Welcome to “5-and-5,” a new series from US Lacrosse Magazine that features prominent athletes, coaches and personalities combining on-field perspective with off-field persona.

Anish Shroff, an ESPN announcer and US Lacrosse Magazine guest columnist, has seen some of the best rivalries lacrosse has to offer from his perch in the ESPN broadcast booth.

Some rivalries transcend state lines, while others are natural geographic bouts for bragging rights. Nearly all of the most storied programs in Division I men's lacrosse have that signature matchup circled on the calendar each spring, but Shroff narrowed his list of best rivalries down to just five.

These are his words.

Johns Hopkins vs. Syracuse

Boxing gave us Ali-Frazier. Basketball gave us Celtics-Lakers. Lacrosse gives us Johns Hopkins-Syracuse. Simply put, this is the rivalry that ushered lacrosse into the modern age. The ascension of Syracuse in the early 80s gave Johns Hopkins a worthy challenger and later an equal. These are the two winningest programs, having combined for 20 national championships. The Orange and the Blue Jays have appeared in 35 of the 49 championship games in the NCAA era. The games were a clash of styles and character. Gait versus Pietramala is still the best individual matchup in the sport’s history. It’s the Magic-Bird or DiMaggio-Williams dynamic that makes this the best rivalry in lax

Johns Hopkins vs. Maryland

Ask anyone in the state of Maryland, and they’ll tell you Johns Hopkins-Maryland is the best rivalry in lacrosse. Private school versus the state’s flagship. Few rivalries can match the history. The first meeting took place in 1895. They’ve played each other more than 100 times — and can’t even agree on the exact number. On two occasions, Hopkins students stole Maryland’s beloved bronze Testudo statue. When Hopkins joined the Big Ten in 2014, it opened up the possibility of multiple matchups during a season. They met twice in 2018 and 2019. Perhaps, in the near future, we’ll get a trilogy.

Army vs. Navy

Does the sport even matter? The Army-Navy rivalry threads the fabric of college sports. It’s no different in lacrosse, in which each school boasts a proud tradition and history. Navy dominated the series for much of the NCAA era, but Army has turned the tables in the last decade. Both schools currently compete in the Patriot League, which is usually a one- or two-bid league, but can you imagine Army-Navy on Memorial Day? That’s the stuff that dreams are made of.

Syracuse vs. Virginia

When North Carolina canceled its regular season series with Syracuse after the 1994 season, adding Virginia to the schedule was a no-brainer. The Cavaliers bested the Orange in a 1994 national semifinal thanks to Michael Watson’s game-winner in overtime. The two schools began playing regularly scheduled games the following spring. The rivalry dawned with both programs defined by championship expectations. They played fast, fresh and furious. For years, this was THE GAME you had to see. Beginning with the 1994 semifinal, Virginia and Syracuse have met 33 times, with the Orange holding a slim 17-16 edge. Sixteen of those games have been decided by one goal, including the last five. 

Denver vs. Notre Dame

Recency bias? Probably. These two programs represent the two outposts of the game’s growth. Notre Dame was the foremost Western power in the D-I game, only to see Denver win the race to a championship in 2015. Their thrilling 2015 semifinal added to the burgeoning rivalry. That game was part of a five-game stretch between the two schools that featured four overtime contests. 

Anish Shroff’s Character Piece
Get your popcorn ready for the ESPN announcer's favorite movie characters.

• Jules Winnfield, “Pulp Fiction”

• Roger “Verbal” Kint, “The Usual Suspects”

• Roy Hobbs, “The Natural”

• Ron Burgundy, “Anchorman”

• Lara Antipova, “Doctor Zhivago”