We are at the midway point in the race to Boston. While Colgate, Harvard, and Cornell are putting the pedal to the metal, some very successful teams are playing at a slower pace this lacrosse season.
Pace ratings according to IL (1–77, with 1 being the fastest): UNC is 69, Notre Dame 70, Penn State 72, Maryland 74, and Dartmouth 75.
Why? It’s difficult to score goals six-on-six. Most goals are coming within the first 10 seconds of the shot clock or the last 10 seconds of the shot clock. Teams are more deliberate and working deeper into the clock.
It’s also a down year for star-powered offensive personnel compared to 2024. Outside of CJ Kirst, Sam King, and Owen Duffy — who is instant offense? Nobody has a decent second midfield this spring, and goaltending is getting stronger and more consistent.
The result is a slower overall pace of play.
20) Georgetown
The Hoyas (6-3) cling to the final Top 20 spot ahead of Sacred Heart, Fairfield, Colgate, Lafayette, LIU, VMI and Hofstra. Georgetown has a #17 strength of record but a lowly #30 RPI. A 14-13 win over Providence shows how tight the Big East race will be. Pax Marshall, a sophomore lefty from Victor, NY who’s recently become a starter, scored four goals. The Big East is clearly a one-bid league this year, with its tournament scheduled for Denver on May 1 and 3.
The men’s and women’s NCAA lacrosse championships will be played at Gillette Stadium on Memorial Day weekend. The men’s quarterfinals will take place at Hofstra and Navy on May 17 and 18. Ten automatic qualifiers and eight at-large bids will form the 18-team bracket. Higher-seeded teams will host first-round games.
19) Virginia
A 12-10 home loss to Syracuse on the Klöckner grass marked what might be the Cavaliers’ best offensive outing of 2025. After jumping out to a 5-1 first-quarter lead, Virginia squandered the advantage. Their midfielders only contributed three goals. The Wahoos (5-5) have a tough road ahead with games remaining against UNC, Notre Dame, Duke and Lafayette. They likely need to win at least three of the four to be in the bubble conversation. The ACC, remember, does not get an automatic qualifier.
Virginia ranks #30 in adjusted offensive efficiency and is still seeking chemistry, connection and competency from the midfield. Transfer Johnny Hackett, who sometimes resembles a dancing squirrel on the front lawn, is gradually finding his rhythm. Ben Wayer remains the Cavaliers’ ground ball king. The Wahoos will face North Carolina in Chapel Hill on Saturday on ACC Network.
18) Johns Hopkins
The Blue Jays (6-4) were punchless in their biggest game of the year, dropping a disappointing contest at Michigan. “We Want More” hosts Ohio State on April 5, a game that could make or break the Jays’ season. Right now, it’s fair to ask: will Hopkins win another game?
Their ground ball numbers are down—averaging 25.7 per game compared to 31.2 a season ago. When you have LSMs and starting defenders with fewer than one ground ball per game, you’ve got a problem. Hopkins is getting no real offensive boost from its short sticks, the goalie group is sitting at just 47%, and the team has a negative turnover margin. You can’t win playing like that.
17) Saint Joseph’s
Hawk Hill will never die. The Hawks (7-3) dropped a tight one-goal game at home to UMass, further heating up a tight Atlantic 10 race between UMass, Richmond and Saint Joe’s. Defender Levi Verch continues to be a menace, causing turnovers and dominating ground ball play. The Hawks take on St. Bonaventure this weekend.
16) Boston University
The Terriers were blasted by Harvard on Tuesday. Jimmy Kohr had four goals, but the starting attack was held to a combined (0,2)—a stat line that never wins. Freshman Tim Shannehan is emerging as a gifted passer, and goalie Will Barnes remains north of 60% in saves. BU rebounded with a 16-4 win over Holy Cross, leading 13-0 after three quarters. Coach Ryan Polley continues to push the right buttons. The Terriers head to Duke this weekend while the vibes on BU’s campus are strong with the men’s hockey team heading to the Frozen Four.
15) Dartmouth
The Big Green (7-2), who were just 3-10 a year ago, gave Princeton a scare on Saturday in nasty sleet, snow and icy rain. Goalie Mason Morel has been lights out and is saving at over 60%. With Penn, Brown and Yale struggling, the race for the third and fourth spots in the Ivy League tournament is wide open, and Dartmouth is firmly in the mix. The Big Green take on Harvard next, and the winner will take a giant step toward Ivy postseason qualification.
14) UMass
The Minutemen (8-2) pulled off a crucial 11-10 road win on Hawk Hill against Saint Joseph’s, a result that keeps them on the national radar. FOGO TJ Casey was dominant, winning 14-of-17 draws, and freshman goalie Owen Salanger played like a veteran in the cage. Trace Hogan chipped in two goals and three assists, while Robbie Granara had a hat trick. Six other players scored single goals, showcasing a balanced and dangerous offense. UMass has now won seven straight and carries a #17 RPI that’s within shouting range of an at-large resume.
13) Michigan
A sweet victory in the rain over Johns Hopkins has Michigan (6-4) right in the mix in both the Big Ten and the at-large conversation. This team appears to be peaking just as others are starting to fade. The big question is: which version of the Wolverines will show up this week? The one that got dusted by UNC and Notre Dame, or the squad that played Duke close and beat both Maryland and Hopkins?
Michigan continues to struggle at the face-off dot in 2025, a weakness that often masks other deficiencies. That said, they give up fewer than 10 goals per game and have a defense that can match up with anyone. They perform best against opponents who lack elite offensive talent. Teams like Duke, Hopkins and Maryland struggled, while teams with star scorers like UNC, Notre Dame and Harvard had their way. Michigan is currently ranked #2 in adjusted defensive efficiency.
On offense, they remain challenged. There is no clear alpha scorer, and Ryan Cohen, though talented, is inconsistent and turnover-prone. The Wolverines lack high-end dodgers capable of breaking down top cover defenders, which makes their offensive success vary wildly week to week. Still, the matchup with Penn State this weekend on BTN should be one of the best games on the schedule.
12) Harvard
The Crimson (7-2) are surging after handling Binghamton 17-12 on Saturday. They own wins over Providence, Syracuse, Michigan, BU and Yale, and a dominant 16-7 rout over BU on Tuesday. Their RPI has skyrocketed to #5. Jack Speidell is shooting 21-for-49, while Sam King is averaging five points per game. Though their save percentage is under 50%, Harvard is highly efficient on offense and thrives at a fast pace.
One red flag: Harvard ranks just #73 in face-off winning percentage. That may come back to haunt them in high-stakes games.
11) Richmond
The Spiders (7-3) have only lost to Maryland, Cornell and Duke, all elite opponents. The backloaded Atlantic 10 schedule means we’re still waiting for heavyweight matchups against UMass and Saint Joseph’s. Lucas Littlejohn leads the way with 36 points, while Aidan O’Neil orchestrates the offense from X and Max Merklinger continues to make timely plays. This is a tough, well-coached group, and whoever wins the A10 title will be a brutal draw in the NCAA first round.
Richmond faces Hobart on Saturday.
10) Duke
The Blue Devils (8-3) were humbled in South Bend in a 14-7 loss to Notre Dame. Their attack struggled to penetrate against the Irish defense, and without significant upgrades to the offense, it’s hard to consider Duke a true title contender right now.
Clearing has been a persistent issue, and the offense lacks the dynamism needed to compete with top-tier defenses. The Devils will look to rebound against Boston University, a game that could become an important résumé builder if they have aspirations of playing deep into May.
9) North Carolina
UNC (7-2) was down one at halftime to Army on the road and couldn’t string together enough quality possessions to pull out a win. Defense and goaltending were inconsistent, and the Heels didn’t play a clean enough game to take down a tough opponent in a hostile environment. Winning on the road in that kind of setting is like swimming upstream—everything has to go right. Despite being +12 on face-offs, Carolina was only +1 in shots on goal, a clear sign the offense wasn’t firing efficiently. Owen Duffy and Dom Pietramala each had three goals, accounting for half of the team’s output, but the Heels are still looking for ways to create outside the six-on-six offense. Defensively, they struggled to contain Jackson Eicher and didn’t establish control of key matchups.
The face-off unit remains elite, ranking #4 nationally in win percentage, and the offense is a top-ten unit in scoring. But resume wins over Johns Hopkins, Penn, and Michigan are tepid, so Saturday’s game against Virginia on ACC Network is critical. Chris Cotter and I will be in Chapel Hill to call it. Lefty shooter Dom Pietramala was my guest this week on the Quintessential Podcast, and I came away very impressed with his demeanor and insight.
8) Army
Even with Michie Stadium under construction on the reservoir side, the crowd energy was high and the Black Knights (8-1) fed off it in a hard-fought win over North Carolina. The officials didn’t exactly bring their A-game, but Army powered through. Jackson Eicher was lights out, scoring six goals to keep the offense rolling in the absence of FOGO Will Colletti. The Black Knights led 8-7 at halftime and never gave up the edge. AJ Pilate matched up with Owen Duffy and helped slow the UNC star, while SSDM Christian Mazur continues to be one of the toughest matchups in the country. Army showed toughness and discipline, proving again why they’re near the top of the Patriot League and now sit with an RPI of #9.
Next up is a key league clash on the road at Colgate.
7) Penn State
The Nittany Lions (6-3) have now dropped two straight Big Ten games to Ohio State and Maryland, falling to 0-2 in league play. Despite holding Maryland to just 25 shots, they couldn’t come out with a win. For the season, opponents are shooting 30% against PSU, which is both surprising and a little alarming. The defense isn’t necessarily playing poorly, but the offense isn’t doing enough to tip the balance.
They’ll face Michigan next on BTN, and with the Wolverines heating up, this becomes a must-win for Penn State to stay afloat in the Big Ten.
6) Syracuse
The Orange (8-2) erased a 5-1 first quarter deficit and closed the game on a 3-0 run to earn a gutsy 12-10 road win over Virginia. It was an impressive response to early adversity, and while Syracuse isn’t playing perfect lacrosse yet, they’re showing signs of growth and resilience. There are still several areas in need of cleanup, particularly around situational execution, but they’re trending in the right direction. Sam English continues to be one of the most versatile players in the country, evoking shades of Matt Abbott. Owen Hiltz was clutch, and goalie Jimmy McCool delivered a poised, sharp performance in a tough road setting.
Syracuse ranks in the top ten in both scoring offense and defense, and their turnover margin is elite. The Orange welcome Notre Dame to the Dome on Saturday afternoon in a marquee ACC showdown on the ACC Network. Joey Spallina enters averaging 3.5 assists per game. This rivalry never disappoints.
5) Notre Dame
What a statement from the Irish (5-2). Notre Dame dominated Duke 14-7 on Saturday in front of a lively home crowd at Arlotta Stadium and looked like a fully-formed title contender. They lead the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency, and it showed. Even without All-American defender Shawn Lyght, they were lights out on both ends of the field. What was a 2-2 tie quickly became an 8-2 cushion, and from there, it was all Notre Dame. The ball movement was crisp, the defense airtight, and Jake Taylor put on a clinic, finishing with five goals and two assists. Taylor is now converting 49% of his shots and continues to be the ultimate closer.
Notre Dame is shooting 36% as a team and looked the best they’ve been all year. They’ll take that momentum into a hostile Dome environment this Saturday against Syracuse. Anish Shroff and Paul Carcaterra will have the call on ACCN.
4) Ohio State
The ten-game win streak for Ohio State remains intact after a methodical 13-11 win over Rutgers. Playing in the late Sunday slot on the road definitely impacts the upcoming week’s preparation and freshness, but the Buckeyes continue to find ways to win. Red-hot goalie Caleb Fyock made 19 saves in the victory and has been the engine of this surge. “Big Tasty” is on fire, and it’s hard not to admire the consistency and confidence with which he’s playing. While the Buckeyes weren’t sharp in the clearing game or at the face-off X, they got enough timely plays to stay in control.
Ohio State’s defense is ranked seventh in scoring defense and continues to shine. Cullen Brown has become a weekly turnover machine, and the entire unit plays a gritty, disruptive style. At 10-1, OSU rolls into Baltimore for a huge Homecoming matchup with Johns Hopkins. The biggest question—how will the Blue Jays score on Big Tasty?
3) Princeton
The Tigers (6-2) survived a cold, messy trip to New Hampshire with a 11-8 win over Dartmouth in a game that featured rain, sleet, snow and snowbanks framing the field. Despite the conditions, Princeton extended its win streak over the Big Green to ten straight, thanks to Coulter Mackesy’s empty netter that gave them breathing room with just over a minute to play. Goalie Ryan Croddick made a point-blank stop off a late Princeton turnover and finished with 13 saves. The attack unit of Mackesy, Nate Kabiri, and “Barbeque” Burns combined for eight goals and four assists. Princeton dominated the stat sheet, outshooting Dartmouth 60-34 with a +8 ground ball margin and just six turnovers.
Faceoffs remain a problem—the Tigers rank #70 nationally in face-off win percentage—but their resume still includes big-time wins over Duke, North Carolina, and Penn State, though all three of those teams lost this past weekend. Princeton hosts Lehigh and Vermont this week as they look to solidify postseason positioning. Tuesday is for the Hunter on April Fool’s Day.
2) Maryland
“Be the Best” bounced back in a big way after the loss to Michigan, taking down Penn State 13-8 in front of 5,023 fans. The Terps clamped down defensively, holding PSU scoreless in the second quarter, which proved to be the turning point. Maryland only took 25 shots and lost the face-off battle 16-8, but their rope unit completely took over the game. Braden Erksa and Eric Spanos each scored three goals, but it was the short-stick defensive midfielders who were most impactful. Jack McDonald, AJ Larkin, George Stamos, and Eric Kolar combined for five points and continue to prove why they’re the best D-mid group in the country.
Maryland now sits at 8-1 with quality wins over Penn State, Princeton, Notre Dame, Richmond, and Syracuse. Their defense ranks third in scoring defense, and they’ll look to continue that dominance against Rutgers this week.
1) Cornell
Big Red (7-1) laid the hammer down on Penn with a 15-5 win, jumping out to a 7-1 and 10-1 halftime lead before coasting to the finish. With this win, Cornell maintains control of its destiny in the Ivy League race and is on track to host the conference tournament. The trio of Michael Long, CJ Kirst, and Ryan Goldstein continues to dominate as arguably the nation’s best attack unit. If the Big Red can win face-offs and get solid goaltending, they might be impossible to beat.
CJ Kirst is averaging more than five goals per game while shooting an absurd 58%. The passing game has been elite—Cornell leads the country with 10.6 assists per game. Goalie Wyatt Knust is giving them more than 13 saves per contest and has been steady when called upon. Cornell will host Albany on Tuesday before traveling to Brown on April 5.
Quint Kessenich covers lacrosse for the ESPN family of networks and writes for LaxAllstars. Check out his weekly podcast at laxallstars.com in the media section. Recent guests include current players Dom Pietramala (UNC), Alex Marinier (OSU), Max Sloat (Duke), Eric Spanos (Maryland), Shawn Lyght (Notre Dame), Coulter Mackesy (Princeton), Billy Dwan III (Syracuse), and Casey Wilson (Denver).
