Former Saint Joseph’s goalie Mike Adler, who entered the transfer portal on March 16, confirmed to US Lacrosse Magazine on Wednesday that he intends to transfer to Duke. Adler, who’s in the midst of an East Coast surfing road trip, will have two years of eligibility left after he redshirted his freshman season.

Lacrosse #breaking news. Former @SJUHawks_MLax goalie Mike Adler confirmed that he will transfer to @DukeMLAX.

More on @USLacrosseMag soon.

— Matt Hamilton (@Matthamilton92) May 20, 2020

Nick Ossello first reported the news.

Adler comes to Durham as one of the top returning goalies in Division I men’s lacrosse. He was a three-year starter under coach Taylor Wray at Saint Joseph’s, where he finished as an All-American in 2019; however, he said he was ready for a change.

“The one thing that I was chasing was a new experience,” Adler said. “I just wanted something different, something new and maybe something a little bigger. Duke was one of the first schools to reach out to me. The interest from [Duke head coach John Danowski] was there, and that meant a lot to me.” 

He ended his shortened 2020 season eighth in the nation in save percentage, stopping 59.4 percent of the shots he faced — just off the 59.6 percentage he posted in 2018, which ranks fifth in program history. In his three-plus seasons in Philadelphia, Adler made 426 saves in 35 career games.

Adler will head to Durham to join a Blue Devils defense that ranked 29th in Division I in 2020, allowing 11 goals per game. He’ll join the unit of goalies that includes sophomores Garrett Smith and Andrew Bonafede. Former ACC Defensive Player of the Year Turner Uppgren played the 2020 season as a graduate student, but his status for a potential extra year of eligibility is uncertain.

The addition of Adler makes Duke’s potential transfer class look even stronger, with the news of Michael Sowers joining the Blue Devils reported April 26. Duke landed arguably the top attackman and goalie in the transfer portal.

“I do have the individual goal of being one of the best goalies in the nation, and being able to go against a guy like Michael Sowers,” he said. “They have a ton of talented offensive players, it’s going to make me even better. I’m excited to go against him every single day.”

Adler has always had a passion for surfing and lacrosse, and he’s found a way to combine his two interests. Saturday, he left his home in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in his new Toyota Tacoma and headed north, hoping to catch strong waves stemming from Tropical Storm Arthur.

He stopped at Jacksonville and surfed with friends, sleeping in the bed of his new truck. He made a makeshift bed with a mattress top from Bed, Bath and Beyond and has a portable shower packed, as well.

As for clothes, he’s working with few wardrobe options, but he’s just fine with it.

“Really low on clean clothes and socks,” he joked. “I have a surfboard and a wetsuit and that’s really it.”

Adler, whose shark attack and ensuing recruiting struggles were featured by US Lacrosse Magazine in 2018, stopped in North Carolina and is currently in Maryland. He spends equal time surfing and training for his next opportunity.

He intends to stop in Philadelphia and New Jersey or New York before headed south for the Outer Banks, and onto Durham — the place he’ll call home in 2021. He knows he won’t be close to the beach, but it’s a chance he’s willing to take.

“I didn’t want to get my hopes up,” he joked. “I know it’s close to the Outer Banks, which is one of the best surf spots on the East Coast. It’s just a couple hours. I’m about to make that drive so I’ll learn soon.”