Way Early 2025 Rankings: Nos. 15-11 (Division I Men)

The late summer doldrums call for a lookahead to six months from now, when the 2025 college lacrosse season will begin.

Most transfers have found their landing spots and most coaching vacancies have been filled. And while it’s too early to know exactly every team's makeup — heck, most schools haven’t even posted rosters yet — it’s never too early to project who will be the top contenders.

Up next: Nos. 15-11. Previously: Nos. 25-21 | Nos. 20-16

15. ARMY

2024 record: 11-3 (6-2 Patriot League)

Last seen: Losing to Boston University for the second time in 43 days, an 11-10 decision in the Patriot League semifinals that brought an end to the Black Knights’ dream of back-to-back NCAA tournament trips.

Projected starts lost: 64 of 140 (45.7 percent)

Projected scoring departing: 129 of 312 points (41.3 percent)

Initial forecast: There was some serious production departing in Army’s 17-man senior class, with Reese Burek (26 goals, 28 assists) and Jacob Morin (27 G, 8 A) accounting for a bunch of it. And those two, midfielder Bailey O’Connor (10 G, 4 A) and defenseman Ned Lynch were starting lineup mainstays. Still … the Black Knights’ best player is arguably AJ Pilate, and their most valuable player is faceoff specialist Will Coletti (.620). Both will be seniors next year, as will attackman Jackson Eicher (37 G, 21 A), Army’s leader in goals and points who enjoyed a belated breakout year after injuries ruined his sophomore season.

Evan Plunkett (29 G, 19 A) and Gunnar Fellows (26 G, 8 A) also remain in the fold, giving the Black Knights a couple more offensive headliners. Of course, Army always has dudes in the pipeline, especially in the midfield.

Sean Byrne (.551 save percentage) impressed after taking over as the starting goalie just past the season’s midpoint, and if he can play around that level next year, Army will have fewer question marks than anyone in the Patriot League — and even more importantly, more quality answers as well.

14. GEORGETOWN

2024 record: 13-4 (4-1 Big East)

Last seen: Running into a particularly motivated Notre Dame buzzsaw in the quarterfinals on Long Island a week after rallying past Penn State to win an NCAA tournament game for the third time in four years.

Projected starts lost: 115 of 170 (67.6 percent)

Projected scoring departing: 230 of 355 points (64.8 percent)

Initial forecast: It is uncanny how much those numbers above echo what the Hoyas were staring at coming out of the 2023 season. They had a veteran team that saw 63.5 percent of its starts and 67.2 percent of its points depart, and it was anyone’s guess just who would complement Graham Bundy Jr. and Princeton grad transfer Alexander Vardaro. It turned out Aidan Carroll (37 goals, 23 assists) and TJ Haley (12 G, 40 A) had monster senior years to lead Georgetown in points, while Bundy (37 G, 13 A) and Vardaro (31 G, 18 A) had fine years.

So now the Hoyas have to reload again, and chances are their next star is already in the system. Maybe it’s someone as established as Haley — perhaps Patrick Crogan (19 G, 4 A) or Jordan Wray (19 G, 3 A)? Or it could be the sort of surprise-but-not-entirely-in-retrospect that Carroll was in the wake of his strong finish to 2023.

Either way, it’s best not to underestimate the Hoyas, who do have foundational pieces in the goal (Anderson Moore) and on close defense (Ty Banks) to lean on as the offense figures things out. A reasonable guess: Georgetown won’t be as good as this rating in February, and it won’t be as bad as this rating once May rolls around.

13. MICHIGAN

2024 record: 10-7 (2-3 Big Ten)

Last seen: Falling at Denver in an NCAA first-round game, a week after claiming a second consecutive Big Ten tournament crown.

Projected starts lost: 81 of 170 (47.6 percent)

Projected scoring departing: 178 of 349 points (51.0 percent)

Initial forecast: The Wolverines absorbed some major losses, but they aren’t going anywhere. Points leader Ryan Cohen (34 goals, 37 assists) returns, and coach Kevin Conry managed to keep his offense pretty seasoned with the addition of Bowdoin’s Will Byrne (52 G, 63 A and the Division III attackman of the year) and Wesleyan’s DJ Dixon (34 G, 17 A, third-team All-America pick in D-III).

While there were important departures on defense as well, the exit that could change the Wolverines more than any other is faceoff specialist Justin Wietfeldt. He won 61.5 percent of his attempts and took 85 percent of Michigan’s draws.

Nonetheless, Michigan has gone from merely a promising, pesky bunch to a postseason threat in a hurry. The Wolverines might have more holes to fill than last year, but they’re grown enough as a program to reliably be in the mix on an annual basis. Next season should be no different.

12. TOWSON

2024 record: 13-4 (7-0 Coastal)

Last seen: Hanging with Syracuse for a half before the Orange turned in a brilliant third quarter to pull away for a 20-15 victory in the first round of the NCAA tournament, bringing an end to a nine-game winning streak — Towson’s longest since 1971.

Projected starts lost: 68 of 170 (40 percent)

Projected scoring departing: 189 of 407 points (46.4 percent)

Initial forecast: There’s no downplaying Towson’s high-end losses. Nick DeMaio (32 goals, 50 assists) was the CAA’s offensive player of the year, Chop Gallagher (23 G, 22 A) and Josh Webber (20 G, 14 A) were extremely productive midfielders on an offense that enjoyed a breakout year, and defenseman Colby Barsz was a reliable shutdown option for several years.

And yet there’s still plenty to like about the Tigers’ prospects for 2025. Mikey Weisshaar (42 G, 19 A) is one of the country’s best midfielders, and Joaquin Villagomez (33 G, 12 A) and Bode Maurer (36 G, 6 A) could be joined on attack by Alex Roussel (19 G, 12 A), who had four goals and three assists in the tournament loss to Syracuse.

The Tigers will have seniors in the goal (Luke Downs) and on faceoffs (Matt Constantinides) and a veteran-heavy close defense. It might take some time to sort out the midfield, but Towson should be the CAA’s clear-cut favorite after running the table in the league this past spring.

11. PENN STATE

2024 record: 11-5 (3-2 Big Ten)

Last seen: Fading in the second half of a 12-9 loss to Georgetown in the first round of the NCAA tournament and closing the season with two of its three games with a single-digit offensive output.

Projected starts lost: 56 of 160 (35 percent)

Projected scoring departing: 187 of 330 points (56.7 percent)

Initial forecast: Even if the bulk of the scoring that’s leaving Happy Valley was concentrated in three people — TJ Malone (42 goals, 36 assists), Mac Costin (30 G, 3 A) and Jake Morin (11 G, 20  A) — that’s still a lot of offense.

It doesn’t show up in most counting stats, but one of the Nittany Lions’ greatest strengths the last two years was a short stick unit that included Grant Haus and Mark Sickler, and both of those guys graduate as well. Nonetheless, this isn’t a complete rebuild.

Matt Traynor (45 G) had a monster junior season, and Penn State returns one of the best goalies in the land in Jack Fracyon (.571 save percentage, 9.89 goals-against average). Defenseman Alex Ross has another two years to anchor the Nittany Lions’ close unit, and Kyle Aldridge is a significant transition threat out of the defensive midfield.

Rutgers transfer Jack Aimone (20 G) is a solid plug-and-play option in the midfield, though there are still enough questions on offense — especially without Malone — that Penn State could need time to find its stride in 2025.