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Penn State, Ohio State Assert Themselves in D-I Men's Top 20

March 10, 2025
USA Lacrosse Magazine Staff
Rich Barnes

Penn State needed overtime in Ithaca, but the Nittany Lions dispatched then-No. 3 Cornell on Saturday to take over the No. 3 spot themselves in the USA Lacrosse Division I Men’s Top 20.

Ethan Long put the exclamation point on the 13-12 win with the go-ahead score in overtime, but the fourth-quarter rally by Penn State is what some might remember most. The Nittany Lions scored four unanswered in the final two-and-a-half minutes, sending the game to extra time.

Ohio State did not need overtime in a 10-9 win over then-No. 2 (and two-time defending NCAA champion) Notre Dame, but the game was just as scintillating. Liam White tied things at 9 with 4:31 to play, then Garrett Haas assisted Shane O’Leary with seven seconds left for the winner.

The Buckeyes defense, led by Caleb Fyock (13 saves), held Notre Dame scoreless for the final 7:55.

Elsewhere in the Top 20, Syracuse’s win over Johns Hopkins on Sunday caused a bit of a shuffle, while Yale’s surprising win over Denver caused the Pioneers to plummet down the table.

Continue below to see the entire Top 20, which is compiled by USA Lacrosse Magazine staff and contributors.

USA LACROSSE DIVISION I  
MEN’S TOP 20

Rank

Team

W-L

Prev

1Maryland6-01
2Princeton4-14
3Penn State5-19
4North Carolina5-15
5Army6-07
6Ohio State7-112
7Cornell4-13
8Duke6-18
9 Notre Dame3-22
10Syracuse5-214
11Johns Hopkins5-26
12Georgetown4-210
13Richmond5-211
14Colgate5-216
15Virginia3-317
16Harvard4-115
17Penn3-318
18Fairfield7-020
19Michigan3-319
20Denver4-313
Also considered (alphabetical order)
ACBoston U5-1AC
ACDartmouth5-1AC
ACDelaware3-2AC
ACNavy4-1AC
ACSaint Joseph's4-2AC
ACUMass5-1AC
ACYale1-3--