength of schedule and how they would stack up against more quality opponents.  This weekend, the Wolverines answered the call delivering a commanding 18-8 victory over the Delaware Blue Hens.

Michigan had an outpouring of offensive production with multiple players notching hat tricks.  The Wolverines were led by Josh Zawada (3G, 2A) and Michael Boehm (4G, 1A) each putting up five points each.  The Michigan defense was a strong force led by goaltender Shane Carr, who made 20 saves during Saturday’s contest. 

On the other end of the field, the Blue Hens did not have the same fortune on offense.  Delaware did have five players contribute multiple points, but not enough to thwart the defensive effort from Michigan. 

UNC (17) – Denver (16)

In a fast paced shootout, the North Carolina Tar Heels were able to edge out the Denver Pioneers in a one goal game.

Chris Gray (6G, 2A) had another spectacular performance for the Tar Heels, notching a total of eight points, six of which were goals.  Following behind him was an equally impressive offensive trio in Nicky Solomon (2G, 3A), Lance Tillman 3G, 2A), and Henry Schertzinger (1G, 4A) each contributing to the offensive performance as well. 

On the opposite side of the field, the Denver Pios offense was led by JJ Sillstrop (3G, 3A) with six points and followed closely by Jack Hannah (3G, 1A) and Alex Simmons (3G, 1A) with four points a piece as well. 

While the Tar Heel starpower is amazing to watch, be cautious of what is being seen on the defensive end for the Heels.  North Carolina opened the season holding teams to under ten goals a game, but have since allowed nearly 60 goals in its last four contests.  Expect some major defensive adjustments heading down the stretch.

Princeton (10) – Georgetown (8)

Princeton secured a major upset win this weekend against the top five Georgetown Hoyas, right in Washington, DC.

Alex Slusher led the charge for Princetown by hammering five goals into the back of the net for the Tigers.  He was closely followed by Sam English (3G, 1A) with four points of his own. 

For the Hoyas, they were led by UNC graduate transfer, Alex Trippi with four goals.  Dylan Watson (2G) and Graham Bundy Jr. (2G) each followed behind contributing two points as well. 

The real deciding factor for this game came down to defense and the Tiger defense operated like a well-oiled machine on Saturday.  This was even more impressive considering the absence of senior defensive leader George Baughan and inserting a freshman into the starting lineup to fill his void.  Not only did freshman Colin Mulshine step up, the Princetown goaltender came up with 16 big saves to keep the door shut on a Hoya comeback and secure the upset. 

Cornell (14) – Ohio State (11)

Cornell opened up the month of March with an upset of their own against Ohio State.  Entering the game, Ohio State had been offensively hot – Jack Myers was averaging 7.5 goals per game, the team was averaging nearly 50 shots a game.  

However, the Big Red and their defense led by Gavin Adler had the answers to slow down the Buckeyes and secure the upset win.  

Gavin Adler held Ohio State’s star player in Jack Myers to only one goal on seven shots while causing turnovers and scooping up ground balls.  Additionally, the Cornell ride proved to be an issue for the Buckeyes as they caused seven failed clears, multiple of them in the fourth quarter when it mattered most.  Cornell frustrated Ohio State on as many levels as possible and it proved successful in securing the win. 

The Cornell offense was led by CJ Kirst (4G, 1A) with five points followed by Billy Coyle (2G, 2A)  and John Piatelli (2G, 2A) with four points each.

Maryland (11) – Notre Dame (9)

Despite a hard effort in South Bend, the Fighting Irish could not close the gap with Maryland and fell 11-9.  

The game opened up slow for the Terps and well for the Irish.  The Irish won all four of the faceoffs in the opening quarter and finished the quarter with a 2-1 lead.  In the second quarter, Maryland found their rhythm, dropping four goals and finding dominance at the faceoff X. 

The game was close throughout all four quarters, but strong goaltending from Marylands’ Logan McNaney down the stretch proved to be vital in securing the win as he notched 12 saves on the day. 

Offensively, the Terps were led by Logan Wisnauskas (2G, 2A) and Kyle Long (2G, 2A) each putting up four points each.  On the other side of the field, the offensive charge was led by Pat Kavanaugh (2G, 1A) who finished with three points on the day. 

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