2023 Men's Top 30: How Virginia Fared vs. Projections

Before USA Lacrosse Magazine looks ahead to what’s to come in 2024, our team of staff and contributors decided it was worth taking one last look at 2023.

After all, you have to look at the most recent results before making projections for what’s to come. To do that, we’re taking a journey through the top 30 teams in men’s and women’s lacrosse — what went right, what went wrong and what we should all think of that team’s season.

Was it a success? A failure? A mixture of both? You’ll find out our thoughts over the next month or so.

VIRGINIA MEN’S LACROSSE

Nike/USA Lacrosse Preseason/Final Top 20 Ranking: 1/3
2023 record: 13-4 (4-2 ACC)

WHAT WENT RIGHT

Xander Dickson set a school record with 61 goals in a season. The lockdown play of Cade Saustad and Cole Kastner bought time for goalie Matthew Nunes to fully settle himself in his second year as a starter. Payton Cormier authored another 50-goal season, this time playing alongside buddy Thomas McConvey, who thrived as a graduate transfer from Vermont. Virginia was the only team to beat Notre Dame, and it got back to the final four after a one-year hiatus thanks to a healthy Connor Shellenberger (30 G, 54 A) hitting his stride when it counted the most.

WHAT WENT WRONG

The Cavaliers couldn’t get a stop coming out of a timeout late in regulation or in overtime against Notre Dame in the NCAA semifinals, leading to a 13-12 loss to the eventual national champions in a high-level game on a big stage. And Virginia still can’t solve its Duke conundrum, losing twice to the Blue Devils and remaining without a regular-season victory over its conference rival since 2004.

SEASON HIGHLIGHT

Completing the regular-season sweep of Notre Dame with a 12-8 triumph thanks to Nunes’ 19 saves. There were some other stellar moments, but that was arguably one of the most complete games anyone in Division I put together in 2023.

VERDICT

Breathtaking at times on offense — good enough to help coordinator Sean Kirwan land the Dartmouth head coaching gig — Virginia remains as entertaining a team as there is in the sport. Four years removed from going 5-0 in overtime en route to a national title, Virginia lost four games by a combined five goals and was 0-4 in contests decided by two goals or less. What does it mean? Probably not much, except that Virginia wasn’t that far away from celebrating a third national title in four tournaments.