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It took Joey Epstein little time to justify the high expectations that preceded his arrival at Johns Hopkins in the fall of 2018. Epstein started strong at attack and never cooled off throughout a record-setting freshman season.

Epstein could not have foreseen the disaster coming in 2020. A 2-4 season, shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic. The firing of 20-year coach and Hopkins legend Dave Pietramala and his staff and hiring of former Cornell head coach Peter Milliman.

Before those unsettling events, Epstein had to deal with a badly sprained MCL in his right knee, a preseason injury that rendered Epstein a shell of his dynamic, high-scoring self.

Epstein now says he is as healthy as he has ever been, a year after suffering the first significant injury of his life.

It happened during a late preseason practice, when a teammate rolled up on Epstein’s leg in a loose-ball scrum. That caused Epstein to miss the season opener, before he took the field in a cumbersome knee brace. He gutted his way through five games by scoring five goals and committing a team-high nine turnovers.

Epstein also says his recovery, which did not require surgery, included a hard look in the mirror of self-evaluation. He admits he felt sorry for himself too often, and that he failed to handle his misfortune with the proper maturity, especially given that Epstein had been chosen as a co-captain — the first Hopkins sophomore of such distinction since 1975.

“I wasn’t a very good leader,” Epstein said. “I let my negative circumstances put me in a gloomy, depressive state. I couldn’t enjoy lacrosse for the first time and I spent too much time with a woe-is-me attitude. Watching my team lose and not being able provide any sort of spark, I think my play and my emotional state actually hurt the team.”

Late last spring, after college campuses had long been cleared out and students had gone home to complete the semester online, Epstein rested, healed and focused on rehabilitating his knee. He put his stick down for nearly a month.

“I needed to find some peace and find my love for the game again,” he said.

Milliman, who in accordance with the school’s COVID-19 protocol did not coach a single team workout in the fall, is eager to see his 59-man roster drilling and scrimmaging on the practice field. He also is sure the real Epstein is back.

“[Epstein] was college-ready when he got to Homewood, and he is well past the injury,” Milliman said. “He’s not the most physically dominant player, but he’s got this composure and intellect about him that he had at a young age. He plays the game totally dialed in. His focus clearly comes across on film. He takes care of business the right way.”

And if Epstein recaptures his USILA All-American form — his 48 goals and 73 points in 2019 were the most ever by a Blue Jays freshman — Hopkins should contend for its third Big Ten crown.

TOP RETURNERS

Joey Epstein, A, Jr.

With his knee injury behind him, Epstein, the Big Ten’s top freshman in 2019 and first freshman named to the all-conference first team, will be a regular headache again for opposing defenses.  

Cole Williams, A, Gr.

The 6-5 Williams has been among the program’s top scorers over the previous three years. His 17 points, including 11 goals, led the Blue Jays in 2020.

Garrett Degnon, M, Jr.

Whether he leads the second line or fills out the first unit, Degnon, 6-4, showed promise a year ago by tying for the team-high with 11 goals on 38-percent shooting.

KEY ADDITION

Josh Kirson, G, Gr.

The Ohio State transfer with two years of eligibility remaining started 25 of his last 26 games in Columbus. He led the Big Ten last year in save percentage (58.4), saves (94) and goals against average (10.19).

NUMBERS GAME

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That’s how many underclassmen are on Hopkins’ 59-man roster — 17 freshmen and 16 sophomores. The Blue Jays hope that greatly improves their depth.

ENEMY LINES

What rival coaches say about the Blue Jays:

“They’re a bit of a wild card, right? They didn’t come to campus this fall. Milliman is going to inject a bunch of energy into that program. The talent is there. You get the young man back through there, Joey Epstein, and you add in a Brendan Grimes ,who will be the best freshman in the conference. Add that with Cole Williams and I just think, offensively, they’re loaded.”