2023 Men's Top 30: How Villanova Fared vs. Projections

Before USA Lacrosse Magazine looks ahead to what’s to come in 2024, our team of staff and contributors decided it was worth taking one last look at 2023.

After all, you have to look at the most recent results before making projections for what’s to come. To do that, we’re taking a journey through the top 30 teams in men’s and women’s lacrosse — what went right, what went wrong and what we should all think of that team’s season.

Was it a success? A failure? A mixture of both? You’ll find out our thoughts over the next month or so.

VILLANOVA MEN’S LACROSSE

Nike/USA Lacrosse Preseason/Final Top 20 Ranking: Unranked (also considered)/18
2023 record: 10-5 (3-2 Big East)

WHAT WENT RIGHT

As they usually do, the Wildcats collected some early victories (Penn State and Penn) that held up well. Matt Campbell (37 G, 25 A) was a first-team All-American selection, as was short stick defensive midfielder Chet Comizio. Villanova was still in the playoff picture heading into May, though it ultimately would have needed to win the Big East tournament to get into the postseason.

WHAT WENT WRONG

Villanova simply could not score against Big East rivals Denver and Georgetown, mustering an average of 7.7 goals in three games against those two teams and 14.3 an outing in 12 games against everyone else. Facing Denver on Bill Tierney Day in the Mile High City wasn’t exactly a stroke of luck, but Georgetown (12-8) and Denver (16-9 in the Big East tourney) both bottled up the Wildcats well to close the year.

SEASON HIGHLIGHT

The opening victory over Penn State looks a lot better in retrospect, but the nod still goes to a 9-8 defeat of Penn on March 11 to earn Philadelphia bragging rights. Matt Licata scored with 27.3 seconds left to cap the Wildcats’ comeback from down two with less than six minutes remaining.

VERDICT

Right in line with a few other recent Villanova seasons — a plenty respectable year, a team no one was in a rush to volunteer to play, but just not quite enough to reach the postseason.