Not everything learned about a lacrosse season in early February holds up over the long haul. But it almost always stands out more than things gleaned in March and April, because there is so little information to work from.
Michigan’s trip to North Carolina figured to provide some insight on both. The Wolverines were coming off back-to-back Big Ten tournament titles. North Carolina has missed the last three NCAA tournaments. And yet it wasn’t outlandish to think their game — the Tar Heels’ opener, Michigan’s second game — might be a bit of a toss-up.
Well, it was not a toss-up. Not with North Carolina starting fast and never trailing in a 15-6 blowout.
This might not seem to bode well for the Wolverines (1-1), but it’s worth remembering that February Michigan hasn’t resembled late April or early May Michigan the last two seasons. There is work to do in Ann Arbor, but the Wolverines weren’t defined by a shaky non-conference outing or two in 2023 or 2024. They don’t have to be this year, either.
As for North Carolina, the glimmers from its finale a year ago — when it ambushed a rested Duke team — surfaced again Saturday. The Tar Heels were quite young last year, leaning on freshmen Owen Duffy, Dominic Pietramala and Brady Wambach to play major roles.
They each acquitted themselves well, and now they’re sophomores. Duffy had four goals and two assists Saturday; Pietramala had four goals and an assist. One game doesn’t mean North Carolina has returned, but it does look like it is on the right trajectory given its smashing 2025 debut.
Patrick Stevens is a longtime USA Lacrosse Magazine contributor. This is his weekly submission to the USA Lacrosse Division I Men's Top 20.
1. Notre Dame (0-0)
The Irish open with their only midweek game of the season, a Wednesday date at home with Cleveland State. Marquette visits South Bend two days later. (Last week: 1)
2. Syracuse (2-0)
Joey Spallina piled up five goals and five assists in the Orange’s 13-5 defeat of Vermont. Syracuse has yet to trail this season and has led for all but 3:47 in its first two games. (Last week: 2)
3. Princeton (0-0)
The Tigers’ rigorous non-conference schedule begins Saturday at Penn State, with Maryland, Duke and North Carolina to follow by March 2. (Last week: 3)
4. Cornell (0-0)
Up first for the Big Red is 0-2 Lehigh, which allowed 10 goals to both Fairfield and Rutgers but averaged 6.5 goals in those losses. (Last week: 4)
5. Virginia (1-0)
Is there a more perfect way for a Lars Tiffany team to begin a season than with a long stick midfielder scoring 14 seconds into it? Ben Wayer’s goal was the first of 12 the Cavaliers amassed in the first half of a 19-9 rout of Colgate. (Last week: 5)
6. Johns Hopkins (3-0)
The Blue Jays fended off Towson and smothered Georgetown in a busy week after returning from a victory at Denver. There might be better teams, but no one is more tested at this stage than Peter Milliman’s Blue Jays. (Last week: 7)
7. Maryland (2-0)
The Terrapins seemed like they were recreating the 2012 national title game against Loyola, as they scored just twice in the first three quarters Saturday. But Eric Spanos scored three of his four goals in the final period, and Matthew Keegan got the game-winner 64 seconds into overtime, as the Terps escaped Ridley with a victory. They’ll get Syracuse at home next. (Last week: 6)
8. Duke (2-0)
The Blue Devils took a 14-9 victory home from Jacksonville, as Luke Grayum had three goals and an assist and Eric Malever delivered two goals and three assists. A cranky Saint Joseph’s team coming off a loss to Sacred Heart makes the trip to Koskinen Stadium this Saturday. (Last week: 8)
9. Yale (0-0)
Ivy opening day sends the Bulldogs to Villanova, with a visit from Army following four days later. Yale is a high-upside team as it comes off an injury-plagued season. (Last week: 9)
10. Penn State (2-0)
The Nittany Lions turned a methodical victory into a rout with a seven-goal flurry in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 15-5 thumping of Villanova. Given how often the Wildcats have tripped February opponents up over the years, it’s a particularly impressive showing. Matt Traynor had four goals and two assists. (Last week: 10)
11. North Carolina (1-0)
The Tar Heels opened by setting a fairly high bar for themselves, leading wire to wire in a 15-6 defeat of Michigan. Next up is Stony Brook, which picked off Rutgers 9-8 and comes to Chapel Hill on Friday. (Last week: 17)
12. Penn (0-0)
Yet again, the Quakers open the year against a Georgetown team that has already played. That worked out well in 2023 (won 9-7 in D.C.) when it was the Hoyas’ second game and not so great last season (lost 12-9 in Philadelphia) when it was Georgetown’s third outing. This will be the Hoyas’ third game of 2025. (Last week: 13)
13. Towson (0-1)
So begins a run of teams that have lost to Johns Hopkins. The Tigers had a sloppy performance last Tuesday but had a chance to tie it in the final 30 seconds of an 11-10 loss to their Charles Street rivals. Ronan Fitzpatrick looked like a future star with five goals in his first start. Shawn Nadelen’s bunch heads to Syracuse on Monday for a rematch of last year’s first round NCAA tournament game won by the Orange. (Last week: 12)
14. Denver (1-1)
The Pioneers evened their record with a 14-8 triumph at Air Force as seven players recorded multi-point efforts (led by Joshua Carlson’s two goals and two assists). Denver’s 24 turnovers against the Falcons were a telltale sign of early February lacrosse. The Pios welcome Utah to Peter Barton Stadium on Saturday. (Last week: 14)
15. Georgetown (1-1)
The Hoyas went 0-for-4 on extra man, scored just four goals until the final 3:03 and allowed Johns Hopkins to shoot 44 percent. There is plenty for Georgetown to work on, but that is hardly a surprise given the Hoyas’ graduation losses. (Last week: 11)
16. Army (1-0)
Jackson Eicher had four goals (including a natural hat trick in the first quarter) and three assists, and Will Coletti won 15 of 23 faceoffs, as the Black Knights scored the first six goals and breezed to a 16-9 rout of UMass. Rutgers makes the trip to West Point on Saturday. (Last week: 16)
17. Delaware (1-0)
The Blue Hens opened in stirring fashion, as freshman Bennett Parmer scored a man-down goal with 54 seconds left and Kevin Ellington made the last of his 15 saves moments later in a 13-12 victory at Utah. St. John’s comes to Newark for Delaware’s home opener this week. (Last week: Not ranked)
18. Harvard (0-0)
In maybe the sneakiest of sneaky-good games this weekend, Harvard visits 2-0 Providence for its season opener on Saturday. (Last week: 19)
19. Michigan (1-1)
The Wolverines have provided a wide range of results in just two games. From hammering Marquette 14-1 to falling 15-6 at North Carolina, the only known about this Michigan team is it hasn’t had to play many (any?) high-leverage possessions so far this season. (Last week: 15)
20. Providence (2-0)
The Friars trailed Bryant with 10 minutes to play but scored five of the last six goals to leave Smithfield with a 15-12 victory. Ryan Bell had six assists and has 14 on the season; that’s twice as many as anyone else in Division I. (Last week: Not ranked)
Also considered (alphabetical order): Navy (2-0), Ohio State (2-1), Rutgers (2-1), Stony Brook (1-0), UAlbany (0-0), Utah (1-1)