Tons of D-III Movement After Callum Robinson Mustang Classic

It was one of the biggest regular-season weekends in lacrosse, as the Callum Robinson Mustang Classic brought together some of the best Division III lacrosse offers.

Nine ranked teams visited the Stevenson campus to play two games each. This is the first year the event bore the name of Stevenson alum Callum Robinson. Robinson was a larger-than-life personality and lacrosse player who won All-American honors at Stevenson before moving on to a successful pro lacrosse career. Robinson was a beloved member of the lacrosse community, and he tragically lost his life along with his brother and their friend on a surfing trip in Mexico.

The first day of the Callum Robinson Mustang Classic had plenty of surprises of all sorts. Washington and Lee knocked off St. Lawrence behind four goals from Hillis Burns to start the day. And then things got weird. 

RIT flexed its muscles and raced to an 8-0 first-quarter lead over Dickinson. The Tigers kept the pedal down from wire to wire, dismantling Dickinson 24-7. Clifford Gaston had nine points, including six goals and an assist in the first half. The Tigers were able to rest most of their starters from the third quarter onward. 

That was followed by a game in which an offensive onslaught was expected but never really came.

Tufts failed to score in the first quarter and trailed Hamilton early. The Jumbos had just one goal at halftime. The second half saw Tufts find its form with a seven-goal third quarter to beat Hamilton 14-8.

Gettysburg and Christopher Newport followed — another one that felt decided early. The Captains held the Bullets to a single first-half goal and led 7-1 at the break. They pitched a shutout in the fourth quarter to close it and were led by four goals from Jamie Smith. Warner Cabaniss and Grant Giunchi combined to go 16-for-20 facing off, and Mason Bellinger made 13 stops as the specialists kept the field tilted the Captains’ way.

Day two was headlined by the Tufts-RIT showdown. They traded blows for most of the first half, but just like Friday, Tufts found another gear in the second half. The Jumbos outscored RIT 9-2 in the final 30 minutes and shut out the Tigers in the third quarter to win the rematch of last year’s NCAA championship game. 

Christopher Newport, Washington and Lee and host Stevenson completed 2-0 weekends, bolstering their spots in the Top 20.

Elsewhere, the NESCAC was churning. Middlebury got a much-needed win over Bates, Bowdoin took down Connecticut College, Wesleyan shook off its loss to Salisbury with a dominant win over Williams, and Trinity upset No. 12 St. John Fisher. Union also got a much-needed win, using a six-goal fourth quarter to hand Stevens its first loss of the year. 

Another key upset came in the NEWMAC, as Springfield upended Babson 9-6 in a conference battle that sent the Beavers tumbling out of the Top 20.

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

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