Inside Lacrosse's Top 50 players for 2025 | Syracusefan.com

Inside Lacrosse's Top 50 players for 2025

42. Owen Hiltz, Syracuse​

The 5-8 lefty is coming off of the most accurate shooting season of his career, hitting on 38 of the 108 shots he released (35.2%). He's more than just a goal-scroer, however, dishing 27 assists. If he can cut down on the career-high 28 TOs from last season, he'll push a potent ’Cuse offense to even greater heights
 

42. Owen Hiltz, Syracuse​

The 5-8 lefty is coming off of the most accurate shooting season of his career, hitting on 38 of the 108 shots he released (35.2%). He's more than just a goal-scroer, however, dishing 27 assists. If he can cut down on the career-high 28 TOs from last season, he'll push a potent ’Cuse offense to even greater heights
Cleaning up the TOs would be huge for Cuse.
 
40. Benn Johnston Duke
39. Bobby Van Burren - Ohio State
38. Michael Leo - Syracuse: "The eighth-ranked offensive midfielder on this Top 50 list, Michael Leo exploded for 37 points (28G, 9A) as a sophomore after putting up 26 points as a freshman. The slick lefty was an IL Media Honorable Mention All-American and could be in store for a huge junior year."
37. Richard Checo - Lehigh
36. Matt Collison - Hopkins
35. Jimmy Freehill - Denver
34. Max Krevsky - Yale
33. Sam English - Syracuse: "The impressive two-way midfielder enters his final NCAA season after he bounced back from his injury-ended Princeton career with a 34-point (23G, 11A) while also scooping up a career-high 34 groundballs. HIs versatility will be key for the Orange in offensive sweeps, two-man games, plus off the wings of face-offs and his ability in the open field."
32. Levi Verch - St. Joe's
31. Jordan Faison - Notre Dame

 
How many more from Cuse make this list? Joey?Dwan?Rhoa?Figueiras?Thomson?
 
How many more from Cuse make this list? Joey?Dwan?Rhoa?Figueiras?Thomson?

Spallina for sure, I am guessing he comes in at #3. I am pretty confidant about Dwan making it, especially given his goal contributions. Figuerias I am not sure about, he played well down the stretch last year, but so much of this is "hype", and he is a player that doesn't draw a lot of attention.

Curious about Thomson, he outscored both Leo and English, not by much, but you would think he should also be rated. English does so many things all over the field, I would think he would be rated above Thomson, which makes me think the rising junior isn't on the list.

I would definitely consider Carter Rice, but again to be recognized as a SSDM, you really have to stand out with an epic stat line.

These are the returning players who aren't ranked yet, but were IL All Americans last year. I think there are 30 that I counted. Granted, English wasn't an AA last year and he is top 40, so it's not a like for like carryover:

CJ Kirst - Cornell
Chris Kavanaugh - Notre Dame
Joey Spallina - Syracuse
Evan Plunkett - Army
Mikey Weisshaar - Towson
Will Coletti - Army
Ben Ramsey - Notre Dame
Scott Smith - Hopkins
Brendan Lavelle - Penn
Andrew McAdorey - Duke
Devon McLane - Notre Dame
Billy Dwan - Syracuse
Emmett Caroll - Penn
Sam King - Harvard
Griffin Schutz - UVA
Will Donovan - Notre Dame
Will Lynch - Notre Dame
Shawn Lyght - Notre Dame
AJ Pilate - Army
Jack Fracyon - Penn State
Coulter Mackesy - Princeton
Michael Long - Cornell
Jacob Morin - Army
Ty Banks - Georgetown
Mike Gianforcaro - UNC
-----------------------------------------
Players who were AA, but not sure will make the Top 50.
Chad Palumbo - Princeton
Hunter Drouin - Colgate
Carter Rice - Syracuse
Patrick Hackler - Hopkins
Aidan McGuire - Duke

Guys who should make it who weren't AAs last year -
Jake Taylor - Notre Dame
Owen Duffy - UNC
McCabe Millon - UVA
Ben Wayer - UVA
Nate Kabiri - Princeton

Guys who could make it who weren't AAs last year -
Anderson Moore - Georgetown
Aidan Carroll - Georgetown
Chris Lyons - Yale
Leo Johnson - Yale
Finn Thomson - Syracuse

I am 100% I am missing someone super obvious. No Terps listed, which seems odd, but outside of maybe Erksa or McNaney, I'm not sure who you would list.
 
Spanos was a USILA HM AA at midfield last year for the Terps. You know, defense is a team game, and while Zappitello was outstanding, obviously a number of other Terp defensemen played well last year.
Arealax listened to their podcast and reported that McNaney is the only Terp.
Given how high they were on the Terps transfers, I"m surprised they haven't named 1 of them.

-Will Lynch, ND, was already named at #48
 
Spanos was a USILA HM AA at midfield last year for the Terps. You know, defense is a team game, and while Zappitello was outstanding, obviously a number of other Terp defensemen played well last year.
Arealax listened to their podcast and reported that McNaney is the only Terp.
Given how high they were on the Terps transfers, I"m surprised they haven't named 1 of them.

-Will Lynch, ND, was already named at #48
nobody cares
 
30. Leo Johnson - Yale
29. Alex Ross - Penn State
28. Griffin Schutz - UVA
27. Colin Mulshine - Princeton
26. Ty Banks - Georgetown
25. Owen Duffy - UNC
24. Chris Lyons - Yale
23. Billy Dwan - Syracuse: Dwan is part of an elite group of defensemen coming into their own. He was pretty much there from Day 1, earning a starting spot midseason and making an immediate impact in thr Orange's close defense. His transition threat really emerged in ’24 with eight goals, including scores in four-straight games. That included an epic game-tying goal late against UVA.
22. AJ Pilate - Army
21. Nate Kabiri - Princeton

 
30. Leo Johnson - Yale
29. Alex Ross - Penn State
28. Griffin Schutz - UVA
27. Colin Mulshine - Princeton
26. Ty Banks - Georgetown
25. Owen Duffy - UNC
24. Chris Lyons - Yale
23. Billy Dwan - Syracuse: Dwan is part of an elite group of defensemen coming into their own. He was pretty much there from Day 1, earning a starting spot midseason and making an immediate impact in thr Orange's close defense. His transition threat really emerged in ’24 with eight goals, including scores in four-straight games. That included an epic game-tying goal late against UVA.
22. AJ Pilate - Army
21. Nate Kabiri - Princeton

Probably means no Figueras. I love Dwan but Figgy is a more important piece to the defense. IL and AA rankings in general always over value any type of defensive player who scores goals. Our guys making the list deserve it, but arguably the three most important players on our team, Rice Mullen and Figueras, will likely not be on the list.
 
Probably means no Figueras. I love Dwan but Figgy is a more important piece to the defense. IL and AA rankings in general always over value any type of defensive player who scores goals. Our guys making the list deserve it, but arguably the three most important players on our team, Rice Mullen and Figueras, will likely not be on the list.
Probably right but it does say Dwan is PART of an elite group of defensemen. Its possible they include Figueiras. He has the stats other than scoring goals which really isn’t his job.
 
20. Ben Wayer - UVA
19. Michael Long - Cornell
18. Jake Taylor - Notre Dame
17. Will Donovan - Notre Dame
16. McCabe Millon - UVA
15. Will Coletti - Army
14. Jack Fracyon - Penn State
13. Ben Ramsey - Notre Dame
12. Scott Smith - Johns Hopkins
11. Evan Plunkett - Army

I am guessing the rest of the Top 10 looks something like this?

1. CJ Kirst - Cornell
2. Chris Kavanaugh - Notre Dame
3. Joey Spallina - Syracuse
4. Mikey Weisshaar - Towson
5. Brendan Lavelle - Penn
6. Andrew McAdorey - Duke
7. Emmett Caroll - Penn
8. Sam King - Harvard
9. Shawn Lyght - Notre Dame
10. Coulter Mackesy - Princeton
 
You forgot to account for the fact that Syracuse isn't on their favorite team list.
 
Final list. Obviously surprised Spallina comes in at #6, but whatever. Syracuse is second with five players on the list. Notre Dame is first with eight. Again, odd that no Maryland player made it, but they are due to be a top five team according to the experts. Teams like Army, UNC, Penn, and Yale, none who made the tournament last year, had at least three players listed (and Penn had two in the top 10).

10. Brandon Lavelle - Penn
9. Mikey Weisshaar - Towson
8. Andrew McAdory - Duke
7. Sam King - Harvard
6. Joey Spallina - Syracuse: All eyes are on Spallina and Syracuse. He got the Orange back to the NCAA Tournament. Now they return as much as anyone nationally, are one of the favorites in preseason, and (already high) expectations have raised. With 156 points to his name, what’s left is a career-defining game in the NCAA Tournament that leads to a big run.
5. Coulter Mackesy - Princeton
4. Emmet Carroll - Penn
3. Shawn Lyght - Notre Dame
2. Chris Kavanagh - Notre Dame
1. CJ Kirst - Cornell

The snubs appear to be Pat Hackler, Hunter Drouin, Aidan McGuire, Chad Palumbo and Anderson Moore (outside of the 'Cuse guys of course). They must have done the list before news of Devon McLane coming back was public. Nothing egregious I would say.

 
i dont quite get the mackesy hype...he is a very good player...but 5th overall? he had 64 pts last year on 26% shooting, turned it over 35 times in 16 games...i suppose they are projecting a monster season for him in his senior year flanked by those two emerging attackmen...but 5th? he was considerably better in 2023 than in 2024...and with kabiri growing his role in the offense...feels like mackesy's numbers might not improve a whole lot...

mcadorey in the top 10 made me LOL...yes he needs to be great this year for duke to have a chance given how much the lose...but WILL he? will he be a top 8 player in lacrosse this year...doubt it!
 
i dont quite get the mackesy hype...he is a very good player...but 5th overall? he had 64 pts last year on 26% shooting, turned it over 35 times in 16 games...i suppose they are projecting a monster season for him in his senior year flanked by those two emerging attackmen...but 5th? he was considerably better in 2023 than in 2024...and with kabiri growing his role in the offense...feels like mackesy's numbers might not improve a whole lot...

mcadorey in the top 10 made me LOL...yes he needs to be great this year for duke to have a chance given how much the lose...but WILL he? will he be a top 8 player in lacrosse this year...doubt it!
I agree. All hype. They use stats to justify some on the list but make up other qualifiers for those that don’t have the stats.
 
Bottom line is that if Joey wants to be a great player, he has got to be more than a flat track bully. He's got to bring it against the best teams when they put their top cover guy on him. Too often he gets neutralized by the better teams. Gotta do it against the top teams and in the playoffs. Putting up 8 or 9 points against the weaker teams to compile great stats at the end of the year does not make a great player.
 
Bottom line is that if Joey wants to be a great player, he has got to be more than a flat track bully. He's got to bring it against the best teams when they put their top cover guy on him. Too often he gets neutralized by the better teams. Gotta do it against the top teams and in the playoffs. Putting up 8 or 9 points against the weaker teams to compile great stats at the end of the year does not make a great player.
He isn't the only player that pads stats against the weaker teams. Some lead in stats and play midlevel teams every game.
 

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