Cornell's C.J. Kirst Sets NCAA Division I Men's All-Time Goals Record

Cornell’s C.J. Kirst became the NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse all-time leading goal scorer, scoring the record breaker just 58 seconds into the game during the No. 1 ranked Big Red’s 10-8 win over Dartmouth on Saturday. Cornell won the Ivy League regular season title outright with the victory.

2️⃣2️⃣5️⃣

CJ KIRST HAS BROKEN THE DIVISION I MEN’S ALL-TIME GOALS RECORD. 

One of one. pic.twitter.com/NtPNrY4SkY

— USA Lacrosse Magazine (@USALacrosseMag) April 26, 2025

Kirst finished the game with two goals and an assist and now has 226 goals for his career, breaking the mark of 224 set last year by Virginia graduate student Payton Cormier and tied last week by Kirst.

Kirst, the Tewaaraton favorite, reached his milestone in fewer games (61) than any of the top 10 all-time goal leaders in Division I men’s history. Cormier hit 224 in 73 games while the only other players in the top 10 with fewer than 70 career games played were Penn State’s Mac O’Keefe with 221 in 66 games and Duke’s Zack Greer with 206 in 67 games.

NCAA DI Men's Career Goals

* - Greer was granted an extra year of eligibility following the Duke lacrosse scandal in 2006 and scored 42 goals for Bryant in 15 games in 2009. Bryant was transitioning from Division II to Division I and the NCAA does not recognize those goals in his Division I total.

Kirst’s current average of 3.70 goals per game in his career ranks fourth in NCAA history, trailing N.C. State’s Stan Cockerton (4.39 – 193 in 44 games from 1977 to 1980), Cornell’s Mike French (4.06 – 191 in 47 games from 1974 to 1976) and Massachusetts’ Brooks Sweet (3.93 – 106 in 27 games from 1978-79).

Kirst’s 61 goals this season leads NCAA Division I and he also leads the country in points per game with 6.38 with 83 points in 13 games. He has the potential to play as many as six more games (2 Ivy League tournament, 4 NCAA tournament) to add to his record.

He’s much more than an offensive machine.

“What you don't see, and what some people don't watch necessarily, is what he does in the ride, how he celebrates his teammates, the energy that he plays with from start to finish, how happy guys are celebrating him, how happy he is celebrating other guys,” said former Cornell great and three-time USA team player Rob Pannell. “He's a leader in every sense of the word. And he doesn't lead just by his play. He leads by everything else that you'd want a leader to do.”

The fourth Kirst brother to play Division I lacrosse, Kirst and his three older brothers have all been involved with the U.S. national team program. Kirst was MVP of the 2022 World Lacrosse Men’s U20 Championship when he led the USA to a gold medal playing alongside his brother, Cole. Last September, he helped the U.S. men’s box team to its best finish ever – silver – at the World Lacrosse Box Championship playing with his brother Connor.

What a day for @CornellLacrosse and @cjkirst_15 @IvyLeague Champs! #LGR 

📷: Me for @USALacrosseMag pic.twitter.com/cw7ZsoK6HO

— Rich Barnes (@Firstteamphoto) April 26, 2025