Johns Hopkins Lacrosse: Rising or Falling in 2025?
10/29/2024 09:36 AM
Johns Hopkins Lacrosse: Rising or Falling in 2025?
The Johns Hopkins men's lacrosse program always has a lot of weight on its shoulders. With their storied history and deep connection to the game, the Blue Jays carry a high level of expectation season after season. In Maryland, the lacrosse hotbed of the country, Johns Hopkins stands as a defining force. But in recent years, they've gone through a rough stretch, a period where Blue Jays' success was tough to come by. Fans wanted more—and deserved more—and it feels like they're finally getting back on track. Peter Milliman has done solid work with Hopkins, but it's worth asking: has their window to make it over the hump closed, or do they still have a real shot at a national championship?
Milliman's first season at Hopkins was, simply put, a building year. The Blue Jays went 4-9, and COVID restrictions meant they didn't even play an out-of-conference schedule, so it's tough to read too much into that season. Still, there were signs of what was to come. In the Big Ten Tournament, Hopkins pulled off upsets against Penn State and Rutgers, pushing their way into the conference final before falling to Maryland by just two goals. It was a glimmer of hope and showed there could be good things ahead.
Milliman's second year had its ups and downs. Hopkins was strong at home, going 6-2, but struggled mightily on the road with a 1-7 record, leaving them at 7-9 overall. They grabbed close wins over teams like Towson, Loyola, and Michigan, but there were few dominant performances in that mix. The big problem was that Hopkins just couldn't keep up with top-tier teams, suffering heavy losses to Georgetown, Virginia, and Maryland (twice). It wasn't quite the jump fans were hoping for in Milliman's second year, but there were flashes that better days might be coming.
Then, in 2023, we saw the Blue Jays finally turn a corner. Dominating Big Ten play with a 4-1 conference record, they managed to handle most of their out-of-conference schedule as well, bringing their season to a solid 12-6. Wins over Georgetown, Syracuse, and Utah were proof they could compete with high-level teams, although losses to Virginia, North Carolina, and Loyola served as reality checks. In conference, they were solid, beating everyone except Penn State in a tight double-overtime game. But even with that success, the season didn't end on a high note: Hopkins suffered a blowout loss to Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament, and a tough loss to Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament. With that, it was clear—the time for excuses was over. Hopkins needed to start winning now.
The Blue Jays continued to improve in 2024, handling their out-of-conference games well and pulling off a massive win over Virginia on the road. They stumbled briefly, losing by one to Syracuse and then in overtime to Navy, but bounced back to sweep their Big Ten regular season and capture the regular season conference title with a 5-0 record. However, this high was short-lived when Hopkins lost to Michigan in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. Still, they earned an NCAA Tournament berth, advancing to the second round before falling to Virginia in double overtime. Yet, for the first time in years, the Blue Jays felt like true contenders, even if they fell short in the end.
Throughout Milliman's time at Hopkins, there's been noticeable growth, especially on offense. For the first time in a decade, the team felt like it was playing at a championship level and the team hopes to continue with that same energy. But here's the catch: Hopkins lost a ton of offensive production after 2024. Seniors like Jacob Angelus, Garrett Degnon, Russell Melendez, Dylan Bauer, Jonathan Peshko, and Brendan Grimes put up a combined 211 points, and now they're gone. Losing that much firepower stings. Milliman's done a fantastic job recruiting, and some younger guys have shown promise here and there, but if Hopkins is going to stay on course, these players will need to step up. The team also loses standout goalie Chayse Ierlan, who put up a 56% save rate, one of the best in Division 1 lacrosse. Hopkins now faces a new challenge in finding someone to fill that spot.
Looking ahead, this is now undeniably Milliman's team—everyone on the roster is someone he's recruited. Some might say Hopkins' title hopes are fading, especially with the roster changes. Their 2025 schedule is as brutal as ever, featuring teams like Denver, Georgetown, North Carolina, Virginia, and Syracuse, plus road games against Big Ten powerhouses Michigan, Penn State, and Maryland. This season will tell us a lot about the future of Johns Hopkins lacrosse. They've shown steady progress over the past four years, but with so many key pieces lost, keeping that momentum is going to be tough.
While I'm not sure the Blue Jays are taking a step back, I also can't confidently say they're making the big leap forward this year either. The championship window isn't shut, but if we're being honest, 2024 might have been their best shot at a deep run. There's no denying that Hopkins has the chance to make waves in 2025, but they'll need some new faces to carry the torch. The opportunity is there—it's just a matter of whether the Blue Jays can grab it and hold on.
