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

[1766]

Right. Spallina has had one year. I think he will have a great career but he hasn't yet.

Scott has. 75 points on a final four team is monster year. He tied the all time goals record in a single NCAA tourney game. He tied the season goal tally at Rutgers in a program over 100 years old. Can Spallina match that? Maybe. Has he? No. Until then you simply couldn't put him ahead.

He was also named the top attackman at the under 21 world games and named to the world team.

Ross Scott isn't the guy you move off that list. If anything, he's the guy you move up the list.

[1766]

D/S

[PulpExposure]

Nothing against Scott, again, but it's kind of funny if you want to even put it historically. Spallina had the highest scoring freshman season in D1 last year, and the third highest scoring freshman year in Syracuse history.

While Rutgers has had multiple excellent players come through their doors, I think we can agree it hasn't had the history of Syracuse. And that's okay, not many programs do. But third highest scoring in their history? I mean...Syracuse has had the three Powells, the two Gaits, Marechek, Zulberti etc. I mean they have had 12 players named 4 times all americans. Twelve. That's insane (Rutgers has 1, if you were wondering).

And for Spallina's freshman season to hold up to those guys? Yeah.

I mean I'm not a Syracuse or Spallina fan by any stretch but come on.

[1766]

Nothing against Scott, again, but it's kind of funny if you want to even put it historically. Spallina had the highest scoring freshman season in D1 last year, and the third highest scoring freshman year in Syracuse history.

While Rutgers has had multiple excellent players come through their doors, I think we can agree it hasn't had the history of Syracuse. And that's okay, not many programs do. But third highest scoring in their history? I mean...Syracuse has had the three Powells, the two Gaits, Marechek, Zulberti etc. I mean they have had 12 players named 4 times all americans. Twelve. That's insane (Rutgers has 1, if you were wondering).

And for Spallina's freshman season to hold up to those guys? Yeah.

I mean I'm not a Syracuse or Spallina fan by any stretch but come on.

That's great. Huge accomplishment. But his team didn't make the tournament. Scott led his team to the Final Four. I agree, Spallina is a great player. But he hasn't accomplished what Scott has done already. When he does, move him up the list. No problem with that.

[Laxguy703]

Nothing against Scott, again, but it's kind of funny if you want to even put it historically. Spallina had the highest scoring freshman season in D1 last year, and the third highest scoring freshman year in Syracuse history.

While Rutgers has had multiple excellent players come through their doors, I think we can agree it hasn't had the history of Syracuse. And that's okay, not many programs do. But third highest scoring in their history? I mean...Syracuse has had the three Powells, the two Gaits, Marechek, Zulberti etc. I mean they have had 12 players named 4 times all americans. Twelve. That's insane (Rutgers has 1, if you were wondering).

And for Spallina's freshman season to hold up to those guys? Yeah.

I mean I'm not a Syracuse or Spallina fan by any stretch but come on.

That's great. Huge accomplishment. But his team didn't make the tournament. Scott led his team to the Final Four. I agree, Spallina is a great player. But he hasn't accomplished what Scott has done already. When he does, move him up the list. No problem with that.

This isn’t a career recognition list; it's a forecast for the best 2024 season. Comparing Spallina and Scott's 2023 performances, Spallina, with 68 points on a team who is poised for a big year, seems poised for a better year than Scott, who scored 42 points on a team likely to finish similarly to last year. Even against common opponents (MD, Princeton, Hopkins), Spallina outperformed Scott, averaging 5 PPG compared to Scott's 2.75 PPG.

Looking at Scott's best season against Spallina's freshman year reveals only a 7-point difference in Scott's favor, despite him having four additional games. The mention of Scott “leading” his team to the final 4 in the 2022 season should acknowledge the support of six additional All-Americans on his team. While he contributed to reaching the final 4, the loaded Rutgers team was destined for success that year with all that talent they had.

[1766]

Nothing against Scott, again, but it's kind of funny if you want to even put it historically. Spallina had the highest scoring freshman season in D1 last year, and the third highest scoring freshman year in Syracuse history.

While Rutgers has had multiple excellent players come through their doors, I think we can agree it hasn't had the history of Syracuse. And that's okay, not many programs do. But third highest scoring in their history? I mean...Syracuse has had the three Powells, the two Gaits, Marechek, Zulberti etc. I mean they have had 12 players named 4 times all americans. Twelve. That's insane (Rutgers has 1, if you were wondering).

And for Spallina's freshman season to hold up to those guys? Yeah.

I mean I'm not a Syracuse or Spallina fan by any stretch but come on.

That's great. Huge accomplishment. But his team didn't make the tournament. Scott led his team to the Final Four. I agree, Spallina is a great player. But he hasn't accomplished what Scott has done already. When he does, move him up the list. No problem with that.

This isn’t a career recognition list; it's a forecast for the best 2024 season. Comparing Spallina and Scott's 2023 performances, Spallina, with 68 points on a team who is poised for a big year, seems poised for a better year than Scott, who scored 42 points on a team likely to finish similarly to last year. Even against common opponents (MD, Princeton, Hopkins), Spallina outperformed Scott, averaging 5 PPG compared to Scott's 2.75 PPG.

Looking at Scott's best season against Spallina's freshman year reveals only a 7-point difference in Scott's favor, despite him having four additional games. The mention of Scott “leading” his team to the final 4 in the 2022 season should acknowledge the support of six additional All-Americans on his team. While he contributed to reaching the final 4, the loaded Rutgers team was destined for success that year with all that talent they had.

To make a forecast you need to consider the past, assuming there is one. Which was the point all along.

I think you will be surprised at where they are "likely to finish" and do. Time will tell who has the better season.

[1766]

D/S

[1766]

D/S

[Farfromgeneva]

Man I knew this was coming as soon as Scott was mentioned. Good luck unwinding that now that the dog smelled a car.

[1766]

And we all knew this was coming after. D3 post.

[DALaxDad]

Right. Spallina has had one year. I think he will have a great career but he hasn't yet.

Scott has. 75 points on a final four team is monster year. He tied the all time goals record in a single NCAA tourney game. He tied the season goal tally at Rutgers in a program over 100 years old. Can Spallina match that? Maybe. Has he? No. Until then you simply couldn't put him ahead.

He was also named the top attackman at the under 21 world games and named to the world team.

Ross Scott isn't the guy you move off that list. If anything, he's the guy you move up the list.

I don't have a dog in this hunt but I have to look out for my Brown guys. Scott actually has the second most single game tournament goals at 8. The record is held by Oliver Marti of Brown who scored 9 vs Loyola in the early 90s. I think that record was tied recently but I can't remember by whom.

[Farfromgeneva]

And we all knew this was coming after. D3 post.

And the rebuttal from a juco failure/

[1766]

Right. Spallina has had one year. I think he will have a great career but he hasn't yet.

Scott has. 75 points on a final four team is monster year. He tied the all time goals record in a single NCAA tourney game. He tied the season goal tally at Rutgers in a program over 100 years old. Can Spallina match that? Maybe. Has he? No. Until then you simply couldn't put him ahead.

He was also named the top attackman at the under 21 world games and named to the world team.

Ross Scott isn't the guy you move off that list. If anything, he's the guy you move up the list.

I don't have a dog in this hunt but I have to look out for my Brown guys. Scott actually has the second most single game tournament goals at 8. The record is held by Oliver Marti of Brown who scored 9 vs Loyola in the early 90s. I think that record was tied recently but I can't remember by whom.

Should have known not to listen to Quint.

[10stone5]

I think that record was tied recently but I can't remember by whom.

The UNC guy during that great tournament run, in the semis, Cloutier.
Mike French famously had 7 goals in the finals way back when.

[1766]

And we all knew this was coming after. D3 post.

And the rebuttal from a juco failure/

More D3. Just didn't have the makings of a varsity athlete.

[LaxAllStars]

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show ... st-e2d090l

Carc & Q. dissect the IL Top 50 on this podcast.

[livelovelax]

Great breakdown of the top 50 players and those that were snubbed. They have a better feel and insight.

[terp talk]

Braden Erksa
Eric Malever
Daniel Kelly
Eric Spanos

Not one makes the Top 50?

We shall see
2-1 against the final four in 2023

[HopFan16]

Braden Erksa
Eric Malever
Daniel Kelly
Eric Spanos

Not one makes the Top 50?

We shall see
2-1 against the final four in 2023

The only one on this list who has an argument is Erksa. Kelly and Spanos aren't close. Malever maybe if he was healthy but he's coming off a catastrophic leg injury so it's probably best to take a wait and see approach. For the same reason I thought they should have left off PSU's Posey, but at least he played last year.

[keno in reno]

Braden Erksa
Eric Malever
Daniel Kelly
Eric Spanos

Not one makes the Top 50?

We shall see
2-1 against the final four in 2023

The only one on this list who has an argument is Erksa. Kelly and Spanos aren't close. Malever maybe if he was healthy but he's coming off a catastrophic leg injury so it's probably best to take a wait and see approach. For the same reason I thought they should have left off PSU's Posey, but at least he played last year.

Great thing is, 45 days from now none of this silliness matters. But after 6.5 months of nothing, this is as good as it gets. So, Erksa would be the one in the top 50. Plunkett made it, deservingly so, and Erksa had slightly better stats against better competition. Several Hopkins guys made it who are probably no better than now-sophomore Erksa should be, but that's another random comparison in a list of randomness.

If Spanos takes the next step, he could be there. He could easily dominate with his size, strength and skills, or not. Showed some greatness at the end of last season, but doesn't deserve top 50 recognition yet. Kelly is good, nowhere near deserving top 50 consideration. He looks to be in great shape and could take a big step up, but there's a lot of steps to all-american level. Malever was a starter on a historically great offense, and a key contributor as a freshman on a national finalist team. If he's 100%, he's a top 50 player.