Top 50 Snubs
12/09/2024 09:44 AM
Inside Lacrosse released their annual Top 50 players list last week. Here are my reactions and notable snubs.
50-41
- Michael Gianforcaro G UNC
- Will Lynch FO ND
- Matt Traynor PSU
- Logan McNaney MD G
- Machado Rodriguez Yale FO
- Greg Campisi ND LsM
- Brady Wambach FO UNC
- Pace Billings D Michigan
- Owen Hiltz Att SU
- Ryan Cohen Michigan A/M
Campisi, a Harvard to Notre Dame grad transfer, is getting strong reviews in South Bend and is flexible enough to play LSM or close. Gianforcaro is now in Chapel Hill, runs extremely hot or cold. His Princeton Tigers went (11-5) last spring with the bouncy netminder saving 56%. After playing in the 2022 NCAA semis, Princeton has stubbed its toe in the NCAA tournament, losing first round games at Penn State and Maryland.
Speaking of the Terps, goalie Logan McNaney was just 50% a year ago, after missing 14 games in 2023 with a lower body injury. He was the championship game MVP back in 2022 and finished that campaign saving a ridiculous 60%. Somewhere in between 50% and 60% lies the truth.
40-31
- Benn Johnston M Duke
- Bobby Van Buren D Ohio St
- Michael Leo M Syr
- Richard Checo LSM Lehigh
- Matt Collison M JHU
- Jimmy Freehill D Denver
- Max Krevsky M Yale
- Sam English M SU
- Levi Verch D St Joes
- Jordan Faison M ND
On what planet is Yale midfielder Max Krevsky more dangerous than Matt Collison and Michael Leo? Yale should score goals this spring no doubt, and IL has a crush on all things Yale. I can argue that Leo Johnson, Chris Lyons, Jack Stuzin and Patrick Pisano are all more critical in New Haven, which is a positive sign for the Bulldogs. The Ivy is rising in 2025. The ACC outside of Syracuse and Notre Dame is vulnerable.
Duke's Benn Johnston is a first team all-American caliber player at #40 so I would upgrade the Avon winged beaver at least ten spots. He and lefty Max Sloat form a cohesive 1-2 punch from up-top. Lots of personnel turnover in Durham (70% of their scoring graduated) to keep an eye on.
Collison, who's drawn a pole since day one, has 49 goals after two years for Hopkins. Note that Defender Bobby Van Buren was hurt in the Buckeyes final fall scrimmage.
30-21
- Leo Johnson Yale A
- Alex Ross PSU D
- Griffin Schutz VA M
- Colin Mulshine Prince D
- Ty Banks GT D
- Owen Duffy NC Attack
- Chris Lyons Yale A
- Billy Dwan III SU D
- AJ Pilate Army D
- Nate Kabiri Princeton A
It's good to see Leo and Lyons back in the mix at Yale. They'll both be Terps in 2026. Owen Duffy at #25 is too low. He was my "National Freshman of the Year" and should be a top ten designation, assuming he learns to distribute the ball more generously. Hoya d-man Ty Banks is an eraser, underrated here. Find somebody who loves you as much as IL loves Yale and Princeton. Dwan III makes plays and can break out, running the field during 6v5's or 5v4's. He's a traffic cop for the unit and a future pro for sure.
20-11
- Ben Wayer LSM UVA
- Michael Long A Cornell
- Jake Taylor A ND
- Will Donovan LSM ND
- McCabe Millon A UVA
- Will Coletti FO Army
- Jack Fracyon G Penn State
- Ben Ramsey SSDM ND
- Scott Smith D JHU
- Evan Plunkett M Army
Is Cornell sophomore Ryan Goldstein going to be more impactful than Long this spring? Goldstein will be a tough cover. How about Willem Firth? Firth, a Jeff Teat 2.0 remodel was the Ivy League ROY. Long has to stay healthy. The Big Red attack will be electric with CJ Kirst, Goldstein, Long and potentially Firth running through the box.
The IL picks 20-11 are solid – I believe Ben Ramsey, now the bagpiper, will be a Top 5 PLL draft pick. McCabe Millon was in no way more influential than Owen Duffy last spring. Could that change? Perhaps. We will see McCabe become the guy, as Connor Shellenberger and Payton Cormier have moved on.
I enjoy watching Plunkett operate for Army as a true midfielder in an era of A/M. He's one of the best players in West Point history.
10-1
- Brendan LaVelle D Penn
- Michael Weishaar Towson M
- Andrew McAdorey Duke A/M
- Sam King Harvard A
- Joey Spallina SU A
- Coulter Mackesy Princeton A
- Emmet Carroll G Penn
- Shawn Lyght D ND
- Chris Kavanagh ND Att
- CJ Kirst Cornell Att
These are MOTO picks. Interesting to see five Ivy Leaguers in the Top Ten. Spallina (88 points) is a polarizing playmaker who will be graded by his team's success and production against top tier teams. Orange open up at home on Feb 1 with Jacksonville.
The Tewaaraton Trophy race runs through Kirst, Kavanagh, Spallina and Mackesy.
Totals: 21 from the ACC, 12 from the Ivy and 9 from the B10.
Who got snubbed? Who slipped through the cracks?
My commentary does not include incoming freshman, that's a story for another day. It's also not meant to criticize IL, as they are my friends, and work tirelessly to cover the sport. Admittedly, it's easier for me to isolate snubs than to create a 1-50 list from scratch. All in good fun as we take a step closer to practice beginning in January.
Devon McClane, gets another year for Rudy, and put up 45 points last spring with uncommon offensive feel. His line mate Will Angrick (14 points) is too often slept on.
Princeton is going to score. At 6-2 and 205 pounds, Chad Palumbo could increase his 37 points. Tucker Wade, like many sophomore midfielders historically, is ready to make a quantum leap.
It was the Dukes. I like both Blue Devil SSDMs – Jack Gray and Aidan Maguire. This duo should be given the green light to run from defense to offense. Both are PLL prospects.
Be the best. The Terps are generally overlooked in the IL Top 50. Eric Spanos and Braden Erksa will be critical pieces of John Tillman's offense.
I expect a dominant season from Virginia defender John Shroter, and SU cover man Riley Figuerias, another year removed from AcL surgery. Riley's emergence as a #1 ACC cover man would go along way towards #HHH returning to Champ Weekend. Shroter could get to guard Spallina, Duffy and Kavanagh.
Tar Heel Peter Thomann was thrown into the ACC fire as a freshman defender last spring and was terrific.
Brooks English (JHU) got hurt last February and is a talented duel threat from the midfield that fans have forgotten about. Head coach Peter Milliman is now also the OC for "We Want More".
Quintan Kilrain, the Johns Hopkins sophomore defender, transitioned from high school into high end D1 tempo without missing a beat. He's a versatile cover man, skilled off the ground and a ball hawk. Plus, we share the same initials.
Jays righty attackman Russell Melendez is elite on his best days but can disappear on others. Can Melendez find consistency and finish his career with a flourish?
Casey Wilson of Denver is a SSDM with loads of NCAA tournament and international experience for Canada. Denver graduated a huge class in 2024 after a trip to the semifinals for coach Matt Brown.
Anderson Moore, the sophomore goalie from Georgetown is insanely athletic. He has unique tools. Aidan Carroll, also a Swamp Dog, will be their best offensive player.
Staying in the Big East which appears wide open, Matt Licata has 102 career points for Villanova. Defender David Evanchick is worth following.
Ryan Bell of Providence was the Big East player of the year last year over Graham Bundy Jr and all the Denver candidates. He's a senior midfielder who plays at attack and will be drafted by the PLL. His teammate Richie Joseph, was the leading goal scorer in the Big East last year for third year coach Bob Benson.
Jack Stuzin and Patrick Pisano are two Yale defenders worth tracking – and with Princeton and Cornell having enormous firepower – both will get an opportunity to water those flames.
Sophomore Hunter Chauvette, now a left handed goal scoring attackman at JHU and Ryan Goldstein in Ithaca are second year players I expect to make big jumps. Chauvette inherits Garrett Degnon's role.
If Carolina improves, Dom Pietramala will be accumulating points from the lefty wing. He can rip it. Willem Firth is a star in the making for the Big Red. All of these sophs can elevate into Top 50 players.
Dominant PLL goalies originate from anywhere – just ask Brent Dobson (St Bonaventure), Blaze Riorden (Albany) and Dillon Ward (Bellarmine). Quinnipiac goalie Mason Oak was 59% in 2024 and I'll be following him closely.
SU's Finn Thomson shot 24 of 88 last spring (27%) after a shaky start leaving handfuls of goals on the table or off the pipes. I can see him pumping in 40 goals for the Orange.
Utah's Ryan Stines scored 48 goals last year while receiving the ASUN POY award. He's a Will Manny clone. In Colorado, Turner Ashby went for (29,14) for Air Force in his plebe year.
Jesse Jason (28 points) stood out for St Joe's last spring with his burst and becomes a more focal point for coach Taylor Wray.
Cardin Stoller, Rutgers goalie, was the B10 Freshman of the Year. He's big and battle tested after a strong HS career. And don't forget about Big Tasty, Caleb Fyock,who's listed at 295 pounds with twitchy hands for Ohio State.
Gavin Kelly of Drexel put up 30 points as a rookie. Griffin Turner, a Californian at Hofstra, went (16,28) in 2024. Will Consoli, a good sized midfielder for Fairfield, had 24 goals as a sophomore.
Julian Radossich, a 6-4 sophomore at Fairfield was impactful at the LSM spot with 40 ground balls and 27 caused turnovers.
Navy FOGO Zach Hayashi went 58% in his first collegiate season. Fellow midshipman AJ Marsh was omnipresent as a rookie LSM in the Patriot League and has further upside.
You could argue that goalie Matt LaCombe of Colgate was most instrumental in the (8-7) turnaround for Matt Karweck in Hamilton, NY.
I enjoyed what I saw on tape and in person from Lehigh defender Luke McAuliffe last May. He jumped off the page. While Checo makes flash plays…McAuliffe is bricks and mortar.
Albany, always interesting, will be led by Silas Richmond. The lanky (6-4) catalyst who went for (46,27) in 2024 yet got no mention in the IL top 50. He's a surefire NLL prospect. Teammates Ryan Doherty was the league ROY and Jackson Palumb both are on the verge of productive seasons. I also like Great Dane defender Max Neeson, who was overshadowed by Jake Piseno while actually covering the opponents #1 threat.
Charlie Pope of Vermont, a sturdy midfield athlete from the Gilman School in north Baltimore, exploded for 40 goals, earning American East POY. He plays hard and is a problem.
Who do you think was snubbed or overlooked?
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