Way Early Rankings: Nos. 10-6 (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. 10-6. Previously: Nos. 25-21 | Nos. 20-16 | Nos. 15-11

10. DENVER

2024 record: 13-4 (5-0 Big East)

Last seen: Struggling to keep up with Notre Dame in the second half of a 13-6 loss in the NCAA semifinals, a defeat that ended the Pioneers’ deepest postseason run since 2017.

Projected starts lost: 84 of 170 (49.4 percent)

Projected scoring departing: 150 of 319 points (47.0 percent)

Initial forecast: The two stats above probably don’t offer an accurate reflection of the Pioneers, for different reasons. Yes, JJ Sillstrop and Michael Lampert (who shared the team lead in points with 46) have graduated, but Denver still has Cody Malawsky (22 G, 10 A), Noah Manning (22 G, 9 A), Mic Kelly (20 G, 8 A) and Joshua Carlson (18 G, 9 A). That can be the foundation of a good offense, and perhaps one even better than that.

The starts lost stat accounts for defensive mainstays Jack DiBenedetto and Adam Hangland, but it doesn’t factor in long pole AJ Mercurio, short stick Jake Edinger and faceoff specialist Alec Stathakis.

There will be a lot of retooling this fall at the defensive end for the Pios, who at least can build around defenseman Jimmy Freehill, goalie Malcolm Kleban and short stick Casey Wilson at that end of the field.

There’s a chance Denver can match how accomplished it was by the end of 2024, but it probably won’t be as sharp out of the chute in February like it was this year.

9. JOHNS HOPKINS

2024 record: 11-5 (5-0 Big Ten)

Last seen: Processing the dejection of losing a double-overtime NCAA quarterfinal to Virginia, a setback that denied the Blue Jays their first trip to the season’s final weekend since 2015.

Projected starts lost: 85 of 160 (53.1 percent)

Projected scoring departing: 177 of 294 points (60.2 percent)

Initial forecast: It almost feels like Garrett Degnon (47 goals, 7 assists) was at Hopkins so long he was teammates with Paul Rabil, and ace table-setter Jacob Angelus (25 G, 44 A) was a mainstay for a while, too. Midfielder Matt Collison (23 G, 10 A) is coming off a fine year and showed a penchant for timely goals, and the Blue Jays were active in the portal, with Yale midfielder Patrick Hackler and Loyola goalie Luke Staudt (to replace the graduated Chayse Ierlan) among the notable additions.

Few teams took advantage of depth the last few seasons like Hopkins did, but with fewer fifth-year players in the sport as the COVID-era players largely cycle out, establishing strength in numbers will be more challenging.

The Blue Jays have found firm footing under coach Peter Milliman, but this might be a bit of a transition year — albeit one that finds Hopkins with a shot to stick as a top-10 team and perhaps win a game or two in the postseason.

8. YALE

2024 record: 11-4 (4-2 Ivy)

Last seen: Losing back-to-back games to Princeton to tumble out of NCAA tournament contention.

Projected starts lost: 32 of 150 (21.3 percent)

Projected scoring departing: 145 of 351 points (41.3 percent)

Initial forecast: The Bulldogs are perhaps the most difficult team in the top 25 to gauge moving into 2025, since it’s so hard to tell exactly how good their roster (when healthy) really was in 2024. Yes, Matt Brandau (44 goals, 57 assists) has graduated, leaving Yale without its most accomplished player from a year ago.

Yet with Carson Kuhl (30 G, 20), David Anderson (36 G, 3 A), Max Krevsky (27 G, 6 A) and Johnny Keib (23 G, 5 A) all back and Chris Lyons (62 G, 12 A in 2023) and Leo Johnson (40 G, 22 in 2023) presumably back in the fold, scoring isn’t going to be a problem for Andy Shay’s bunch.

So, it ultimately goes back to the question that’s faced the Bulldogs the last couple years: Can they get enough stops? Tough to say, but a ferocious reply to last year’s missed postseason that winds up with Yale in Foxborough come May shouldn’t surprise anyone.

7. DUKE

2024 record: 13-6 (1-3 ACC)

Last seen: Trudging out of Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium after a 14-11 loss to Maryland in the NCAA quarterfinals, an early exit for the No. 2 seed that was seeking to make it back to Memorial Day for the second consecutive season.

Projected starts lost: 92 of 190 (48.4 percent)

Projected scoring departing: 304 of 432 points (70.4 percent)

Initial forecast: Among the Blue Devils’ graduation losses: Former Tewaaraton winner Brennan O’Neill (54 goals, 27 assists), table-setter Josh Zawada (33 G, 45 A), ace crease attackman Dyson Williams (61 G, 4 A), midfield stalwart Aidan Danenza (21 G, 13 A), close defense anchor Kenny Brower, long pole Tyler Carpenter, short stick Jake Caputo and faceoff man Jake Naso (.559).

Not departing: The kitchen sink, as well as Andrew McAdorey (28 G, 9 A), Max Sloat (19 G, 8 A) and short stick Aidan Maguire, plus a sophomore goalie in Patrick Jameison (.531 save percentage), who got off to a fine start even if he struggled along with Duke’s defense later in the year.

John Danowski and his staff were active like they often are in the grad transfer market, picking up Cornell’s Aiden Blake (18 G, 7 A in 2023), Harvard’s Graham Blake (29 G, 1 A), Richmond’s Luke Grayum (37 G, 10 A) and Maryland’s Eric Malever (15 G, 22 A). How it all fits together is anyone’s guess, but replacing a starting attack that combined for 224 points — more than the 20 of Division I’s 76 rosters totaled for the entire season — wouldn’t be a breeze for anyone. The Blue Devils won’t lack for talent, but they can’t deploy as many proven knowns as they normally do.

6. MARYLAND

2024 record: 11-6 (3-2 Big Ten)

Last seen: Making arguably the most implausible of its eight national title game appearances since 2011 under John Tillman, only to run into Notre Dame’s buzzsaw on short rest and suffer the most lopsided NCAA final loss since 1998.

Projected starts lost: 81 of 170 (47.6 percent)

Projected scoring departing: 173 of 302 points (57.3 percent)

Initial forecast: Yeah, that’s a lot of offense to exit College Park, with four 30-point scorers (Jack Koras, Daniel Maltz, Ryan Siracusa and Duke-bound grad transfer Eric Malever) moving on. But there’s a core group of Braden Erksa (24 goals, 17 assists), Eric Spanos (25 G, 14 A) and Daniel Kelly (18 G, 7 A) to work with. If the Terrapins can muster a bit more efficiency — and Fairfield transfer Bryce Ford (39 G, 13 A) should help on that front — the offense could be better year over year.

Here’s the thing, though: The secret sauce at Maryland the last three years was faceoff man Luke Wierman, and his graduation is one of the most significant in the sport. Maryland will probably need to be more efficient, because it won’t be able to bank on a 60-40 (or better) faceoff advantage.

There’s also the not-so-small matter of replacing defenseman Ajax Zappitello, who gave the Terps the luxury of a shutdown defender who could handle just about any assignment. Maryland maxed out last May with its run to Memorial Day, but it’s fair to wonder if this team’s ceiling is a bit lower than that.