Virginia Lacrosse came into the 2024 season with high expectations and early on they very much looked like a team that could go on a run in May. They opened with a statement win over Michigan, putting up 19 goals in Charlottesville. From there, they handled Richmond and Ohio State with no real issues, building solid momentum before a really tough test against Johns Hopkins. The Cavaliers would end up falling 14-16 in a back-and-forth battle that saw Hopkins on top. They bounced back with dominant performances against Robert Morris and Towson before taking on Maryland. They had to right the ship following their loss against Hopkins, which they did 14-10 and just like that it felt like Virginia was hitting its stride.
The heart of their schedule saw them take care of business against Albany, Drexel, and Harvard without much trouble, but things got real when conference play started. They kicked off the ACC slate by making a statement against North Carolina, winning 14-6. However the Virginia lacrosse program would take a massive U-turn to wrap up conference play. The trip to Duke was rough, as they took a 12-18 loss, and things got even tougher with a loss to Syracuse in a one-goal heartbreaker. With their ACC record slipping, they needed a big one against Notre Dame at home, but another close loss 9-11 had them reeling going into the ACC tournament. When they met the Irish again in the ACC Semifinals, they couldn’t flip the script, falling 9-18.
At this point many people recognized how tough the ACC was, but doubted Virginia’s ability to make a run at a championship. They rebounded in the NCAA tournament against Saint Joseph’s and pulled out an overtime thriller against Johns Hopkins in Towson, but their season ended at Championship Weekend against Maryland, dropping a 6-12 contest in Philadelphia. A season of highs and lows, but plenty to build on for 2025.
Virginia lacrosse had plenty of weapons in 2024 led by Connor Shellenberger, who dished out 52 assists while adding 32 goals for a team-high 84 points. Payton Cormier was an absolute finisher, burying 65 goals to lead the team in scoring. McCabe Millon had a breakout freshman year with 66 points, while Jack Boyden, Griffin Schutz, and Ryan Colsey all contributed key offensive production. Between the pipes, Matthew Nunes played 17 games, finishing with 176 saves and an 11.24 goals-against average. The talent was certainly there, but it wasn’t enough to push them past the highs and lows of their season.
The Cavaliers will have many key pieces returning in 2025, giving them a strong foundation. Connor Shellenberger is gone, but McCabe Millon is back after an unreal 66-point season and should take on a bigger role with Tewaaraton hopes. Griffin Schutz, who had 35 points last year, returns as a senior leader. Ryan Colsey is another returning scorer who could make a jump in production. In net, Matthew Nunes is back for his senior year, bringing stability between the pipes. With Payton Cormier gone and a few other faces gone, this team will need new offensive threats to step up, but the talent is there to keep them competitive to the end.
Virginia Lacrosse has a challenging 2025 slate that should test them early and often. The non-conference schedule features some tough matchups, but has a nice transition to get there starting at home against Colgate, Richmond, and High Point. Road trips to Ohio State and Johns Hopkins will be early-season measuring sticks, especially the Hopkins game, a rematch of last year’s double-overtime thriller which I am sure Hopkins wants back. They also get Towson at a neutral site, while Maryland comes to Charlottesville in what’s always a high-stakes battle. UAlbany and Utah round out the non-conference schedule, giving Virginia opportunities to build momentum before ACC play.
This is really where their season will count. With this schedule Virginia has the opportunity to be a well-oiled machine by the time conference play rolls around. They kick things off hosting Syracuse in a must-win game before taking two brutal road trips to North Carolina and Notre Dame. They wrap up ACC play at home against Duke, another huge test considering how things went last year. The ACC is a gauntlet and it is going to be no different this year. It won’t be an easy road, but if Virginia can put it all together, they’ll be a team to watch in May.