The race to improve is heating up. Greatness isn’t just about consistency—it demands constant growth. With six weeks until league playoffs and just 41 days until Selection Sunday, every possession, every adjustment, and every game carries extra weight. Ten AQ’s will punch their tickets to the NCAA lacrosse tournament while the selection committee will fill out the bracket with eight at-large bids.
As March turns to April, conference play takes center stage, leaving only a handful of meaningful nonconference matchups. Army vs. North Carolina and the Cornell-Syracuse showdown on Long Island could have major implications.
20) Denver
A huge win over Duke gives the Pioneers hope for the Big East AQ. The defense was locked in from the start, packing into a zone and forcing Duke to settle for outside shots. Goalie Malcolm Kleban played well enough to stay in the game and was outstanding in key moments. The defense blocked shots like a hockey team, soaking up at least six or seven attempts.
The offense shot efficiently, and a penalty problem from the Yale game (12 penalties) was reduced to less than a minute in the box. Turnovers disappeared, and Matt Brown’s squad successfully broke the ten-man ride.
19) Virginia
At (5-4), the Wahoos took another small step forward, handling Utah before the start of ACC play. Goalie Matt Nunes was sharp for the second straight game, while McCabe Millon played his best game of the year. The rangy Virginia defense worked well together, holding the Utes to just five goals through three quarters. FOGO Anthony Ghobriel was out again, making faceoff wins a challenge, but senior midfielder Griffin Schutz recorded a hat trick, and lefty playmaker Johnny Hackett looked more comfortable in settled offensive sets.
18) Michigan
The Wolverines defeated Maryland for the fourth consecutive time, an amazing streak that defies explanation. Emmett Houlihan fed Nick Roode for the triple-overtime winner in an 11-10 thriller at College Park. Goalie Hunter Taylor made two clutch saves in the second OT and finished with 13 stops. This is a momentum-builder for the second half of the season.
17) Johns Hopkins
An awful home loss to Rutgers casts a colossal shadow on the Jays’ season. If you’re juiceless, you’re useless. Hopkins lags in non-faceoff ground balls and has middling stats across all categories. “We Want More” heads to Ann Arbor on March 29.
16) Dartmouth
The Big Green (7-1) haven’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2003 and are ranked for the first time since 2007. They are the most improved team in Division I, securing a gutsy 9-8 OT win at Penn on Saturday. The victory marks Dartmouth’s first over Penn since 2013 and first in Philadelphia since 2005. Emmett Paradine scored three goals, Thomas Power added two, and both Williams Stahl and Alex Jessey chipped in two points. Dartmouth hosts Princeton this week in a key Ivy League battle.
15) Army
The Cadets are (7-1) after a loss to Boston University that could seriously damage their at-large resume. Goalie Sean Byrne made 18 saves, while Jackson Eicher, Hill Plunkett, and Brayden Fountain each scored twice. Fountain had been averaging four goals per game, but Army’s shooting percentage dipped to just 26% against a low strength of schedule. They went 9-for-57 against BU, a troubling sign. It’s difficult to improve when you don’t face elite competition, and over-reliance on Byrne isn’t sustainable. The matchup against North Carolina on Saturday at Michie Stadium will be revealing. Let’s see if Army and head coach Joe Alberici can respond to the setback.
14) Boston University
The Terriers (7-1) captured a key Patriot League win over Army, with their only blemish being a loss to Navy. The defense has been outstanding, keeping them in every game. Tuesday is for the Hunter, as BU faces Harvard midweek on ESPN+ in a luxury matchup for fans.
13) Harvard
The Crimson (5-2) have notched wins over Providence, Syracuse, Michigan, and Yale. Harvard welcomes Boston rival BU to Cambridge on Tuesday before facing Binghamton on Saturday. Defense has been sold separately, as the Crimson continue to rely on their high-powered offense.
12) Saint Joseph’s
The Hawks (6-2) are riding a seven-game winning streak after taking down Penn 11-10 on Tuesday and beating Providence 16-12 over the weekend. That makes them the kings of Philly with local wins over Drexel, Villanova, and the Quakers. Saint Joseph’s plays a physical brand of lacrosse with an aggressive ten-man ride that keeps opponents uncomfortable. The Hawks host UMass in a critical Atlantic 10 clash.
11) Richmond
The Spiders (6-3) used a zone defense to corral Georgetown, adding another quality win to their resume. Their strength of schedule has been impressive, and with Atlantic 10 play beginning, the race between Saint Joseph’s, UMass, and Richmond will be epic.
10) Duke The Blue Devils (8-2) dropped a shocking loss to Denver, but their wins gained value this week with Michigan beating Maryland. Victories over Saint Joseph’s and Richmond have aged well, strengthening their resume.
Warped by the rain. Baked by the sun. Kicked by the wind. Robbed by the snow. Now spring hits Durham. Midfielder Max Sloat was my guest on the Quintessential Podcast this week. The 6-3 San Francisco native has become a lefty playmaker, sliding down to play attack. A trip to South Bend this week is critical for Duke.
9) Fairfield
The Stags (9-0) are the last undefeated team in Division I lacrosse, ranking in the top ten for both scoring offense and defense. A 12-11 win over Drexel was fueled by a late 5-1 run, keeping their perfect record intact. Fairfield plays at Stony Brook next.
8) Penn State
The Nittany Lions (6-2) hosted Ohio State on Sunday night at 7 p.m. on BTN. Love the stand-alone time slots, but the camera work was too wide for my taste. Matt Traynor and Kyle Lehman both dressed and played.
A sloppy Ohio State clear led to a Liam Matthews goal, the sophomore from Canada showing his mid-range sniping ability. Penn State’s defense is at its best when forcing shots Jack Fracyon can handle from distance. Fracyon has switched to #11 this season. After controlling play for the first ten minutes, things began slipping away as Ohio State punished PSU for small mistakes. The deficit grew to 9-5 in the third quarter.
A replay review after Jeff Tambroni threw the challenge flag appeared to show a PSU goal, but the referees didn’t see it that way. Flat-out robbery, and Tambroni lost a timeout as well. The Lions found a spark on a blown clear that led to a transition goal, making it 9-6. The Happy Valley crowd was lively as PSU battled back to 10-7 on an Ethan Long scorcher after another OSU failed clear. Ultimately, Penn State was outplayed in the second half.
A trip to College Park looms large.
7) Notre Dame
The Irish absorbed back-to-back losses to Maryland and Ohio State. Failure is a learning experience. It’s not easy being green. Green is the color of spring. Notre Dame (4-2) ranks #2 in scoring offense, with FOGO Will Lynch at 64%.
The Irish had a bye this week and now host Duke on Saturday. ESPNU, noon start time. Cotter and Carc on the call. That’s where you should be.
6) Syracuse
A sluggish start on Tuesday saw the Orange trailing Manhattan 1-0 after 15 minutes. Jasper goalie Connor Hapward was a virtual brick wall. Syracuse responded with nine goals in the second quarter and finished with an 18-2 win, launching 71 shots. Joey Spallina had six points as 3,652 fans watched the Orange dominate the faceoff battle 21-2.
On Saturday, Syracuse started fast, scoring just five seconds in and building an 8-2 halftime lead over Colgate. Goalie Jimmy McCool was on fire. Spallina may have played his best career game—not because of his points, but because of his awareness. He scored on a restart with five seconds left in the third quarter, then added a crucial goal in the fourth to push the lead back to three. A 16-12 win over Colgate was a solid day for the Orange.
Syracuse must address poor clock management at the end of quarters and learn to play more complementary lacrosse. Decisions like shooting with 1:40 left on an unreleasable man-down penalty or wasting possessions after a faceoff win can be costly against teams like Notre Dame, Maryland, and Cornell. The details matter, especially in May.
#HHH takes on the Klockner grass next.
5) North Carolina
The Tar Heels rolled to a 14-2 victory over High Point, improving to (7-1) with notable wins over Michigan, Johns Hopkins, and Penn. Their ride has been lethal, creating extra possessions and frustrating opponents. With Army up next and the ACC schedule looming, UNC is firmly in the national conversation. Let’s see how they navigate the next six weeks as the turbulence ramps up.
4) Ohio State
A nine-game win streak for the Buckeyes (9-1) was punctuated by a statement victory at Penn State on Sunday night. The offense struggled early, settling for perimeter shots and lacking penetration, but a gritty second quarter changed everything. Ohio State rode hard, forced turnovers, and converted easy cash-ins to tie the game at 4-4. Half-field sets started looking sharper, with Alex Marinier proving to be a problem when he gets his feet set on his right.
The Buckeyes’ identity is clear—elite defense, strong goaltending, and a commitment to playing complementary lacrosse. Jack McKenna, at 6-6, presents a matchup nightmare. Shane O’Leary got underneath from the high lefty wing to push the lead to 11-8 with 9:30 remaining. Ed Shean, a valuable fourth attackman, dunked one from the crease off a feed from Garrett Haas, making it 12-8 as OSU flexed its offensive depth. This team is showing real chemistry.
Caleb Fyock (62%) is one of ten goalies in Division I above 60% and was rock-solid Sunday night, shutting the door and launching pinpoint outlets. The Buckeyes’ SSDMs are first-class, and the close defense got the job done in a 13-9 statement win. Coach Nick Myers has this team rolling, and defense travels well. With road wins at Notre Dame and Penn State, Ohio State is legit. Rutgers comes to Columbus next, riding high after upsetting Hopkins.
3) Princeton
The Tigers (5-2) got a crucial Ivy League win over Harvard, further strengthening an already top-tier resume. Defender Colin Mulshine locked up Sam King, holding him to just one goal and one assist on seven shots while forcing three turnovers. Mulshine has only committed one penalty in his career—a hold against Harvard two years ago. That’s incredible, considering the level of competition he faces weekly.
Nine of Princeton’s 13 goals came from midfielders, a testament to their depth. Goalie Ryan Croddick made 17 saves, keeping the Tigers in control. Princeton went scoreless for the first nine minutes before finding its rhythm. Coulter Mackesy is now just one goal away from tying Chris Massey (146) for second all-time at Princeton. Jesse Hubbard sits atop the program’s record books with 163 goals. Mackesy is also tied with Jon Hess for fourth in career points (215), trailing only Michael Sowers (302), Kevin Lowe (247), and Ryan Boyle (232).
One concern? Croddick is being asked to make 15+ stops per game, which is a tough burden. Princeton hits the road to face Dartmouth next.
2) Maryland
The Terps (7-1) took it on the chin against Michigan in overtime, suffering their fourth straight loss to the Wolverines. It’s clear that Michigan coach Kevin Conry is in Maryland’s head. Midfield production and bench scoring were in short supply, exposing some weaknesses.
That said, Maryland has been executing its systems efficiently on both ends. Their defense remains among the best in the nation, and their transition game is sharp. A massive Big Ten clash looms as Penn State comes to College Park this Saturday.
1) Cornell
The Big Red (6-1) were too much for Yale to handle, posting a 19-14 road win in New Haven to solidify their spot at the top. CJ Kirst exploded for nine goals, while Ryan Goldstein dished out eight assists—both career highs. This offense is humming, averaging over 15 goals per game and showing no signs of slowing down.
Cornell turns its attention to Penn this Saturday before a highly anticipated showdown with Syracuse later on Long Island. Kirst is playing like a Tewaaraton front-runner, and the Big Red are in full control of their Ivy League destiny.
Quint Kessenich covers lacrosse for the ESPN family of networks and writes for LaxAllStars. Check out his weekly podcast at laxallstars.com in the media section. Recent guests include current players Alex Marinier (OSU), Eric Spanos (MD), Shawn Lyght (ND), Coulter Mackesy (Princeton), Billy Dwan III (Syracuse), and Casey Wilson (Denver).
