After taking a good, long look at this year’s Ohio State men’s lacrosse team, it’s time to look at their competition. While Ohio State has taken a small step forward in recruiting, the rest of the conference has upgraded its recruiting and coaching to the point where the Buckeyes are struggling to maintain stasis, let alone move forward.
Ohio State, under this current regime, has been the best in the conference at unearthing unknown talent from outside of Ohio. The problems have all come with missing out on home-grown talent and talent not panning out. Between recruiting proper and the transfer portal, other teams have been elevating their programs for a deep run in 2024. It’s only fair to start with the most important game on the schedule, any year.
TIUN
The Wolverines, in a low-rent ripoff of their former football coach, have decided to rebuild with transfers as they attempt to improve on their run to the tournament last year.
As I mentioned in the Ohio State preview, that team up north is going to be missing one of its best pieces as Josh Zawada has gone to Duke for his final year. That is a MASSIVE hole to fill. Even with Michael Boehm entering his senior year, the Wolverines are in desperate need of offensive production. Enter most of the role players from Princeton’s 2023 team. The former Tigers suiting up in the Maize and Blue number about 5, in midfield and defense.
The hope (for the Wolverines) is that they will be able to make up enough production on offense to ride Justin Wietfeldt’s faceoff prowess to victory. In this, the Wolverines are looking to out execute the Buckeyes at their own game. Whether or not they will be successful is going to depend on how quickly the team gels. An early test against Virginia is going to give a good indicator for Ohio State on what to expect from their rivals this year. It’s going to be a wild year leading up to the last game in April.
Maryland
Jon Tillman and the Terrapins are in a bit of a rebuild mode, at least as much as they ever really rebuild. After OC Bobby Benson took over Providence prior to the 2023 season, Maryland turned to one of its own for that role in Jake Bernhardt. Bernhardt’s unit took a big step back after the 2022 title win, in large part due to the mass exodus of personnel.
Despite this understandable issue, Bernhardt left (was encouraged?) for the head coaching job at a DIII school. Maryland has hired its 3rd OC in 3 years, hoping to right the ship as their Final Four streak was snapped last year.
The coveted #1 jersey has gone to a defenseman for the 2"? year in a row, which is not exactly a great sign for the offense in 2024. Maryland is going to be using a lot of Erics to score goals this season, with Eric Malaver coming back from injury and middie Eric Spanos returning after an 18-goal season as a true freshman.
Sophomore Braden Erksa returns after a 48-point season last year, giving the Terps one of the most productive attack units in the Big Ten this season as Dan Maltz will return after a 28-goal season in 2023 as well.
In midfield, Maryland has brought in freshman Elijah Stobaugh, who is going to really challenge for a 1"-team midfield spot this season, The new mold for offensive midfielders seems to be guys who are 63” to 6’5”, with cannon shots. It’s worked well for some, not as well for others.
Stobaugh’s a load, was hardened by his time at IMG, and will be in the mix for a team still rebuilding after a run to the 2022 national title.
Defensively, Ajax Zapitello is wearing the coveted #1 jersey, and Maryland always plays great on the back end. It never really matters who is back there. We will have to see if the offense can score enough for the Terps to get back to Memorial Day weekend. I wouldn’t bet against them.
Johns Hopkins
Baltimore’s finest college lacrosse program is going to be looking to finally make it back to the Final Four under Peter Milliman’s leadership. The Blue Jays bring back the beastly Garrett Degnon, have 6°4” offensive midfielders Matt Collison and Brendan Grimes still on the roster, and sport one of the most talented attack units anywhere in the country.
Degnon is an absolute unit down low, and Russell Melendez will join him at attack. Jacob Angelus will round out the mix as the main facilitator, fresh off a 44-assist season in 2023 that saw Johns Hopkins take a big step to being officially back.
Much like Texas in football, the Jays have been missing for a long time. This year, with all the veteran pieces and a sprinkling of freshman talent, the offense could be absolutely deadly.
It won’t get any easier for opponents on the defensive side, as the Blue Jays managed to snag Cornell ‘keeper Chayse Ierlan out of the transfer portal.
Much like the Kirsts all going to Rutgers, this is only going to elevate Johns Hopkins even more. Goalies had not been even adequate for Hopkins lately, and suddenly they’re looking at a Grade A keeper back there to keep opponents stymied.
Defensively, Johns Hopkins will be old, but not overwhelming in the way that the offense will be in 2024. The longsticks are good, but I would say not elite. Teams will struggle against them if they can’t gain possession at the dot and make the most of their shots, however. The margins for error are going to be very slim, and Ierlan will help erase a lot of defensive breakdowns.
Penn State
The Nittany Lions lost in the Final Four of 2023, doubling up the Buckeyes on Final Four appearances in the process. And, despite some serious offensive losses, Penn State is primed for a title run in 2024. If they can swing it.
Offensively, Penn State brings back TJ Malone, who scored 73 points as the Nittany Lions fell by a whisker to Duke in the Final Four. Obviously, most of the offense will revolve around him, especially given the 91 other points that are not back for the Penn State offense. On the flip side, Penn State will welcome in its best recruit since Grant Ament.
Kyle Lehman, a top 5 recruit in the 2023 class, suits up this spring just in time to step into a significant offensive role. If he can hack it. Ohio State pulled a FOGO from Wissahickon, PA, a couple of years ago, who has ended up at Boston University for 2024 after proving to be too small for the Big Ten.
Lehman put up points in bunches in high school, and definitely has some serious talent. College lacrosse generally, and the Big Ten in particular, is a whole different animal. We’ll find out pretty quick what Lehman brings to the table.
Defensively, Penn State returns Jack Fracyon, who sported a spectacular .562 save percentage last year. That will certainly get it done. Elsewhere, Penn State is going to be above average. The short stick midfielders will be pretty close to elite. At longstick, this feels like a team struggling to take the next step.
Super senior Sam Sweeney returns after scooping up 48 groundballs last year, with 10 caused turnovers. At close defense, however, I think that the personnel is above average. Sort of an inverse of Ohio State’s defensive issues (no goalie or shorties, good poles).
I personally felt like Penn State got very lucky last year in avoiding teams of note until the Final Four. That said, they got the job done and nearly beat the Blue Devils. This year’s team has some really good pieces, but the depth across the board will be a concern. Similar to the Albany teams of the mid-2010s, except TJ Malone is not one of the Thompsons.
Rutgers
New Jersey’s pride and joy is finding out just how ill-advised it is to rely on unproven transfers for starting roles. After reaping vast rewards with the Kirst family, Rutgers struggled mightily
last year to get any wins of note, finishing 1-4 in the Big Ten. Included in that record is a loss to the Buckeyes, who had an absolutely brutal end to the season last year.
Offensively, the Scarlet Knights will be returning most of their production from last year. Four of their top six scorers are back, including their two best offensive players in Ross Scott and Shane Knobloch. If there is a bright spot, that would be it. Rutgers will have a ton of senior leadership on offense. As well as more than a few transfers.
John Sidorski will bolster the midfield after a 35-point season at Lehigh in 2023. Tanyr Krummenacher joins the Knights from DIII power Amherst, fresh off scoring 53 goals and tallying 38 assists in the brutal NESCAC. Krummenacher will be deadly for Rutgers, and could potentially stick around for 2025, if he is so inclined.
Defensively, Rutgers brought in so many short stick midfielders (I think I counted 5) and graduate poles that it’s going to be a completely new unit. Additionally, both of the goalies from last year who saw significant minutes are gone. So, at this point, you’re looking at a defensive unit in complete flux.
It’s hard to see a scenario, much like the Ohio State offense, where much continuity can be found. Defensively, it is paramount to all be on the exact same page at the
exact same time. Even if it’s the wrong page, you can make it work. If things take a while to coalesce, however, there’s going to be a lot of goals scored on the Scarlet Knights.
With a first time goalkeeper as well, at least at the DI level, it will be a bit of an adventure for Rutgers to start the year. We will see just how well they’re able to get on the same page fairly early.
Looking at the Big Ten as a whole, there’s not a terrible team in the bunch. There’s also not a truly elite team, on paper at least, to be found. Everyone has issues or weak points in their squad.
Some teams have incredible offensive options, but shaky defense. Others have little proven offensive success, and a good enough defense to be dangerous.
And for THE Ohio State Buckeyes, it’s just too early to know. Luckily, we’ll get clarity in 10 days when the Utah Utes come to Columbus for an early season visit. For now, however, there’s only predictions based on conjecture. My specialty.
Big Ten Final Standings Prediction:
1. Johns Hopkins
2. Maryland
3. Penn State
4. Ohio State
5. TTUN
6. Rutgers
No magic run for the Wolverines this year, either. With the strength at the top of the conference with the historic powers, and Penn State’s senior options, I don’t think Ohio State has a prayer at a top half finish.
To put it bluntly. Ohio State is going to have go 3-2 to get there, and I just have a hard time believing they will overcome previous issues to beat three teams in the Johns Hopkins, Maryland, Penn State, and Wolverines group. I hope to be wrong. But this is how I see it.
