After capturing the program’s first national championships in 2023 and 2024, Notre Dame men’s lacrosse returns to Arlotta Stadium this spring looking to hoist the trophy for a third consecutive season, a feat that has not been accomplished since the Princeton Tigers completed the trifecta in 1998.
Led by 37th-year head coach Kevin Corrigan, the Irish enter the 2025 campaign with lofty expectations. Following last season’s 16-1 record, which culminated in both the ACC and NCAA crowns, Notre Dame was picked unanimously to win the ACC yet again and fell one vote shy of a unanimous national No. 1 ranking to begin the year.
The Irish also had five returning stars from last year’s championship team named to the Preseason All-ACC Team. Senior faceoff specialist Will Lynch is expected to be the best at his position nationwide, while 2024 All-Americans junior long-stick midfielder Will Donovan, senior short-stick defensive midfielder Ben Ramsey and sophomore defenseman Shawn Lyght were also among the preseason honorees. Additionally, the 2024 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship Most Outstanding Player Chris Kavanagh earned the accolade up front for Notre Dame, but the senior attackman will be playing this season without the presence of his brother Pat Kavanagh. The elder Kavanagh graduated last spring after becoming the first Fighting Irish player to take home the prestigious Tewaaraton Award, handed out annually to the best college lacrosse player across the country.
Speaking earlier in the week, Corrigan touched on the attack sans Pat Kavanagh, stating, “Chris [Kavanagh] and Jake [Taylor] are two easy guys to play with. Not only are they excellent players, but they are both also very self-aware and smart.”
The attack isn’t the only question mark for Corrigan’s bunch, as the departure of two-time ACC Goalie of the Year Liam Entenmann leaves a gaping hole in front of net.
“We are having a great competition right now between [senior] Alex Zepf and [junior] Thomas Ricciardelli, but we feel good that both of those guys are older, mature players that can give us confidence,” Corrigan explained.
These competitions have played out in practice and during the two-game exhibition draw, which saw Notre Dame claim convincing triumphs over Air Force and Detroit Mercy. Speaking on the importance of these preseason games, Corrigan added, “Scrimmages are always great because you get a chance to play together instead of competing against each other every single day.”
He continued by saying, “We’re in the process of figuring out what our strengths are and what we need to continue to work hard at to cover up.”
The preseason has also allowed the Irish to work back in the football trio of senior midfielder Tyler Buchner, sophomore midfielder Jordan Faison and freshman midfielder Matt Jeffery following their thrilling run to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game in late January. All three should be contributors to the lacrosse team, while Jeffery also headlines an impressive group of Irish rookies as he comes into the year as the highest-rated high school recruit in America from the class of 2024.
Corrigan pointed out that the freshman class should provide some much-needed depth at key positions, saying, “We’ve got some guys who will have an opportunity to play in a variety of roles, and we will see how it develops from there.”
He also highlighted five-star Brady Pokorny, who he believes should see time up front alongside Kavanagh and Taylor.
The Irish have become known for enduring a gauntlet of a schedule, both inside the ACC and in the non-conference, a strategy which has prepared them well for the postseason. Explaining the mindset behind pursuing such a grueling 11-game slate, Corrigan said, “We know the schedule is challenging week in and week out. Nine of the 11 opponents we have are preseason top-20, so we understand that the challenge for us is to be prepared week after week and to stay healthy and focused throughout the season.”
After two quick home matchups with Cleveland State and Marquette, the Irish will battle the best of the best each Saturday throughout the spring, including games against five national championship-winning programs in Maryland, Duke, Syracuse, Virginia and North Carolina. The rest of the campaign is no cakewalk either, as the Irish will have to travel to Washington, D.C. on Feb. 22 to play Georgetown, the only team to have beaten Notre Dame a year ago, while matchups with Ohio State, Michigan and Penn also shape up to be top-20 showdowns.
Notre Dame will open up the regular season at home next Wednesday, Feb. 12, as it welcomes the Cleveland State Vikings to South Bend following last year’s 25-3 season-opening Irish victory. The game is set for a 6 p.m. start and will likely be held inside the Loftus Sports Center due to weather conditions.
