Weekend One-Liners: What to Watch for in Men's Lacrosse

Two-hundred and 50 days after Maryland put the finishing touches on one of the most impressive campaigns in NCAA men’s lacrosse history, the Terps will open their title defense Saturday in College Park against Richmond — the only opening weekend game featuring two nationally ranked teams.

But it’s far from the only Division I opener worth watching.

Check out our updated TV listings for all the games to stream.

As a primer, here’s one sentence on why each of the 15 contests warrants watching. All times Eastern. Rankings per the Nike/USA Lacrosse Top 20.

Mercer at Bucknell, Saturday, 11:30 a.m. (ESPN+)

New Bears coach Ryan Danehy makes his head coaching debut at the place where he spent four years as an offensive coordinator.

Bellarmine at No. 7 Duke, Saturday, 12 p.m. (ACCNX)

Criminally underrated among college lacrosse pundits, Brennan O’Neill enters his junior year with a ton of momentum following an offseason that included an All-World performance with the U.S. U21 team and a successful bid to become the only current collegian named to the 2023 U.S. senior team. (Duke Preview)

Lindenwood at Marquette, Saturday, 12 p.m. (FloSports)

The Lions’ inaugural Division I season starts less than a year after Lindenwood — which produced 2021 PLL Defensive Player of the Year Graeme Hossack — approved reclassification from Division II.

Mount St. Mary’s at No. 19 Navy, Saturday, 12 p.m. (ESPN+)

Patrick Skalniak and Dane Swanson feature as one of the nation’s best 1-2 punches out of the midfield for the Midshipmen, who won’t sleep on the Mountaineers after they upset Navy 11-9 in last year’s opener. (Navy Preview)

Air Force at No. 11 Ohio State, Saturday, 12 p.m. (BTN+)

Menacing defenseman Marcus Hudgins returns to the field for the first time since his 2021 Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year campaign at Army, anchoring the Ohio State defense alongside sensational sophomore Bobby Van Buren. (Ohio State Preview)

Detroit Mercy at VMI, Saturday, 12 p.m.

Show some support for a real American hero, Keydets midfielder Erik Gottman, who rescued 10 people from an avalanche in Austria on Christmas.

GAME OF THE WEEK

Richmond at No. 2 Maryland, Saturday, 1 p.m. (BTN+)

Preseason favorites of the new Atlantic 10 conference, the Spiders (No. 19 in USILA coaches poll) give the blue bloods fits in February and were up five on the Terps in the fourth quarter before falling in overtime when these two teams last played each other in 2020. (Maryland Preview)

Lafayette at Penn State, Saturday, 1 p.m. (BTN+)

For the gamblers out there, this game comes with the highest total (27.5) on the slate, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.

Marist at No. 10 Rutgers, Saturday, 1 p.m. (BTN+)

Red Foxes attackman Jamison Embury is the best player no one knows about after the pandemic and an ACL tear conspired to limit him to 12 games over the last three years. (Rutgers Preview)

Vermont at Syracuse, Saturday, 1 p.m. (ACCNX)

New No. 22 and No. 1-ranked recruit Joey Spallina makes his much anticipated debut at the Dome, likely at X for a revamped attack that gets back Owen Hiltz and added Denver transfer Alex Simmons.

Johns Hopkins at No. 18 Jacksonville, Saturday, 7 p.m. (ESPN+)

We’ll learn soon enough what to make of the Dolphins’ preseason, which included an unofficial loss to Lynchburg and win over North Carolina. (Jacksonville Preview)

Queens (N.C.) at No. 19 Navy, Sunday, 12 p.m. (ESPN+)

Like Lindenwood, the Royals make the leap from Division II to Division I, challenging themselves out of the gate against a traditional college lacrosse powerhouse.

Holy Cross at Providence, Sunday, 1 p.m. (FloSports)

The Bobby Benson era begins in Providence, whose athletic director called the team “a sleeping giant.”

Hofstra at Merrimack, Sunday, 1 p.m. (ESPN+)

Wearing the late Nick Colleluori’s number, the Pride’s new No. 27 and dynamic d-middie Corey Kale headlines a group of 16 players that are either graduate students or seniors.

UPSET WATCH

Utah at No. 13 Denver, Saturday, 2 p.m. (Pioneers All-Access)

Bill Tierney’s farewell tour starts with a trap game of sorts against the preseason ASUN favorite, which has come close to knocking off the Pios in one-goal losses the last two years. (Denver Preview)