NCAA Men's Lacrosse Preview: No. 16 Michigan Leaning on Transfers

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. 16 Michigan, a team that benefitted from some late-season magic and is now retooling with big shoes to fill.

For the second year in a row, Michigan channeled some late-season magic into a Big Ten championship and NCAA tournament berth.

Last year’s conference tournament run saw the Wolverines beating rival Ohio State, avenging a loss to Johns Hopkins in the semifinals and then putting on a near-flawless performance in a 16-4 title game victory over Penn State.

But if there is to be an encore in 2025, it will be with a new set of characters, as, like many of the nation’s top teams, the Wolverines have some big shoes to fill.

TOP RETURNERS

Ryan Cohen, A, Sr. (34G, 37A) 
Aidan Mulholland, M, Sr. (18G, 3A) 
Hunter Taylor, G, Jr. (.497 SV%)

Michael Boehm was the heart and soul of Michigan the last few years, and Justin Tiernan turned heads with a dominant 2024 season, but Cohen was actually the Wolverines’ leading scorer last year. The Florida native has had three straight 50-plus-point seasons and is poised for a big final chapter. Mulholland is also a three-year regular and anchors the midfield unit, while Taylor continues to get better every year and now has 23 starts under his belt. 

KEY ADDITIONS

Pace Billings, D, Gr. (31GB, 19 CT at Princeton)
Will Byrne, A, Gr. (52G, 63A at Bowdoin)
DJ Dixon, M, Gr. (34G, 17A at Wesleyan)

Grad transfers like Justin Tiernan (school record 57 goals) and Beau Pederson (first-team All-American SSDM) played a major role for Michigan in 2024. Head coach Kevin Conry is going back to the transfer well for 2025. Billings and attackman Lukus Stanat come from Princeton where Pederson, Cathal Roberts and Christian Ronda starred before taking a final turn at Michigan. He’s also hitting the Division III ranks with Byrne, Dixon and Dylan Bruno (RIT) testing themselves at the next level.

NOTABLE DEPARTURES

Graduations: Michael Boehm, A; Beau Pederson, SSDM; Justin Tiernan, A; Justin Wietfeldt, FO

X-FACTOR

Jackie Weller, FO, So. (47.3 FO%)
Nick Lauderback, FO, Sr. (50.0 FO%)
Jack Rideout, FO, Jr. (40.0 FO%)

Justin Wietfeldt took 848 draws in his Michigan career, including 397 a season ago, and won just under 62 percent of them. That’s a lot of possessions the Wolverines need to find a way to secure.

“You can’t replace Justin Wietfeldt with one guy,” Conry said. “You go out there with a platoon of guys to take the reins.”

Weller was the primary backup last year, but Conry expects Weller, Lauderback and Rideout to all take meaningful draws this spring.

THE NARRATIVE

Michigan graduated nearly two-thirds of its goal scorers a year ago, so it may take the offense some time to find its footing, especially with Justin Wietfeldt no longer letting the Wolverines play make-it, take-it.

Fortunately, the Wolverines could be as solid as they’ve ever been on defense. Hunter Taylor has two years of experience in goal and is good as it gets when he’s on. His performance in the Big Ten championship game (12 saves, four goals allowed) was flat out dominant.

“He has jumped in maturity from a guy looking for answers to a guy just being comfortable in his own skin,” Conry said.

The Wolverines have some holes to fill in front of him, but Pace Billings was tremendous in the fall and brings leadership from Princeton, where he was a captain. Rowan Clay, Kees Van Wees and Mason Whitney all bring starting experience. All four have played at both LSM and close defense, giving the Wolverines lots of options.

One force that could emerge is junior Carson Billig to lead the short-stick defensive midfielders. Billig and Beau Pederson were the two shutdown guys Michigan relied on in key spots last year, and he’s ready to take the mantle over from the All-American.