IL's Top 50 Men's College Lacrosse Players For 2024

[blue angels]

I actually think Melendez at #42 or whatever is appropriate. From a pure *talent* perspective I think he's top 10-20 but because of the Hopkins offense/his role, he's not going to put massive point totals over the course of an entire season, and probably maxes out as a 3rd team AA. Angelus directs things from X and there's a crowd of shooters/finishers in Degnon, Collison, Grimes, etc., so he's not asked to carry the load. It will be interesting to see how he evolves in 2025 after Angelus leaves — he'll probably be needed to do a lot more and we could see his point totals jump from 50-60 to 70-80 or so.

IL dropped its top 10 — Boehm and Vardaro are in. Lyons, Zawada, and Cole are not. Not sure how Princeton went 8-7 with a 1st round exit with two top 10 players in Mackesy and Vardaro and then a swath of other top 50 guys in Pederson, Gianforcaro, Stevens, English, etc. Seems like that group as a whole is probably a bit overrated, otherwise they really screwed the pooch last year because that is championship caliber talent equal to or better than Duke/ND. I know English missed the end of the year, but sheesh. That's a disappointing result for having all those dudes.

Like anything associated with IL, it’s ranking inflation. Also, I believe it’s a forward look versus a backward look. As much as I like Vardaro, he’s not a top 10 player. Where were these players on the 2023 post season AA list? Chris Lyons not being on this top 50 list is just stupid but probably due to Yale slipping a little as a team because of course, if the team does well, the players are all better…..as for the Princeton exit. Lack of a productive zone offense costs them….not necessarily a lack of quality players.

Lyons not on the list is bad.

It is shocking. He’s lethal.

He's not in the ACC or B10 and is not a transfer. If he was playing a 5th year for a favored program, he'd be in the top 10.

Ivy got a ton of respect. All these ranking are based on their play in the Ivy.. Ivy was just decimated by the portal. I think Brandau is over-rated, but the gap between his ranking and Lyons is unexplainable.

I like Brandau but like many things involving lacrosse, your reputation coming in can carry you a long way as well as past success. I will say, Brandau may have been game planned more so Lyons can get some easier opportunities. Being #1 on the opposing team’s scout is meaningful. It’s actually a very tough duo. Does anyone have two better?

Yes, I believe lot's of teams have 2 better or arguably better. Notre Dame, Duke, Virginia, for starters. I am sure there are others in other conferences. That doesn't mean they aren't a good pair.

[Comeonman]

Looks like 6 goalies and 4 FOGOs on the list. 20% of the top 50 lacrosse players coming from these two positions seems high. Conversely, only 3 LSM and 3 SSDM, or 12% of the total, seems low.

Yeah, but maybe that is how the chips fall this year. Would probably need to track over multiple years to see the bias. On the other hand, probably the two most important players on any team.

No Will Mark who was a 3rd team AA last yr? Strange idk

I posted two years ago about this list, stating it was foolish that no goalies were included (although 2021 was a year when IL decided to go woke and split the Top 50 players between men and women, and they listed three female goalies!). Now they have six, and a returning AA in Mark isn’t even on it! Stupid. I remember listening to Foy and one of his colleagues on the podcast after the final list was posted that year speaking to the fact that they chose no goalies and suggesting some players left off might make them look stupid. Well that certainly happened when Owen McElroy, the returning first team AA and Markland Kelly Goalie of the Year, put it in their ear and repeated in 2022.

[XLdad]

Lyons and Brandau are awesome but how can you not mention the guy they play with. Leo Johnson was 40/25 last season and had 67 points as a freshman. You can argue that very few teams have 3 attackmen like Yale

[Typical Lax Dad]

Lyons and Brandau are awesome but how can you not mention the guy they play with. Leo Johnson was 40/25 last season and had 67 points as a freshman. You can argue that very few teams have 3 attackmen like Yale

I personally view O’Neill as a middie.

[FannOLax]

Lyons and Brandau are awesome but how can you not mention the guy they play with. Leo Johnson was 40/25 last season and had 67 points as a freshman. You can argue that very few teams have 3 attackmen like Yale

I'd say it's a national-championship caliber attack line. Let's see if Yale's defense and FOGO production can come through like 2018.

[molo]

O’Neill won the T playing attack and was the best player on team USA as a midfielder. World class wherever he plays.

[The Orfling]

Lyons and Brandau are awesome but how can you not mention the guy they play with. Leo Johnson was 40/25 last season and had 67 points as a freshman. You can argue that very few teams have 3 attackmen like Yale

In last year's version of the top 50, Yale had four guys on the list: Brandau (coming off a 99 point 2022 season); Leo Johnson (64 points his freshman year); LSM Jack Stuzin; and G Jared Paquette. Paquette was clearly goosed by his presence on the U21 World Championship roster -- he's been a good backstop for Yale but other Ivy goalies had stronger 2023 seasons -- and Johnson and Brandau both had lower point totals in 2023 because the scoring is so evenly split between the three-headed monster at attack (204 points between Lyons/Brandau/Johnson). Stuzin actually had a superb season (1st team All-Ivy) but Yale's defense scuffled and the team made a first-round exit from the NCAA tournament, both factors in the drop from 4 players to 1 on the top 50 list.

Basically, this is fun hot-stove material but not all that serious an enterprise -- there appears to be a mix of rewarding teams that advanced in last year's NCAA tournament by highlighting multiple players; trying to identify some up-and-comers; and having enough hot takes to make it worth the discussion (which clearly worked since we're posting about it!). I enjoy it each year -- it's good to have a primer about some guys to watch who I might not otherwise be thinking about.

And I will very much enjoy watching Yale's three* excellent attackmen (*and maybe Peter Moynihan can step into the big shoes of Matt Brandau after this season), who, if they remain healthy, should continue to be a challenge for opposing Ivy defenses this season.

[LaxAllStars]

Top Snubs

https://laxallstars.com/top-50-list-snubbed-players/

Reaction to IL Top 50 List

[Henpecked]

Top Snubs

https://laxallstars.com/top-50-list-snubbed-players/

Reaction to IL Top 50 List

I love Quint calling the IL Top 50 List click bait (Which it clearly is) and then supplying his own click bait list. He is a trip.

Bottom line: there are a lot of great players. Much more than 50.

[1766]

Top Snubs

https://laxallstars.com/top-50-list-snubbed-players/

Reaction to IL Top 50 List

Q's snubbed snubbed player list would be interesting. I'd start with Jack Aimone at Rutgers who I believe is going to have a monster season.

[Terpslax1991]

If there are 25 players better than Erska at seasons end I would be shocked.

[lorin]

Top Snubs

https://laxallstars.com/top-50-list-snubbed-players/

Reaction to IL Top 50 List

Q's snubbed snubbed player list would be interesting. I'd start with Jack Aimone at Rutgers who I believe is going to have a monster season.

The snubbed list is easy to put together, I would have respect for Quint if he named a snub and who he would replace him for.

[xxxxxxx]

As a Delaware fan JP Ward and Mike Robinson should be on this list. JP had 85 points and is top ten in returning scorers. Mike had 48 points and a nice hat trick for Team Canada USA game. I am also used to it, IL only gives love to the ACC B10 and Ivy who def have the best teams, it would however just be nice for them to do a little homework.

[lorin]

As a Delaware fan JP Ward and Mike Robinson should be on this list. JP had 85 points and is top ten in returning scorers. Mike had 48 points and a nice hat trick for Team Canada USA game. I am also used to it, IL only gives love to the ACC B10 and Ivy who def have the best teams, it would however just be nice for them to do a little homework.

You are spot on 85 points and made the tournament, but freshman with 68 points on a 6 and 7 team # 23 on list it’s a joke but your not allow do say it. Because the truth hurts.

[Antonio114]

As a Delaware fan JP Ward and Mike Robinson should be on this list. JP had 85 points and is top ten in returning scorers. Mike had 48 points and a nice hat trick for Team Canada USA game. I am also used to it, IL only gives love to the ACC B10 and Ivy who def have the best teams, it would however just be nice for them to do a little homework.

You are spot on 85 points and made the tournament, but freshman with 68 points on a 6 and 7 team # 23 on list it’s a joke but your not allow do say it. Because the truth hurts.

Think there are some more egregious examples than Spallina of guys who JP Ward should replace. Ross Scott at 26 certainly comes to mind. A whopping 26 points less than Spallina, only one less game, also not a tourney team...

[HopFan16]

As a Delaware fan JP Ward and Mike Robinson should be on this list. JP had 85 points and is top ten in returning scorers. Mike had 48 points and a nice hat trick for Team Canada USA game. I am also used to it, IL only gives love to the ACC B10 and Ivy who def have the best teams, it would however just be nice for them to do a little homework.

You are spot on 85 points and made the tournament, but freshman with 68 points on a 6 and 7 team # 23 on list it’s a joke but your not allow do say it. Because the truth hurts.

Think there are some more egregious examples than Spallina of guys who JP Ward should replace. Ross Scott at 26 certainly comes to mind. A whopping 26 points less than Spallina, only one less game, also not a tourney team...

He was particularly rough down the stretch in conference play too, when his team was fighting to be in the at-large conversation. IL seems to be putting a lot of weight on his 2022 season, which after four seasons now looks like the outlier.

IL had 4-5 people create their own top 50 lists and then they just averaged them to get the final list. So all it takes is one of those guys to severely over- or under-rank someone to skew the result.

[Henpecked]

IMG_4250.jpg (23.25 KiB) Viewed 486 times

Maybe Danowksi can get his top 50 player to stop cheating.

[Henpecked]

Or this one. He is clearly thumbing the ball.

IMG_4252.jpg (15.04 KiB) Viewed 486 times

[1766]

As a Delaware fan JP Ward and Mike Robinson should be on this list. JP had 85 points and is top ten in returning scorers. Mike had 48 points and a nice hat trick for Team Canada USA game. I am also used to it, IL only gives love to the ACC B10 and Ivy who def have the best teams, it would however just be nice for them to do a little homework.

You are spot on 85 points and made the tournament, but freshman with 68 points on a 6 and 7 team # 23 on list it’s a joke but your not allow do say it. Because the truth hurts.

Think there are some more egregious examples than Spallina of guys who JP Ward should replace. Ross Scott at 26 certainly comes to mind. A whopping 26 points less than Spallina, only one less game, also not a tourney team...

Ross is going to have a monster year and has done infinitely more than Spallina has up until this point in their careers. Spallina will have a great career but you can't put his overall resume up against Ross Scott's at this point. Spallina hasn't even played in an NCAA tournament game yet.

[PulpExposure]

As a Delaware fan JP Ward and Mike Robinson should be on this list. JP had 85 points and is top ten in returning scorers. Mike had 48 points and a nice hat trick for Team Canada USA game. I am also used to it, IL only gives love to the ACC B10 and Ivy who def have the best teams, it would however just be nice for them to do a little homework.

You are spot on 85 points and made the tournament, but freshman with 68 points on a 6 and 7 team # 23 on list it’s a joke but your not allow do say it. Because the truth hurts.

Think there are some more egregious examples than Spallina of guys who JP Ward should replace. Ross Scott at 26 certainly comes to mind. A whopping 26 points less than Spallina, only one less game, also not a tourney team...

Ross is going to have a monster year and has done infinitely more than Spallina has up until this point in their careers. Spallina will have a great career but you can't put his overall resume up against Ross Scott's at this point. Spallina hasn't even played in an NCAA tournament game yet.

Infinitely more? I mean...come on. I know you're a huge Rutgers homer, and I have a lot of respect for Scott, but he's only had one really great season out of the 4 he's played. While he did have a monster 2022 with 75 points, his other years were not anywhere near as close. 2023 with 42...and then a 6 and a 14 point season (the 6 point one being covid shortened obviously). He may have a monster year next year; but to date, he's averaging 2.6 points a game in his career.

Spallina's only had one year, true, but that one year is close to as good as Scott's clearly best year of 4. His career average is at 4.5 points a game.