NCAA Men's Lacrosse Preview: No. 10 Denver's Next Big Thing

USA Lacrosse Magazine is beginning its countdown to Feb. 1 — the first day of the 2025 men's lacrosse season — by releasing one team preview per day beginning on Monday, Jan. 13.

We continue the countdown with No. 10 Denver, which might just have its next big thing in Cody Malawsky.

Matt Brown did not mince his words when heaping praise — and expectations — on Cody Malawsky.

“He’s one of the best lacrosse players I’ve ever been around. He’s going to take the next step this year,” the second-year head coach said of the redshirt sophomore attackman. “You’ll hear Cody’s name for the next two decades. He’s going to be a guy that plays in both pro leagues and he’ll be a Canadian national team member.”

At this time last year, Brown and former Denver head coach Bill Tierney were raving about Malawsky as a breakout candidate. The British Columbia box lacrosse export delivered in his first full season playing the field discipline, scoring 22 goals on 42.3-percent shooting (22nd in Division I) and adding 10 assists for the NCAA semifinalist Pioneers.

Malawsky demonstrated his ability to take over a game with four goals in the Coquitlam Adanacs’ Minto Cup championship-clinching win over the Orangeville Northmen over the summer.

“I’m excited for him to take that next step in his leadership ability and his presence,” Brown said. “We’ve got some guys that have played in some big games now.”

That includes short-stick defensive midfielder Casey Wilson, who has played for two Canadian national teams (U21 in 2022 and senior in 2023) and competed in the senior-level Mann Cup over the summer with the Victoria Shamrocks.

Wilson and close defenseman Jimmy Freehill were named preseason first-team All-Americans by USA Lacrosse on Wednesday, a sure sign that Denver’s fourth-ranked defense (9.41 goals allowed per game) still holds the keys to a return to the NCAA tournament.

TOP RETURNERS

Jimmy Freehill, D, So. (37 GB, 22 CT)
Cody Malawsky, A, R-So. (22G, 10A)
Casey Wilson, SSDM, Sr. (35 GB, 14 CT)

Wilson came to DU in the same mold as Malawsky, a prolific Junior A box scorer who put up 100-plus points the summer before his arrival on campus. Then he got caught playing defense one day in practice and Brown nudged Tierney.

“I’ll never forget going up to Coach T and saying, ‘You’ve got to watch Casey Wilson defend guys,’” Brown said. “He’s like a wet blanket. He just covers them. He steers guys and he plays proper angles. He’s very patient. [Tierney] watched him and said, ‘You’re right. This guy’s really good.’ We kept watch, and finally we were like, ‘We’ve got to make this guy a d-middie.’”

And just like that, the Pioneers had their next Danny Logan.

KEY ADDITIONS

Judge Murphy, A, Gr. (63G, 30A at St. Lawrence)
Michael Krause, FO, Gr. (55.5 FO% at Lynchburg)
Blake Kirschke, D, Fr. (27 CT at Valor Christian, Colo.)

Murphy was a first-team Division III All-American and the Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year at St. Lawrence. He’ll undoubtedly factor into the offensive rotation alongside established scoring threats in Malawsky, Noah Manning (22G), Mic Kelly (20G) and Josh Carlson (18G).

Another D-III transfer, Krause will be part of a committee of faceoff specialists trying to fill the ample shoes of Alec Stathakis. Redshirt sophomore Braeden Lair and freshman Christopher Testa are the others.

Brown noted that the new violation rule prohibiting the offending player from taking the next faceoff makes it important to have depth and versatility at the position. Testa is a quick-clamp specialist and Krause more of a power guy, with Lair blending elements of both.

Kirschke has adapted to the college game quickly, Brown said, and will likely start at close defense.

NOTABLE DEPARTURES

Graduations: JJ Sillstrop, A; AJ Mercurio, LSM; Alec Stathakis, FO; Jack DiBenedetto, D; Michael Lampert, A; Richie Connell, A; Jake Edinger, SSDM; Adam Hangland, D; Ryan Giles, LSM

X-FACTOR

Marek Tzagournis, A, So.

The 2023 USA Lacrosse Midwest Region Player of the Year from Ohio played in 11 games as Denver’s fourth attackman his freshman year. With Sillstrop, Lampert and Connell all graduating and Manning expected to play some midfield as well as attack this year, there’s an opening for him to become more than just a depth piece. He’s a two-handed ball carrier who can command the offense from behind the goal and free up Malawsky to do more off ball.

THE NARRATIVE

For all the hubbub about Brown and Metzbower joining forces as the two best offensive coaches of the last quarter-century, it was Gallant’s defense that proved the most effective for Denver last year. The Pioneers notably shut down Syracuse’s high-powered attack in a 10-8 NCAA quarterfinal victory that sent Brown to championship weekend in his first season as the head coach.

DiBenedetto has joined the coaching staff to provide some continuity in that identity, but losing him and Hangland at close defense, Mercurio and Giles at long pole and Edinger at short-stick defensive midfield will certainly challenge Denver’s depth at that end of the field.

Big East Goalie of the Year Malcolm Kleban (50.5 SV%, 9.37 GAA) provides a nice safety valve.

The Pioneers will look closely at the defense in their lone preseason scrimmage Saturday at Delaware. They open the regular season Feb. 1 against Johns Hopkins in Denver.