One year ago, Mitch Wykoff and Charlie Bertrand played lacrosse in an entirely different world. Neither could have predicted they’d be where they are now.

Wykoff, the junior star at Gettysburg, had recently wrapped up his season with a double-overtime loss to St. John Fisher in the first round of the Division III NCAA tournament. It was the Bullets’ third straight one-goal exit from the Division III playoffs, but he had visions of a senior season that would buck the trend.

Bertrand, the star attackman for Merrimack, was busy preparing to fight for a second straight Division II national title against Limestone. He knew it would be his last chance to win the championship, as the Warriors were headed to Division I the next season. He was excited for the challenge that awaited in 2020.

Neither knew that the COVID-19 pandemic would wipe out their senior seasons. Wykoff and Bertrand hadn’t considered anything involving a transfer portal, let alone an entirely new program.

“I never planned on leaving Merrimack,” Bertrand reflected. “My plan was to play four years there and then go on to continue my lacrosse career. I had never seen myself playing anywhere else.”

Then, the 2020 season was cut short in March and the Division I lacrosse landscape was altered significantly. Days after the cancellation of the season, the NCAA announced it would grant players an extra year of eligibility, including seniors whose last seasons were supposed to be this spring.

This summer was supposed to be the start of a new chapter for both Wykoff and Bertrand. The Merrimack attackman planned to attend Nottingham University in England with two of his teammates, where he’d pursue a one-year MBA. Wykoff was looking at pursuing a Master’s degree in the near future, but not necessarily in 2020.

The extra year of eligibility made it so that each could end their lacrosse careers on their terms, and that opportunity was too good to pass up. Both players entered the transfer portal within weeks of the season’s end. Bertrand eventually joined defending national champion Virginia, and Wykoff decided on Syracuse for 2021.

Wykoff and Bertrand are two of a handful of players making the jump from small college to Division I in the past year.

“I’m just excited to take on a new role and see where I fit in and play with a bunch of high-caliber guys,” Bertrand said. “I’ve had a lot of success in Division II and plenty of experience there, but now it’s, ‘Alright, let’s see if I can play at the highest level.’”

“It’s definitely a weight lifted off my shoulders now that I made a decision,” Wykoff said. “Yeah, I recognize that these are some of the best players in the country and this is the best team in the country, and I think that’s awesome.”

For Wykoff, the move from Division III contender Gettysburg to Syracuse could be an adjustment. He’s been a leader for a talented Bullets team for multiple seasons and has grown into an athletic defenseman.

He never wanted to leave Gettysburg. Even when Wykoff and his teammates heard news of the NESCAC canceling its season, they couldn’t see their team suffering the same fate. He was headed to Washington & Lee on March 11 when a friend whose father worked on the Board of Trustees alerted him that their season would end after the matchup with the Generals.

Missing his first game to injury in his career, Wykoff did what he could to enjoy his final game with Gettysburg. He strapped on pads and cheered on his teammates throughout the 12-11 victory.

“He was so into what we were doing and so into the guys,” coach Hank Janczyk said. “He had to get over the fact that he couldn’t play, and he had to get to a place where he could lead. It’s the thing I’m going to the remember the most. His leadership spoke volumes.”

He took a few weeks to decompress from the loss of his senior season, before coming up with three options for his future.

1. He could try his hand at professional lacrosse

2. He could drop a classes and re-enroll at Gettysburg next year

3. He could pursue a Master’s degree at another university

After talking with Janczyk and the rest of the coaching staff, who encouraged Wykoff to pursue a new challenge, he entered the transfer portal. Janczyk got a call from Syracuse assistant Leland Rogers days later — and the courting was on.

Wykoff knew he had a shot to walk on at schools closer to his hometown of Fairfield, Conn. He seriously considered each of them, but something about Syracuse’s interest stuck with him.

“I was looking for schools where I could make an impact sooner rather than later,” he said. “Syracuse called and I said, ‘Why am I selling myself short?’ I wanted a challenge, and this was a challenge I felt like I could tackle.”

Wykoff made his commitment to the Orange and hasn’t looked back. Still living with his former Gettysburg teammates, he didn’t celebrate. He got right to work, training for the next chapter.

An All-American in Division III, Wykoff said he’s confident he can contribute to a Syracuse team that lost Nick Mellen to graduation. His former coach, a legend with four decades of experience, agrees.

“He’s got Division I size,” Janczyk said. “He was 200-something pounds. He fits that bill. When you see him running around with that stick, I think anybody would be impressed. I think he’ll be in the mix for Syracuse.”

Wykoff has an idea for what life in Division I lacrosse might be like, but he’ll have to adjust to the real thing this fall. For Bertrand, that transition took place in the early weeks of the 2020 season.

Merrimack joined Division I last fall, but a fractured hip caused Bertrand to miss over three months of action. He returned just in time for the Warriors to make their debut — a 13-12 loss to Holy Cross.

Bertrand finished the season at 1-5 but never lost by more than two goals. The lone win was over Michigan in Ann Arbor, a historic moment in program history.

Along the way, Bertrand got a taste for life against Division I defenses. In the six games, he led the team with 18 goals and also added five assists. He wasn’t intimidated by opposing defensemen, but he noticed a difference in athleticism.

“The difference between Division I and II defenses were the athletes,” he said. “The third defenseman on a Division I team is not as good as the first, but he’s still big and fast and athletic. One-on-one matchups I was able to handle pretty well, but the slides came a little faster. It was a little harder to get them spinning.”

Bertrand was just getting back to full form when the 2020 season, his first in Division I, was canceled. He took two weeks off from lacrosse before turning the page to his future. Would he follow through with his plans to spend a year in Nottingham? Or would he look for another opportunity to play Division I lacrosse?

He entered the transfer portal in late March, deciding to find another way to earn a Master’s degree. He said he had offers from UMass and Notre Dame, but Virginia and an MBA in commerce stuck out to him.

Lars Tiffany, looking to fill the hole left by Michael Kraus on an already loaded offense, was excited to welcome a player of Bertrand’s quality.

“He is an ideal candidate for what we must replace on the field with the graduation of Michael Kraus: A powerful left-handed attackman with both the capacity to score goals in bunches and the vision to find open teammates, as he has proven time and again at Merrimack College,” Tiffany said. “A two-time captain for the Warriors, Charlie has extensive experience as a both a leader and champion.”

Bertrand said he’s excited to play on a line that features names like Ian Laviano, Matt Moore and, potentially, Dox Aitken. He’ll also be playing alongside fellow lefty Peyton Cormier. Together, they’ll look to continue the defense of Virginia’s 2019 championship — something with which Bertrand is familiar.

“They are still the reigning champions, so we’ll try to go back-to-back, and that’s a similar feeling I had at Merrimack and one I’m experienced with,” he said.

Bertrand and Wykoff both bring a wealth of experience to Division I lacrosse, potentially paving the way for more to try the same jump. Soon, ACC lacrosse fans could be watching a one-on-one matchup between Bertrand and Wykoff — a statement that did not seem plausible just 12 months ago.