Attackman Griffin Moroney sensed a difference in fall ball at Salisbury this year. While fall practices have always been very competitive for the perennial powerhouse Sea Gulls, the senior says that this year’s energy level appears to have been turned up even higher.

“I think there’s just more excitement for fall practices than in the past,” Moroney said. “Fall can be a grind, but we have so many experienced guys that it’s ultra-competitive on a daily basis this year.”

Perhaps that’s the COVID effect on full display.

Like every other college team, the end of the 2020 spring season came quickly and unexpectedly for Salisbury. The Sea Gulls were 7-0 at the time and ranked No. 1 in the Nike/US Lacrosse Division III Men's Top 20. Early-season wins over No. 10 Gettysburg, No. 13 Lynchburg and No. 20 Stevens had validated the Gulls as one of the legitimate contenders for another championship run.

“Obviously, it was very disappointing that the season finished as it did,” said Jim Berkman, the winningest coach in NCAA men’s lacrosse history and a member of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. “We were really excited about where we were and with the quality wins that we had. I think all the players and all the coaches thought that we had a very special Sea Gull team that could make another great run.”

Now in his 33rd season at Salisbury, Berkman always likes to view the glass as being half full. With many pieces from last year’s lineup back for 2021, the glass may now be close to running over.

“There’s no doubt that we had a pretty strong team last year, and guys could see that all the pieces of the puzzle were in place,” he said.

Fueled in part by the realization that a strong run for the program’s 13th national championship loomed ahead, 10 seniors from 2020 chose to accept the NCAA’s extra year of eligibility. Add that group to Salisbury’s normal freshman class, and Berkman’s biggest challenge this year, aside from the health and safety of players, may be roster management.

“That’s still a work in progress,” Berkman noted. “We have a pretty talented group, and we’ve hit the ground running. It’s virtually the same team we had last spring, so trying to manage the roster and work in the newcomers is an interesting dynamic.”

Senior long-stick midfielder Kevin Murphy of Palatine, Ill., is among those utilizing the extra season. After graduating with an Economics degree in the spring, he is now enrolled in Salisbury’s MBA program.

“I never thought I was going to be able to play competitive lacrosse again, so when the opportunity became available, it was pretty exciting,” Murphy said. “For me, it was a pretty easy decision to come back.”

The Sea Gulls began fall practices in early October and will conclude their on-field workouts this week. A couple of disruptions due to COVID infections and required quarantines have extended the fall schedule, but the practices have been a welcome part of the offseason routine.

“It felt really good to be back on the field as a team,” Murphy said.

On one hand, the return to the field has helped players have a sense of normality. But there are also adjustments that have been needed to cope with the risk of the pandemic. Daily temperature checks are required, masks are worn under helmets and the locker room is out of commission. The school has also committed to weekly COVID testing for all athletes and coaches.

Aside from competitive practices, exercising caution has become part of the game plan for the Sea Gulls. There are no complaints among the players about the safety protocols.

“We all know that there’s more at risk and more for us to lose,” Moroney said. “We don’t want to put ourselves in position to be exposed, so the social scene is not the place for us right now. There’s bigger things in life.”

The ultimate goal for the Sea Gulls is the same as in almost every other year — to be playing on Memorial Day weekend. They begin that pursuit, for the first time ever, with a roster that features two senior classes.

“That’s kind of a special situation, but we’re all motivated by the chase for another championship,” Murphy said. “Having so many guys take the extra year made it even easier to return.”

The key question, of course, is whether spring athletes will actually see the field in 2021. With COVID-19 infection rates surging in many parts of the country, there could still be some question about the viability of the new season.

Salisbury’s traditional 17-game spring schedule is set, with a mix of conference and non-conference games, but Berkman notes that backup scenarios are also being discussed. He says that coaches in the Capital Athletic Conference have proposed an alternate plan in case a full schedule can’t be played.

“If we get the vaccine, we’re going to be playing lacrosse,” he said. “And if we don’t have a vaccine this spring, we’re probably going to have some type of modified season. I know there are a lot of schools that will play lacrosse if it’s at all possible.”