The 2024 Division I men's college lacrosse season kicks off February 2. As is our annual tradition, we’re featuring every team ranked in the USA Lacrosse Preseason Top 20 in the lead up to opening night. Check back to USALaxMagazine.com each weekday this month for new previews, scouting reports and rival analysis.
NO. 7 CORNELL
2023 Record: 11-4 (5-1, Ivy League)
Final Ranking (2023): No. 10
Head Coach: Connor Buczek
Assistants: Jordan Stevens (Associate Head Coach), Paolo Ciferri (Assistant Coach), Willie Klan (Volunteer Assistant)
In the spring of 2022, Connor Buczek and his Cornell men’s lacrosse program rode some heavy momentum en route to an NCAA championship game appearance (where the Big Red inevitably fell to unbeaten Maryland). The loss was a disappointment in the locker room, but it reignited a fanbase that has waited years to cheer for a national title contender.
Cornell entered 2023 as a favorite to appear in another title game — a testament to the culture that Buczek has cultivated as an alum in his fourth season at the helm. This time, the Big Red fell short, losing in overtime to Michigan in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
To many teams in Division I lacrosse, the 2023 season could be seen as a success. To a reawakened Cornell fanbase? Not so much.
“There’s no doubt 2022 raised the bar and got us to a place we hadn’t been in over a decade,” Buczek said. “That led a lot of these guys seeing what it’s like to play on Memorial Day. Now, it’s about building this one step at a time, but now we have pressure to get over the hump.”
The Big Red lost a few stalwarts from last season but have plenty of weapons with which to work as they head into 2024. They are the favorites in an uber-competitive Ivy League once again and could make another May run.
The expectations remain high in Ithaca, but Buczek is confident that his team can rise to occasion.
TOP RETURNERS
CJ Kirst, A, Jr. (65G, 19A)
Michael Long, A, Gr. (13G, 10A)
Jack Follows, A, Sr. (34GB, 13CT)
CJ Kirst returns as one of the top offensive threats in the country and a Tewaaraton Award candidate. Long returns to the program healthy after suiting up in just seven games last season. He should serve as the quarterback of the offense. Follows looks to fill the shoes of PLL top pick Gavin Adler as the lockdown defender for the Big Red.
KEY ADDITIONS
Ryan Goldstein, A, Fr. (Salisbury School)
Willem Firth, A, Fr. (The Hill Academy)
Matthew Tully, G, Fr. (Noble and Greenough School)
Goldstein and Firth are within Inside Lacrosse’s top 50 freshmen entering the season and should contribute on the Cornell offense quickly (as will AJ Nikolic). As for Tully, he’s entrenched in a goalie battle after coming in as the No. 7 recruit in the Class of 2023. He could still be in line to start for the Big Red.
NOTABLE DEPARTURES
Graduations: Gavin Adler, D; Billy Coyle, A
Transfers: Chayse Ierlan, G (Johns Hopkins)
X-FACTOR
Jack Follows, D, Sr.
Buczek knew when Gavin Adler graduated last year that he’d need to find his next star close defenseman to help shut down opposing offensive threats. It’s unlikely that Cornell will produce another player with the same attributes as Adler, but Follows could fill the role he possessed and flourished in. He may need to become an All-Ivy League level defenseman for Cornell’s defense to remain one of the best in the conference.
“He’s a guy that comes from the Brodie [Merrill] tree at the Hill and shows up and takes care of business every day,” Buczek said. “He’s primed to be that leader for us on the defensive end in same many ways. He’s quiet in how he goes about everything and maybe you’ll miss him, but that’s probably the best-case scenario when you’re watching a game.”
THE NARRATIVE
The narrative surrounding Cornell’s success in 2024 is threefold: Will CJ Kirst take another step forward? Who will replace Gavin Adler? Who wins the goalie battle?
Let’s start with Kirst, who is being labeled by many as a top Tewaaraton candidate. He dropped 65 goals in his sophomore season and was the unquestioned leader of the Cornell offense. He can seemingly score from any angle, and he’s about to have a healthy Michael Long tossing him the ball.
Buczek said he’s been happy with the progress Kirst has made in becoming an all-around player.
“He’s so dominant individually, and so many teams are keen on him, that you’ve seen him grow in terms of finding ways to open up his teammates,” Buczek said. “We’ve been fortunate to have superstars like Rob Pannell and Jeff Teat over the years, and CJ truly embodies that. He’s a guy that should be in the [Tewaaraton] conversation constantly.”
On the defensive end, Cornell can’t completely replace a player of Adler’s skill level and strength. However, Follows presents a veteran option that could become another stalwart on the defense — in addition to other talented members of the Big Red defense.
Jayson Singer returns after starting 14 games on close defense last season. Eddie Rayhill, who played mostly LSM last season, could step down and help on the defensive end. Brendan Staud, who had a strong freshman year at LSM, will be looked upon to take on a larger load. Chris Davis will play a pivotal role in the defensive midfield to ease the pressure on Follows and Singer.
“Jack Follows and Chris Davis were some great anchors and provided leadership that will help the rest of that group mature and cover the boys that left for graduation,” Buczek said.
As for the goalie battle, Ierlan leaves behind a 52.2 save percentage in 2023 and All-American honors. Cornell returns three goalies and brings in top recruit Matthew Tully to compete for minutes. Wyatt Knust played in four games last season and represents the most veteran option, but Buczek may turn to the freshman early.
ENEMY LINES
“They’ll be interesting. CJ Kirst, in my opinion, is the best player in the Ivy League — if not America — this year. They’ve got this tradition that this is built on. They believe in what they’re doing, and they play hard and have had good recruiting classes. Losing Adler at one end I’m sure will change them a little bit, but the impact of CJ Kirst, you really can’t underestimate or minimize that.”
CJ Kirst’s improved his shooting efficiency from the 62nd to the 85th percentile between 2022 and 2023. But his ball security was probably the most impressive metric in his statistical profile, finishing in the 91st percentile for share-adjusted turnover rate. Whether he can improve on that profile in 2024 and potentially bring home a Tewaaraton Award ... we’ll just have to wait and see.
Lacrosse Reference Glossary
