MEDFORD, MA (February 28, 2025) -- The Tufts University men's lacrosse team starts its 2025 season on Saturday, March 1 at Connecticut College, and expectations are understandably high coming off the program's fourth NCAA title in 2024 while returning most of the squad this year. The Jumbos were voted as the consensus No. 1 team in the nation in the three major preseason polls, and the optimism for the team is of course high.
Head coach Casey D'Annolfo, the 2024 National Coach of the Year, though has been preaching that the team last year did what it did with some blemishes along the way. He mentioned in an interview in the week leading up to the season opener that there are always things to clean up, ways to improve, details to iron out. He also mentioned that while complacency could be expected, that it's not one of the expectations this program ever has.
"I think we were able to point to some of the losses last year, some of the shortcomings last year and just remind them that we weren't undefeated," said D'Annolfo."We weren't a juggernaut last year but once we started doing all the little things, well, we had success. So that's really just been a big focus of this season on the little things, talking about the changes that we made for the post season last year and just trying to get better at all of those things. So I think that's kept them really grounded."
As mentioned above, the team brings back its entire starting lineup along with its top nine point scorers, starting goalkeeper, top three face-off men and a stable of standout short-stick and long-stick midfielders. The continuity normally at this level breeds success, but it's about finding leaders to replace some of the older voices in the locker room, guys like 2024 captain
Jonathan Cayer among others.
"Just make sure there's no complacency with guys. Guys understand that they're still fighting for positions," said D'Annolfo. "We got guys that, you know, maybe started last year that aren't starting right now. Guys that didn't start last year that are starting right now. So, just keeping them hungry. I would definitely prefer to have these problems than trying to figure out who the leaders on the offense or the defense or the face-off "X" are going to be."
The keys to success as always have been the Jumbos ability to play at a pace that others can't and won't, and with the extra possessions allow Tufts to continually put pressure on the opposition. That pace comes with mistakes, giveaways, and errors but the coaching staff is alright with that because in the end that means that the players have bought into the style of play and vision on how they'd like to play.
"No fear of failure. You know, we don't get on guys if they throw the ball away or they make a bad read or something like that," said D'Annolfo. "So one big thing we talk about is mistakes of commission versus omission. So commission is you make a mistake, but you're going 100 miles an hour. Omission is you make a mistake and it's from a lack of effort. So we try to eliminate the mistakes of omission and encourage mistakes of commission."
In the end though, the hunger that comes with battling for another title and to become the first team to repeat at the Division III level since RIT in 2021 and 2022 will be on the minds of every Jumbo. Winning a title isn't easy, but the program has done it before in 2014 and 2015 and looks poised for another run in 2025.
"The quote 100 hungry dogs run faster. So we just have to make sure that we're the hungry dogs again," said D'Annolfo. You know, for us, one thing that we preach from the first day of practice is us versus us. We don't care who we're playing. So hopefully the guys embrace that mentality and just say, 'Hey, it doesn't matter who shows up on Saturday. We're going to play as hard as we possibly can and, you know, try and play to the best of our ability'. So, you know, hopefully they'll embody that and buy in, we'll see."
A positional breakdown is below:
ATTACK
The Jumbos bring back a potent and exciting group at the attack position, led by preseason Attack of the Year and All-American
Jack Regnery. The now-junior had a monster sophomore season as he tallied 77 goals to go with 36 assists. He also was great on the man-up with eight goals and added 46 ground balls to his tally. Regnery can do everything well, and is lightning fast which make containing him throughout 60 minutes tough.
The Jumbos, who scorer 393 goals in 2024, also return All-American
Max Ettinghausen as a senior after his stellar junior campaign with 57 goals and 23 assists for 80 points. The lefty is lethal all over and just knows how to get his shot away in tight spaces. Now junior
Brooks Hauser had a breakout season in 2024 as he potted 49 goals while finishing second on the team with 30 helpers. Hauser has one of the best shots in the country, as the power and accuracy have been impressive to see.
Sophomore
Chase Beyer rolled into a larger roll during the end of the season, as he started once while playing in 14 games. Beyer scored nine goals as a first-year, and look for the big and strong attack to add to his goal total in 2024. Classmate
Will Emsing also had a strong opening campaign, as he played in all 21 game while scoring 12 goals including being a mainstay on the man-up unit.
Seniors
Joey Kraft,
Callum Wood and
Max Melton have each netted some big goals in their career, as Wood finished with 14 scores as a junior, sixth-most on the squad. Kraft scored five times last year, and will look to improve on that number as he brings high IQ and strong stick skills to the lineup. Juniors
Beau Keough and
Brian Winters also will work for more reps this season.
MIDFIELD
Tufts returns a wealth in the midfield this season, both on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Senior
Charlie Tagliaferri, the 2024 National Championships' Most Outstanding Player, is back after popping in 40 goals and handing out 24 assists as a junior. Tagliaferri is a player that has always made big plays in big moments, and his experience will continue to be vital. Junior
Garrett Kelly had a breakout sophomore season as the athletic and strong middie tallied 40 goals and 13 assists thanks to fantastic ability to get downhill and find shooting angles.
Senior
Sam Frisoli is back after playing in 20 of 21 games last season, getting regular run with the top line. Frisoli is athletic and finished with 10 goals in 2024. Fellow senior
Louis Timmins, who had a All-NESCAC year in football, also brings that same toughness and athleticism to the lacrosse field as he scored seven goals while setting up eight as a junior. A plethora of other returners will look to make up for the lone key loss from last year's 2024 team, as
Kevin Christmas posted 15 points as a senior last season.
The short-stick midfield spot might be the most talented and deepest in the country, led by returning starter
Cam Delcristo. Delcristo finished with 13 goals last season in 20 games played, as his wing play, defensive transition and IQ helped him scoop up 37 ground balls. Junior
Ethan O'Neill continued to be a mainstay in the short-stick rotation, and he finished with three goals and three assists, adding 16 ground balls and nine caused turnovers.
Sophomore
Jordan Ito came on late in the 2024 season and showed signs of his immense talent and potential. Ito played in 20 games during his first campaign, and tallied four goals to go with four caused turnovers and two assists. With others ready to step up with the loss of
Kristian Rosario from last year's team, and a solid first-year group, look for a once again stout unit in 2025.
The long-stick midfield spot was anchored last year but the play from now junior
Ben Frisoli, who sometimes is underrated from outside but can be one of the most dynamic players on the field. Frisoli played in 19 games with 18 starts, scoring nine goals while adding six assists, 47 ground balls and 21 caused turnovers. He was third on the team among defenders in ground balls and second overall in caused turnovers.
Junior
Ben Clarke transferred in as a sophomore and immediately got into the rotation, fitting right in with four goals, 25 ground balls and nine caused turnovers. Sophomore
Logan Lee was another solid contributor last season at the LSM position, picking up 33 ground balls to go with 13 caused turnovers. Lee's size and athleticism make him great on the wing and his vision also is strong on clears.
FACEOFF
The expectation last season was that the face-off group may take a step back without the services of 2023 Specialist of the Year Mason Kohn, but the group remained one of the best in the nation.
Often overlooked face-off man
Parker Merril came out and had his best season as a junior, as he won 62.5 percent of his draws while adding a team-best 137 ground balls and three goals on the season. Merril's partner
Victor Salcedo continue to rack up the wins in his sophomore season, winning 59 percent which included monster games in the NCAA Tournament against Stevenson, Washington & Lee and RIT in the national title game. This duo can win any different way, and should give the Jumbos one of the best 1-2 punches in the country.
The talent doesn't stop there for the Jumbos, as
Chris Tsetsekos,
Erik Helgeson and Lucas De La Paz are all back as well. The trio didn't get as many draws as the aforementioned duo of Merril and Salcedo, but all had strong years and each could win a big draw when it counts.
As a whole last season, Tufts won 59.1 percent of its face-offs.
DEFENSE
With the amount of goals that Tufts is scoring, and the pace, the goal's against numbers sometimes don't tell the actual story of how impressive the defensive unit has been for the Jumbos. Tufts posted six games with less than 10 goals but three of those were in the NCAA Tournament, and the Jumbos also held high scoring offenses from Washington & Lee and RIT to just 13 and 14 in the national semifinals and finals.
The group is experienced, tough and knows how to get the ball out of sticks and quickly up the field. Senior captain
Joey Waldbaum comes back after an All-American season that saw him lead the squad in caused turnovers with 32 while his 72 ground balls were the most of any non-draw player. Arguably the best defender in the nation, he will be once again teamed up with two guys that have been at his side for the previous two seasons.
Senior
Michael Ayers has battled some injuries, but there's no question that when he's out there, he's ready to make a play. Ayers had 19 caused turnovers, 53 ground balls and added three points as well in 17 games of action. Classmate George Panagopolous might not get the fanfare of some of his teammates, but his consistent and dependable play at close defense has saw him start the last 45 games of his career.
Sophomore Eliot Rutherford saw his opportunities grow during his first-year campaign, as he played in 14 games with six caused turnovers and seven ground balls. Seniors
Kai Solomon and
Braun Lippe will look to bring more leadership as well.
GOALKEEPING
The Jumbos look ready to go in goal this season, as three-year starter
Conner Garzone is back between the pipes in 2025. Garzone, who has earned All-American honors in his career, started and played in all 21 games and has been the starting keeper for his last 44 games. Garzone has a career save percentage of 52.7 percent, but his knack for making the key saves when the team needs it is his best quality.
Senior
Ben Friedman looked very good in his limited action in 2024, but in his 145 minutes in goal for the Jumbos he stopped 55.2 percent of shots while even scoring in the NCAA First Round against Illinois Wesleyan. Sophomore
Will Anderson along with first-years
Jack Old and
Alex Dircks will each look for chances to tend the cage as well for the Jumbos in 2025.
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The Jumbos will start their season in New London, CT at 7 p.m. against Connecticut College in New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play.
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