Syracuse Orange Men's Lacrosse 2026 Season Preview: National title or bust for 'Cuse

For the last few years, the Syracuse Orange men’s lacrosse team has been rebuilding under Gary Gait, and 2026 is the year when all of that rebuilding finally pays off. At least that is the expectation for the upcoming season. Syracuse took a big step forward last season, reaching the Final Four for the first time since 2013. That has set up the 2026 campaign, in which anything short of a national championship will be considered a disappointment.

Naturally, those expectations wouldn’t exist if the Syracuse roster weren’t loaded with talent and experience. Before the Syracuse lacrosse season gets underway, let’s take a position-by-position look at what the Orange brings to the table in 2026.

Attack

Syracuse should have one of the nation’s best attacks in 2026, largely because of the tandem of Joey Spallina and Finn Thomson. All eyes are on Spallina specifically, as he’s the national preseason player of the year. The top recruit in the high school class of 2022 is now a senior, and he’ll be expected to become the next No. 22 to carry the Orange to a title. But don’t forget Thomson, who will be a suitable running mate for Spallina. Despite being limited to 13 games last season, Thomson scored 23 goals and had the second-highest shooting percentage of any of Syracuse’s regulars.

Unfortunately, the Orange does have to replace leading scorer Owen Hiltz, who scored 46 goals last season. They also won’t have the services of Trey Deere, who has been ruled out for the 2026 season because of injuries sustained in a car accident. That may necessitate sophomore Payton Anderson playing on attack full-time rather than splitting time between attack and midfield, as he did last season. Fifth-year senior Greg Elijah-Brown should see time on attack as well, with sophomore Owen O’Farrell and freshman Jake Meyer also being players to watch.

Midfield

The Orange midfield has its own tandem leading the way with seniors Michael Leo and Luke Rhoa. Both have been regular contributors in each of the past three seasons and are poised for big senior years. Leo was third on the team with 32 goals last season, stepping up when Thomson got hurt. Likewise, Rhoa was steady last season, scoring 27 goals, including four goals that saved the day in an NCAA Tournament win over Harvard.

Similar to replacing Hiltz on attack, Sam English also leaves a big hole in the Syracuse midfield. As mentioned, Anderson could fill that void, although he might need to spend more time on attack. Junior Wyatt Hottle is another candidate to start in midfield after playing in all 19 games and scoring seven goals last season.

Syracuse will also be relying on a lot of new names to fill out the second and third midfield lines. Bogue Hahn was the top-ranked player in this year’s freshman class and a good bet to see the field this season. Juniors Tyler McCarthy and Tucker Kellogg, sophomore Matt McIntee, and freshman Ted Rawson could also work their way into the midfield rotation.

Defense

To stick to the growing theme, Syracuse also has a dynamic duo on defense with Riley Figueiras and Billy Dwan. Figueiras wears the fabled No. 11 jersey for defenders and will be asked to stop the opposing team’s best attacker. Dwan has 45 career starts and will be in the running for All-American honors in 2026. He’s also a key part of the Syracuse defense, on top of being an attacking threat in transition, scoring 11 goals over the past two seasons.

Of course, there is one opening on close defense after Michael Grace graduated last year. Senior Chuck Kuczynski has a chance to step into that spot after playing in all 19 games last season as a long-stick midfielder. Fellow senior Jordan Beck is also an option after playing on the man-down unit last season. Junior Donny Scott is also a player to watch, as are a few freshmen, including Syracuse quarterback Joe Filardi.

Long-Stick Midfield

Any of the close defenders who don’t crack the starting lineup will be options to play long-stick midfield. If someone unexpected emerges as a trusted option, Kuczynski could once again see most of his action as an LSM. Junior Dylan Sageder and sophomore Vincent Bolognino are also long-stick midfield options after seeing time in that role during the 2025 campaign.

Short-Stick Midfield

There are several experienced options at short-stick defense, which is a position where Syracuse will want as much depth as possible. Jake Spallina finished last season among the top SSDM, in part because of injuries, and should figure prominently there this season as well. Ryder Ochoa also appeared in all 19 games last year as a short-stick defender. Ohio State transfer Dante Bowen and freshman Jayden Kittelberger will add additional depth.

Face-Off

Winning a national championship is tough without an elite face-off man. Luckily, the Orange has one of the nation’s best with John Mullen. He won 63% of his face-offs last season, helping him earn Second-Team All-American honors. Sophomore Drew Angelo, who saw time as a reserve last season, and freshman John Olenik, who won 81% of his face-offs in high school last year, will be the backups. However, it’ll be Mullen taking virtually every meaningful face-off for the Orange this season.

Goalie

Last but not least, Syracuse knows it has a reliable net-minder in Jimmy McCool, who was ACC Goalie of the Year in 2025. Despite getting benched during the first round of the NCAA Tournament last year, McCool is the undisputed starter and a key cog in Syracuse’s national title hopes.

Junior Michael Ippoliti returns as McCool’s backup after proving himself to be a reliable understudy in the NCAA Tournament last year. Sophomore Brayden Ferguson and freshman Lucas Bartlow will fill out the roster. However, it’ll be McCool in the cage for Syracuse in 2026.