Last season, the men's lacrosse team topped the NESCAC for the second straight year and finished 18-3 overall, ultimately falling19-7 to Salisbury in the National Championship game.
As the start of the 2012 season approaches, there are many questions about Tufts' ability to rebound after graduating arguably the strongest senior class in school history, which included several All-Americans and quad-captain attackman D.J. Hessler (E '11), a two-time NESCAC Player of the Year.
The Jumbos were ranked No. 2 in the country as recently as Monday, when the USILA Coaches' Poll was released, but several critics have regarded the ranking as overly generous. Meanwhile, conference foe Amherst, currently ranked No. 6, has garnered the attention of media and analysts alike, and may be the Jumbos' biggest threat within the NESCAC.
Tufts' success will depend on whether its now-mature defensive unit can play like one, and — perhaps even more so — whether its offense can adapt to a new look without Hessler and fellow attackman Ryan Molloy (LA 11). With 10 conference contests and an April 14 matchup against Amherst looming, the Jumbos must gear up for one of the strongest NESCAC fields in recent years.
But with so many question marks remaining, the team is embracing the underdog role.
"We take great pride in playing the hardest schedule in the country last year and doing what we did, but we also take great pride in everyone talking about Amherst and Middlebury this year," 12th-year head coach Mike Daly said. "Frankly, the only reason we're probably in the discussion is because of what we've accomplished the last two years. But we've got a great team that really embraces those challenges, and when we're told we can't do something we take pride in proving people wrong."
Despite heavy losses on the attacking end, the Jumbos welcome a strong recruiting class this spring, the first to commit to the program following its National Championship in 2010. Daly worked tirelessly to recruit the strongest possible candidates to the program, and he and his veteran players see real potential in the first-years.
"The best part about the last couple [recruiting] years is we've had a lot of interest and a lot of guys looking into Tufts, and certainly all of them are talented lacrosse players," Daly said. "The biggest thing we try to do is to find out which guys have some of those intangibles: mental toughness and work ethic and character."
Freshmen Cole Bailey and Chris Schoenhut will work to patch the holes in the Jumbos' offensive game. Bailey is fast and can burn defenders on quick cuts, while Schoenhut is a proven scorer who can also impact rides and off-ball situations.
At midfield, the Jumbos must fill the shoes of graduated midfielder Matt Witko (LA 11) and maximize senior co-captain Kevin McCormick's possessions. Daly relies on a strong transition game, and Tufts typically scores a majority of its goals in fast break and unsettled situations. Because of this, the Jumbos' first-year midfielders will be key assets. Freshmen Peter Gill, Charlie Rubin, Tim LaBeau, Ryan Le and Tyler Lewris have all stepped up in the preseason and can bolster an experienced and well-balanced midfield unit.
LaBeau, a faceoff man, could potentially jump-start run-and-gun plays for the Jumbos by controlling at X, while his classmates bring various wing, defensive and attacking strengths to the table.
On defense, first-years Garrett Read, Cem Kalkavan and C.J. Higgins provide much-needed size to a Tufts squad that will see plenty of larger opponents, particularly from historically big programs like Bowdoin. Read is used to receiving his team's toughest matchup assignments, while Kalkavan, who stands at 6-foot-4, can make up some of the physical gap the Jumbos may encounter.
Jeff Chang of Mountain Lakes can also contribute to the Jumbos' depth at pole, while Brian Droesch, younger brother of former midfielder Mike Droesch (E ‘10), is a solid goaltender who will back up a corps of reliable upperclassmen in the cage.
"In 2010 we lost all of those defensive players that were so important to our program and our operation," Daly said. "Maybe because the defensive stats don't hit the paper like some of the offensive stats do, it wasn't as talked about. This year will just be a little different in that we're rebuilding the offense instead of the defense, and certainly we lost a pretty good group of seniors, but I really feel strongly that that happens every year."
Several non-freshmen have also emerged as potential contributors. Sophomore Bennett Gillogly has developed into a strong faceoff contender, and his classmate midfielders Beau Wood and Peter Bowers are two dangerous scoring threats. Although neither put up huge statistics in his freshman season, Bowers saw time in 13 games, while Wood played in four, combining for five points and three ground balls.
"Our best problem we have is that we've got plenty of talent," Daly said. "We've got guys who have been in the program and played behind some guys and maybe felt like they should be playing more the last couple of years, and now it's their time to prove it."
On defense, senior Mark Findaro, juniors Sam Diss and Dylan Haas and sophomores Kane Delaney and Dan Alles are reliable poles who can prevent opponents from developing their own fast break opportunities. Diss and Haas, two of the Jumbos' most athletic players, consistently pressure opponents and force turnovers, while Delaney, who has practiced on the wing, can win possessions off the faceoff.
As freshmen, Alles and Delaney saw time in 20 of the Jumbos' 21 games. Alles picked up an eye-popping 38 ground balls, while Delaney's 32 ground balls and an assist indicate his effectiveness in transition. This unit will work to slow opponents before the returning close defensive trio of juniors Sam Gardner, John Heard and Matt Callahan step in.
"This year, on some level, we really feel more athletic at defense and our short-stick defensive-middie positions with Haas, Diss and the experience of [senior] Bill Duryea and [junior] Ryan Jorgensen — a lot of guys who played a lot of minutes for us," Daly said. "We like to put those guys with that experience and athleticism in the open field and trust their decision-making."
Joining senior co-captain Sean Kirwan, the lone returning offensive starter, are several other capable players. Kirwan is one of the league's best finishers, but it is likely that defenses will focus on limiting his mobility around the crease. Senior Jordan Korinis, juniors Geoff Sheasby and Andrew Fiamengo and sophomore Jack McDermott will be among the attackmen to step up.
"We're certainly still sorting all the pieces out," Daly said. "We could see some returning guys; we could see some young guys [on offense]. We're focused on consistency, and right now guys are making some great plays and some not so great plays. We're just kind of neutral and are really waiting for the season guys to emerge. As coaches, we have some very tough decisions to make, and we have a lot of guys really competing. That's resulting in everyone playing at their highest levels."
While a spotlight is certainly cast on the attackmen, the onus is largely on the Jumbos' younger players to step up in the absence of eight departed seniors. The junior and sophomore classes are filled with depth at all positions, while the current seniors are experienced and eager to step up.
"Luckily we were able to play with [last year's seniors] and learn a lot from them," McCormick said. "We have a lot of experienced guys back this year on offense so we know what's expected and what we need to do. Our game plan hasn't changed; we just need to execute it every day. The approach is just to get everyone motivated and focused. We can't waste time."
McCormick emphasized that, while the freshmen are eager to make their mark at Tufts, the team's older players are fueled by a sense of urgency, and a keen understanding that it's now or never.
"I think there's pressure on every class each year because we have the highest expectations," he said. "Our goal is another national championship. You could say there's a bit more on the freshmen because it's their first year here, but as a senior, there's also a lot because it's our last."
Tufts will need to play to the strengths of its defensive unit, while allowing its developing players to settle into key roles that will put the Jumbos in the best position for a return trip to the postseason. The team opens with an away contest at Hamilton College on Mar. 10, the two teams' first meeting since 2001.
"We have great respect for every team on our schedule, so there's really no benefit at looking at it in totality," Daly said. "We've got to beat Hamilton first. We've got that edge and we need to continue to sharpen it. Of course we're holding our guys accountable to the legacy of everybody that's played in this program prior to them, and certainly what we know allows Tufts lacrosse to be successful."
