In Jake Coon’s opinion, there’s little doubt where Ryan Lee stacks up in the lore of men’s lacrosse at Rochester Institute of Technology.

“He’s the all-time leading scorer at RIT, broken almost every record,” said Coon, the Tigers’ head coach. “There’s no doubt about it that he’s one of the best to ever play here. With the body of work he’s put in over his four years, there’s no question in my mind.”

It’s not lip service from, Coon either, as the senior attackman and captain tore up Division III lacrosse in 2017, putting up 110 points (64 goals, 46 assists). He became the first player in school history to amass 200 goals in his career and is the Tigers’ career leader with 372 points (236 goals, 136 assists). He’s a dominant — if not the leading — reason why RIT will play in its second NCAA title game this Saturday when it takes on Salisbury, the defending champion, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.

Hidden ball tricks, feeding his teammates, snagging ground balls, turning RIT’s ride into a goal and picking out all four corners —they’re all pillars of Lee’s game. And Brodie Merrill, his head coach at the Hill Academy, offered up a lofty comparison for the four-year starter.

“I hesitate to put him in the same sentence, but physically, he reminds me of Mike Powell,” Lee said. “He’s a small guy, but he’s extremely athletic and has a really quick change of direction and is really dynamic that way. He reminds me of a Canadian version of that, even though I haven’t seen as quick of a release there.”

As Merrill stressed, it’s a lofty comparison for Lee, even though he’s a two-time first-team USILA All-American. But often with star players there’s far more than meets the eye – and in Lee’s case, the phrase applies quite literally.

Up until this season, Lee rocked long, flowing hair and was missing a front tooth. “That’s a little bit the Ryan of old,” Coon said, laughing.

Lee now sports a crew cut and the missing tooth is no more.

“He comes off as laid back, but once you get to know him, you see there’s much more depth to him,” Merrill said. “He cares and is such a hardworking guy.”

That work ethic shows up beyond the boxscore, though, and especially in practice. Lee admits that he’s always played with a small chip on his shoulder, and said he believes it’s why he’s been a pillar of RIT’s program since he stepped foot on campus four years ago.

There are times, though, where his competitiveness will surface.

“A lot of times he likes shutting us up at practice with a nice goal,” said Chad Levick, Lee’s childhood friend and the owner of 97 points himself. “There’s been a couple of times where Coach is riding him and he stuffs one tops corner and gives him the death stare. I think he plays his best when people are trying to get to him. They don’t realize they’re making it worse.”

Levick said the last part with a laugh, and it’s likely because it’s hard to tell Lee’s story without delving into his relationship with Levick.

They started playing lacrosse together in grade school and grew up about five minutes apart from each other in Ontario, only a couple neighborhoods apart. They play hockey together, too, and have lived together in the same house their three shared years at RIT.

During their freshman season, Levick was at Mercyhurst, but since they’ve reunited with sweeping success and play with a special bond.

“We’ve been playing lacrosse together since we’ve been 5, best buddies throughout high school,” Lee said. “Then the Hill, always together commuting every morning. He’s one of my closest buddies. That year he went to Mercyhurst, you could notice a difference when I wasn’t playing with him.”

From that relationship, their coaches are quick to toss nicknames their way. Merrill jokingly called them the Bash Brothers, an homage to “The Mighty Ducks” series starring the actor Emilio Estevez.

Merrill tossed on another, likening them to “Twins” co-stars Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger — a reference to Lee’s 5-foot-10 frame and Levick’s 6-foot-4 one. Coon didn’t quite buy the last pair Merrill offered up, but said that Lee and Levick certainly offer a one-two punch on attack. They combined for 19 points in RIT’s 22-9 win over Wesleyan in the NCAA semifinals. Levick tied his career high with 10 points on seven goals and three assists. Lee added five goals and four assists, breaking RIT’s single-season scoring record of 105 points set in 2004 by Josh Molinari.

“Those guys have been attached at the hip forever,” Coon said. “I think when Chad went to Mercyhurst, he maybe felt a little bit lost without Ryan. It’s probably a big reason why he decided to pick up and come over here.”

Now, with RIT one game away from its first-ever national title, Lee’s storybook career will come to a close this Saturday against Salisbury. And while Lee has the ability to take over any game, the Sea Gulls have allowed double-digit goals only four times all season.

RIT has never played Salisbury, the 11-time NCAA champion, let alone on such a stage. But Lee feels the Tigers are ready for the challenge. The reason? They suffered back-to-back losses in mid March to Dickinson and Clarkson, two moments that Lee said that helped him and his teammates turn everything around.

And it’s all led to this moment for a kid who scores goals for fun, all with his best friend at his side.

“It’s tough knowing this will for sure be my last game for RIT, as a Tiger,” Lee said. “It’s bittersweet, but there’ll be no better way to go out than with a win.”

44 and 45: The Duo Since 97

Two RIT players have been best friends – and teammates – since 1997 when they met at their first day of lacrosse practice. Twenty years later, Chad Levick and Ryan Lee will take the national stage in the NCAA championship game Sunday in Foxborough, Mass. Win or lose, this will be their final game together. Photos by Riley Joslin. (Click info icon for captions.)