lacrosse guide 2024 shifting dynamic
carrying a legacy
elite company
New assistant coaches Abigail Rehfuss and John Odierna are set to bring a fresh, intense perspective to Syracuse.
Five-star freshman attack Trey Deere is working to become the next great Indigenous lacrosse player.
This offseason, Delaney Sweitzer improved while training alongside some of the country’s best goalies.
Page 4
Page 6
Page 7
2 lacrosse guide 2024
about
Editor@dailyorange.com News@dailyorange.com Opinion@dailyorange.com Culture@dailyorange.com Sports@dailyorange.com Digital@dailyorange.com Design@dailyorange.com BUSINESS 315-443-2315
Presentation Director Digital Design Director Photo Editor Photo Editor Business Consultant I.T Manager Business Manager Advertising Manager Business Asst. Circulation Manager Student Delivery Agent Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editor Asst. Digital Editor Asst. Digital Editor Asst. Copy Editor Asst. Copy Editor
YOU CAN’T STOP THE BEAT
The Daily Orange is an independent, nonprofit newspaper published in Syracuse, New York. The editorial content of the paper — which started in 1903 and went independent in 1971 — is entirely run by Syracuse University students. The D.O., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is editorially and financially independent from SU, and the paper receives no funding from the university. Instead, The D.O. relies on advertising revenue and donations to sustain operations. This fall, the paper will be published Thursdays when SU classes are in session. The D.O.’s online coverage is 24/7, including while SU is on break. To show your support to The D.O.’s independent journalism, please visit dailyorange.com/donate. Donations are tax deductible. Bridget Overby Cindy Zhang Maxine Brackbill Cassandra Roshu Mark Nash Davis Hood Kevin Ross Chris Ern Tim Bennett Steve Schultz Hailey Hoang Cooper Andrews Justin Girshon Aiden Stepansky Zak Wolf Nicholas Jepson Timmy Wilcox Matthew Gray Emma Stark
Anish Vasudevan EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Kyle Chouinard MANAGING EDITOR
Stefanie Mitchell DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR
BROADWAY’S TONY AWARD®-WINNING BEST MUSICAL IS BACK Photos by SU ATHLETICS Graphics by CINDY ZHANG
JAN. 30 - FEB. 3 • LANDMARK THEATRE
BroadwayInSyracuse.com
The D.O. is published weekdays during the Syracuse University academic year by The Daily Orange Corp., 230 Euclid Ave., Syracuse, NY 13210. All contents Copyright 2023 by The Daily Orange Corp. and may not be reprinted without the expressed written permission of the editor-in-chief. The Daily Orange is in no way a subsidy or associated with Syracuse University. All contents © 2024 The Daily Orange Corporation Photo: Norma Jean Roy
lacrosse guide 2024 3
dear readers, S
yracuse lacrosse enters a pivotal 2024 season. The men’s squad is fresh off its second-straight year where it failed to make an NCAA Tournament under head coach Gary Gait. While the women’s side’s historic 2023 campaign ended in a Final Four loss, it now must fill the voids of Meaghan Tyrrell and Megan Carney, among others. Over the offseason, Gait received some extra depth to help get his program over the hump. A new freshman class is led by Trey Deere, who’s working to be the next great Indigenous lacrosse player. While Tufts transfer Mason Kohn is primed to drastically improve SU’s faceoff unit — a weak point from last season. Plus, Syracuse hired former Manhattan coach John Odierna as its defensive coordinator to ignite a new culture within the back end. As for Kayla Treanor’s group, she’s also added a new assistant in Abigail Rehfuss, who brings an all-business mentality which stems from her law career. Goalie Delaney Sweitzer returns for her graduate year after winning the IWLCA Goalkeeper of the Year in a breakout 2023 season. And freshman attack Ashlee Volpe joins the program with a decorated high-school, adding a necessary offensive threat to the Orange. The Daily Orange’s 2024 Lacrosse Guide previews how Syracuse’s men’s and women’s teams look to level up through a crucial campaign. Thanks for reading,
Cooper Andrews sports editor
4 lacrosse guide 2024
Abigail Rehfuss is Siena’s all-time leader in wins while also practicing law By Justin Girshon asst. sports editor
A
bigail Rehfuss is always asked how she balances coaching Division I lacrosse while simultaneously working as a practicing attorney — she never knows how to give the perfect answer. Among last year’s 120 D-I women’s lacrosse head coaches, Rehfuss was the only to pass the bar and actively work within the legal space. Nobody has ever seen somebody with a similar resume to hers. It’s Rehfuss’ discipline and work ethic on the field and in the office that makes her stand out. “Whatever needs to be done, I make sure that it gets done … I’m very disciplined about knowing what needs to be done and getting it done,” Rehfuss said. “That discipline and the work ethic that I think I’ve always had, the combination of those two, really help me balance both and figure it out.” Lacrosse and law are the essential parts of Rehfuss’ life. At Loyola University (MD) she starred, serving as a twotime captain across her four years with the program. After graduating in 2011, Rehfuss earned her J.D. from Albany Law School in 2014, beginning her work as an Associate Attorney at The Rehfuss Law Firm P.C. a year later — where she continues to work. While practicing law, Rehfuss immersed herself in coaching, serving as Siena’s head coach from 2018-2023 before accepting an assistant coach position at Syracuse ahead of the 2024 season. After Rehfuss graduated from Loyola with bachelor’s degrees in Interdisciplinary Philosophy and Writing, but law runs in her family. After she graduated from Loyola, Rehfuss enrolled at Roger Williams University School of Law before finishing at UAlbany and passing the bar. “Being a lawyer is really about lifelong learning, commitment, work ethic, strong judgment, leadership skills. So all of the things you have to do to excel in athletics in that way are very strong indicators of being a successful law student and lawyer,” said Rosemary Queenan, a Professor of Law at Albany Law School who taught Rehfuss. In law school, Rehfuss worked at the Office of the Albany County Attorney for nearly three years. Throughout that time, Rehfuss shadowed Tom Marcelle, now a New York State Supreme Court Justice, getting hands-on experience in court and client meetings. But once she passed the bar, it was a “no-brainer” to join The Rehfuss Law Firm P.C. — a small law practice that has
been passed down generations within her family in Latham, N.Y. Rehfuss’ father, Stephen, has been the Managing Partner since 1986. “My dad and I are super close and he is one of my biggest role models,” Rehfuss said. “So having the opportunity to work with him was something that I always assumed I would do.” Serving as an associate attorney, Rehfuss mostly works on research, writing, depositions and discovery work. She enjoys her job, but something was desperately missing from Rehfuss’ life: Lacrosse.
Abigail Rehfuss earned severa including be Abigail Rehfuss earned several accolades playing for Loyola Maryland, “Working a 9-to-5, sitting at a deskbeing top of the game including a two-time captain all day, that’s a tough transition when you’re used to being an athlete and having your hand in multiple different things,” Rehfuss said. After graduating from college, Rehfuss played in the United Women’s Lacrosse League. But that was just a small part of the attorney’s life. Then Shaker High School, Rehfuss’ alma mater, called, drastically changing her life. In 2016, one season after coaching the Shaker Middle School’s modified
CAREER POINTS
CAREER POINTS 2X ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM
see rehfuss page 11
the missing piece Under Abigail Rehfuss’s leadership, Siena transformed into a tight-knit team, appearing in three Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships source: sienasaints.com
ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM LOSSES
WINS
2018 2019
ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM
DRAW CONTROLS, 4TH IN PROGRAM HISTORY
Abigail Rehfuss earned several accolades playing for Loyola Maryland, including being a two-time captain MAAC FINALIST
source: loyolagreyhounds.com
2020 COVID-19 2021
MAAC FINALIST
2022
I don’t know how she does it given her responsibilities both at Siena and now at Syracuse, but she gets it done. Stephen Rehfuss
2023
MAAC FINALIST
abigail rehfuss’s father
lacrosse guide 2024 5
John Odierna’s innate ability to dissect opposing teams through film proves he’s primed to lead a defensive revolution at Syracuse By Cooper Andrews sports editor
J
al accolades playing for Loyola Maryland, eing a two-time captain
enterprise defense 8.00 GPG
2X ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM
9.93 GPG 9.70 GPG 10.14 GPG
63rd
7th
9th
15th 13.21 GPG
1st
11.50 GPG
COVID
53rd
DRAW CONTROLS, 4TH IN PROGRAM 2017 HISTORY 2018 2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
Under John Odierna’s leadership, Manhattan became the best defensive team in the country in goals per game source: ncaa.com
8 Manhattan allowed the least goals per game in the country in 2023 with John Odierna running its defensive unit.
ohn Odierna’s defensive philosophy derives from Adam McKay’s blockbuster 2008 comedy, “Step Brothers.” In the film’s resolution, Will Ferrell’s character, Brennan, is tasked with managing The Catalina Wine Mixer. But the band he hired leaves due to a heckler in the crowd, causing his boss to scold him. After being encouraged to perform on stage himself to save his job, Brennan was too scared. He then reveals his plan to file for unemployment and apply for a job at Enterprise Rent-A-Car because “they give you the tools to be your own boss.” Ferrell’s line was referenced to Odierna during a film session in the 2022 season by former Manhattan goalie, Brendan Krebs. Odierna had been talking to his defense about how he wanted them to play to their identity when Krebs compared his words to Ferrell’s. The phrase is a flawless manner to describe Odierna’s coaching style. Through intense preparation in the film room, he passes down his vast knowledge and ensures players perform to their strengths — giving them the tools to be their own boss. “People really like ‘Step Brothers,’” Odierna said. “So I think they can get behind that quote.” Deploying what is now known as his signature “Enterprise Defense,” Odierna — hired as Syracuse’s defensive coordinator in July 2023 — was integral in building Manhattan from a “band of misfits” to perennial Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference contenders. He ran the Jaspers’ defense from 2016-23, going from a three-win team to allowing the fewest goals per game nationally last season. His former players call him an intense guy who commands respect. He’s “the man,” some declared. Others passionately believe he’s “the GOAT.” Though the consensus is that Odierna’s uncanny ability to decipher opponents through constant film breakdowns sets him apart from a typical coordinator. His players easily buy into his relentless preparation methods, creating an indestructible culture which centered around one goal at Manhattan: winning a MAAC title. Odierna’s already begun to instill the same mentality with SU. The only difference? He’s gunning for a national championship. “This was really tough,” Odierna said of leaving Manhattan. “But I kind of told our guys at Manhattan, it was not so much about what Manhattan is, it’s just what Syracuse is. And when I got into this profession, it was for this opportunity. To represent the most historical and successful program in the sport, it’s a dream job. So I can’t turn it down.” Odierna grew into a film junkie in 2012 as a defensive assistant at Colby College of the New England Small College Athletic Conference. He said the program’s talent didn’t match their conference counterparts. To close the gap, he knew he had to escalate his preparation. Understanding the importance of grinding tape stemmed from his collegiate career at Gettysburg College from 2008-11. Odierna said he was never the best player, though his “brain” led him to success, where he was a
United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association honorable mention in 2011. Odierna said his aim as a coach is to do the “heavy lifting” on studying game film, presenting his analysis in an efficient and simple way toward his team — “maximizing our preparedness,” he said. At Manhattan, Odierna’s diligence in the film room stood out to his players. Christian Clifford, a defender for the Jaspers from 2019-23, said Odierna recorded every practice. Former Manhattan midfielder Luke Hanson (2017-21) added that Odierna had specific critiques for everyone on the field through each clip and sent them to his players on weekends. Blake Lothian, a Manhattan defender from 2019-22, said Odierna’s ability to analyze what’s happening away from the play helped underdeveloped players quickly learn from his teachings. “That guy, I think he was a film wizard,” Lothian said. Through film sessions, Odierna personalizes his coaching toward his players. Luke Pacher, who played under Odierna from 201822, said he underwent issues with clears during his senior season. Odierna took Pacher into the film room and showed him that he needed to keep his eyes upfield to read the opposition’s rides. And when Odierna wanted to key Pacher, or another defender, on a certain attacker, he’d sit down with them one-onone and take them through the tendencies of their opponent. Plus, Odierna’s defensive scheme is almost entirely player-led. Clifford revealed that in 2023, Odierna met with players before each game and discussed how they wanted to scheme the defense instead of barking orders at his guys. Odierna said he doesn’t have a true set defense. It’s all dependent on the matchup, and conforming the scheme to how each individual will execute at the highest level. “That’s been something that our guys here have really gravitated to,” Odierna said. “They’ve really enjoyed the ability to have options, make decisions, while also maximizing their own personal feelings as they fit within our whole unit.” In game-planning for opponents, Clifford said Odierna consistently deciphered an opposition’s plan A, B and C — when most teams couldn’t figure out Manhattan’s plan B. He easily spots attacking threats and creates the best scheme to thwart them. Per Clifford, Odierna’s preparation had a “bigger role” in garnering victories than the players themselves did. Clifford explained that Odierna often watched film with the broadcast sound on to learn how teams communicated. Preparing for Quinnipiac, one of the MAAC’s top offenses, Odierna identified that the Bobcats struggled versus a zone. In response, he developed a plan to switch from a man-to-man set to zone defense during the early stages of the matchup. During practices, Odierna made life miserable for Manhattan’s offensive group, as Hanson revealed the defense often dominated. It helped Manhattan’s attack learn how to properly adjust to a well-oiled defense. “I hated going against (Odierna) in practice, because it was impossible,” Hanson said. “If we threw a wrinkle, he was immesee odierna page 11
6 lacrosse guide 2024
As a freshman at Syracuse, Trey Deere is working to be the next great Indigenous lacrosse player
By Anish Vasudevan editor-in-chief
T
rey Deere’s grandfather didn’t like to talk about his experience in Canadian residential schools. Deere wishes he asked more questions, but didn’t get the chance before his grandfather passed away a decade ago. “That’s a story we will never know,” Deere, who is of Mohawk descent, said. “It was a dark period for our people.” “Orange Shirt Day” is a Canadian holiday on Sept. 30 which reflects on the complicated legacy of the Indian residential school system, a network of boarding schools funded by the Canadian government which exposed Indigenous children to abuse and deprived them of their culture. Deere’s cousin, Rothsennonni Two-Axe, introduced the annual tradition to Kuper Academy, Deere’s old high school outside of Montreal. When Deere left Kuper for the Salisbury School, he immediately approached administration to “spread the message.” The school was immediately supportive, but they wanted to do it right. It was too late to get shirts made by the actual day, so they settled on celebrating it a few weeks later. Deere helped design the bright orange shirts, which said “EVERY CHILD MATTERS” next to the Salisbury crest adorned with two feathers. The shirts were available for the entire student body to purchase. The proceeds went back to the Iakwahwatsiratátie Language Nest, an organization working to preserve the Indigenous language in Deere’s Kahnawake Mohawk Territory community. “It’s important that we don’t forget them and we continue to honor them,” Deere said. Since leaving home, Deere has always understood the importance of educating others about his culture and how to help preserve it. He’s done the same with lacrosse, playing with a wooden stick in the All-American game while being part of the first Haudenosaunee team to use their passports for the 2022 Under 21 World Lacrosse Championship. Now a freshman at Syracuse, he’s working to be the next great Indigenous player, following in the footsteps of the Thompson brothers (one of whom is now his neighbor) and the hundreds who came before them. “It’s a deeper meaning than playing lacrosse, it’s who he plays for and all the people back home that can’t play or passed away,” said Heather Laborgne, Deere’s mother. “It’s honoring them and that’s what makes him work harder and want it more.” Despite lacrosse’s Indigenous roots, Indigenous players were often overlooked by collegiate programs. Then, the Thompson brothers came into the public eye in the late 2000s and early 2010s . A documentary about the four of them, “The Medicine Game,” was released in 2014. The film explains the origins of lacrosse, how it was a gift meant to entertain the Creator and a medicine ceremony played to ward off sicknesses from the tribe. It centers around the oldest brothers, Jeremy and Jerome Thompson, as they try to make it onto Syracuse’s men’s lacrosse team from nearby Lafayette High School. Deere remembers sitting in the movie theater after the film’s release. It showed him that lacrosse wasn’t just a game he loved. It was something that could lead to an education. “Once they were in the spotlight, he began to realize he could do this,” Laborgne said. In 2015, Deere was invited to take part in Aboriginal Peoples Television Network’s “Dream Big” series, a show where Indigenous youth have a chance to spend the day with their heroes. He chose Miles Thompson. Deere was nervous on the drive down to UAlbany, where he would follow around Thompson as he prepared for an alumni game. He picked Thompson’s brain, asking him questions about how he fit into an offense, picked spots to attack from and succeeded as a one-handed player. (Deere also plays with one hand, but he’s lefty unlike Thompson.) Thompson remembered how appreciative Deere was despite being only 8-years-old. A few years later,
he invited Deere to a Thompson Brothers Lacrosse (TBL) camp in the Onondaga Nation, giving him a ride from Kahnawake and a place to stay. When Deere arrived at the Thompsons’ house, there was a “care package” on top of his bed. Inside of it, he had everything he needed for the week: a toothbrush, hairbrush, sports drinks, hair ties and Pringles, his favorite chips. “It was exciting for me and just as exciting for him,” Thompson said about Deere’s TBL experience. Even back then, Thompson said Deere was a “step ahead” of everyone else. He compared Deere’s skillset to that of his older brother Jeremy, who many considered a “man amongst boys.” He also understands how the game is meant to be played. “He has fun doing it,” Thompson said. The pair grew even closer when Thompson married Deere’s cousin. Now, they live two doors down from each other. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Deere said he started taking advantage of his proximity to Thompson. They drove 15 minutes to the reservation's box rink to get shots up. They turned fishing trips on kayaks into a rowing workout. And after Thompson got a full gym set, Deere walked over to lift alongside him. Thompson also started a daily running group in the community which Deere joined. At first, the 7 a.m. runs were 5Ks. Then, they moved up to 10ks. One Saturday, Thompson said he was going to run a half marathon. As a joke, he invited Deere. But he actually showed up. “It was wild to me, a kid in high school, how determined he is,” Thompson said. The determination over the offseasons made its way to Salisbury. Head coach Tom Spinella said Deere won every sprint holding his wooden stick — a gift from Alf Jacques at 13 when he tried out for the Haudenosaunee national team. He led Salisbury to a Geico National Championship win in 2022 with a shooting percentage of close to 70%, according to Spinella. More importantly, he left Salisbury a “better place than he found it,” Spinella said. After introducing “Orange Shirt Day” as a sophomore, Deere presented in front of the entire school before selling shirts. His senior year, he gave a “Chapel Talk” about what hair means to him and his family. This past spring, he spoke to the team about how lacrosse is a “medicine game.” “We just taught him that you never know who’s watching, any audience you’re in you could have an impact,” Laborgne said. “You have an opportunity to educate people on who you are. He was ready to do that.” Deere is now focused on giving back to the next generation of Indigenous players. Laborgne said he makes time to acknowledge young players when he's back in his Kahnawake, signing the occasional autograph. Deere remembers when Thompson took the time to gift him gloves and a helmet after box lacrosse championships in Onondaga. He wants to act the same. “I want to give back and keep the traditions going and these younger generations understand why we play lacrosse, the meaning behind it,” Deere said. The awareness Deere has about his platform is something Thompson said he didn’t have in high school. He thinks the future of the sport is in “good hands” with young Indigenous players like Deere. “For what he’s doing, it’s not only making me proud, his family proud, it’s making our people proud,” Thompson said. “He’s not in it for just himself.” anish.sujeet@gmail.com @anish_vasu
I want to give back and keep the traditions going so these younger generations understand why we play lacrosse, the meaning behind it Trey Deere syracuse attack
lacrosse guide 2024 7
After a difficult ending to a historic 2023 season, Delaney Sweitzer went back to work this offseason, training with the top goalies in the nation
the way she plays, is very much the Goaliesmith style.” Though Gvozden was no longer her inseason coach, he became one of Sweitzer’s go-to trainers. Sweitzer quickly got involved with Goaliesmith as it grew in popularity, often making the two-hour drive from Hatfield, Pennsylvania, to Columbia, Maryland. After a career year, Sweitzer went back to train with Goaliesmith this offseason. Coming off the BC game where she recorded a .273 save percentage, Gvozden expected Sweitzer to be rattled and rethink her process. Up until that game, Sweitzer had just two games in 2023 with a save percentage under .350 (Duke and North Carolina). Yet it was the opposite. A few days after the loss to BC, Sweitzer sent a picture of her and Boston College’s goalie Shea Dolce to Gvozden and Taylor from after the game. She came into the offseason proud of what she accomplished and ready to move on. It gave Gvozden more confidence in her ability to pick it up after a bad game, something he sees as a trait of the best. “There was no sense of panic or doubt,” Gvozden said. “There was just a ‘I’m pissed we lost. Let's get back to work.’” In 2023, from Aug. 7-9, the top women’s goalies in college lacrosse flocked to Blandair Park in Columbia, Maryland, for The Goaliesmith Experience, the company’s premier summer event. At the sessions, Sweitzer, along with top goalies like Dolce and Maryland’s Emily Sterling, improved her craft.
By Aiden Stepansky asst. sports editor
D
elaney Sweitzer’s historic 2023 season ended in heartbreak. Tied 7-7 versus Boston College with a trip to the national championship on the line, the Eagles were awarded a free-position shot with under four minutes remaining. Kayla Martello beat Sweitzer over her left shoulder, ultimately ending SU’s magical season. Sweitzer struggled, giving up eight goals on 11 shots. But she didn’t dwell on the loss for long. She knew it was just another step in her journey. “Mentally I was like ‘Alright, on to the next,’” Sweitzer said. “I knew I could learn, get better and improve.” Days after the season ended, Sweitzer reached out to a few familiar voices: Mike Gvozden, Meg Taylor and Colleen Magarity. The three played an integral role in her winning the ACC and IWLCA Goalkeeper of the Year. Coming off the best season of her career in 2023, Sweitzer went back to what got her to that point — training with the Goaliesmith and “Camp Colleen” training groups. They’ve helped her reach the top of the goalie mountain. Now, in her fifth and final season, she hopes to maintain that position. Though in the beginning, Sweitzer faced a long, winding road to the top. She started her career at the University of Southern California, failing to garner playing time before transferring to SU after two seasons. Gvozden served as a volunteer assistant goalie coach at USC and instantly built a connection with Sweitzer. While at USC, Gvozden, along with his brother Andrew, worked on starting Goaliesmith — a company based out of Maryland that specializes in goalkeeping training. Gvozden was a national-championship-winning goalie at John Hopkins in 2007. In 2018, the company became an LLC and in 2020, as Goaliesmith began to take off, Gvozden left his job at USC and went all in. “Delaney seemed cut from the same cloth that Goaliesmith was built on,” Gvozden said. “The same style, very tenacious, very competitive, very eager to improve but also one of the most fun people to have on the field and Delaney,
.050 Sweitzer’s save percentage in 2023 which ranked 8th in the nation.
This offseason, Delaney Sweitzer trained with some of the top goalies in the NCAA following an accolade-filled 2023. courtesy of su athletics
“It's like our goalie crew. We love learning from each other,” Sterling said. “We all play obviously the same position but we all play it in such different ways.” Sterling describes the experience as a “positive environment” where the goalies constantly bounce ideas off each other. According to Gvozden, almost every Division I team is represee sweitzer page 11
sweitzer’s stash Delaney Sweitzer tallied 185 saves, ranking seventh in the nation in 2023. Ahead of 2024, she’s bringing the spotlight to the Orange. source: cuse.com
2024
USA Lacrosse Magazine preseason All-American
USA Lacrosse Magazine Preseason Goalie of the Year
All-ACC First Team
2023
IWLCA Goalkeeper of the Year
ACC Goalkeeper of the Year
8 lacrosse guide 2024
After just two seasons playing collegiate lacrosse at Tufts, Mason Kohn is tasked with revamping Syracuse’s faceoff position
By Zak Wolf
asst. sports editor
M
ason Kohn’s collegiate lacrosse career started in a snack closet. It’ll likely end as the faceoff specialist for the sport’s most iconic collegiate program. It was late February 2022 — two weeks into the season — when Kohn arrived in the Tufts lacrosse locker room. He looked around but saw no available lockers. He asked head coach Casey D’Annolfo where to put his stuff. D’Annolfo led Kohn to a small food closet at the end of the locker room. “It was very humbling,” Kohn said.
Kohn was a depth piece. For the next six weeks, he dressed in the closet, with players occasionally popping in and asking for a granola bar. Originally asked to join the lacrosse team to help teammates get extra practice reps, Kohn never expected to see the field. But by the end of his junior season, Kohn was a starter and began his reign as Division III’s top faceoff specialist. Kohn’s original dream of playing in the NHL took him to junior hockey tournaments around the United States, but a love for lacrosse persisted. Kohn played hockey at Tufts, before joining the lacrosse team his junior season. Now, he’s tasked with revamping Syracuse’s faceoff posi-
following the puck
tion, which consistently held back a talented team last season. “He basically took three years off of lacrosse and then came back and was the best in the country at what he did. That doesn't happen,” D'Annolfo said. Kohn’s collegiate career began in 2020 after Tufts fell to Rochester Institute of Technology in the NCA A Tournament semifinals, losing the faceoff battle 24-13. Players always saw Kohn in the weight room and knew he played lacrosse in high school. They approached Kohn about playing, who obliged because he “just wanted to compete.” D’Annolfo joked he had “no idea if (Kohn) was going to be any good” and
came in with “very low expectations.” Kohn never played under new rules that forced faceoff specialists to start standing up instead of on a knee. But three weeks into the season, Kohn was consistently beating Tuft’s top faceoff players. D’Annolfo went from thinking of Kohn as a third stringer to a starter. “I was like, ‘oh my god, like, one, this kid's going to take my spot and two, he's going to help us win a lot of games,’” said Aidan Hesse, a former Tufts faceoff specialist. Hesse was shocked at Kohn’s abilities, especially his quick hands and physical presence. Kohn’s ability to make
see kohn page 11
faceoff force
syracuse 2023 boston junior bruins marlborough, ma
kohn
san diego sabers carlsbad, ca corpus christi icerays corpus christi, tx
Mason Kohn played hockey growing up all over the country before switching to lacrosse. Kohn joined Tufts University’s lacrosse program in Feb. 2022.
41.9% team faceoff percentage
71.6% team faceoff percentage
In two years at Tufts, Mason Kohn was the go-to player on faceoffs, winning nearly 72% of battles in the circle in 2023 source: cuse.com, gotuftsjumbos.com
lacrosse guide 2024 9
Ashlee Volpe suffered two ACL tears within 21 months, derailing her high school career July 2023
uphill battle Despite two ACL injuries within 21 months, Ashlee Volpe was a force on attack tallying 84 goals and 51 assists in two seasons at CorningPainted Post
Aug. 2023
played in New Balance Girls Senior All-America Game in Baltimore, MD
Oct. 2021 commits to Syracuse
Sept. 2021 college coaches can first contact HS athletes
first semester at Syracuse begins
May 2022 leads Corning-Painted Post HS to Section 4 Class A Title
June 2022 second ACL tear
July 2021 first game back from ACL tear - America Selects Tournament Delaware
Sept. 2020 first ACL tear
source: kevin scanlon, head coach at corning-painted post
By Timmy Wilcox asst. digital editor
A
shlee Volpe got the ball and dashed to the goal. As two defenders approached her, Volpe jumped and spun around before ripping the ball behind her back at the net. After 11 months of recovering from an ACL tear, she was back. The 2021 summer season was almost over, but Volpe was determined to play again. With limited options to join a team, Ronnie Davis, Volpe’s coach and the director of Monster Elite Lacrosse, allowed her to play on the 2022 America Select Upstate team. In July, Volpe traveled to Delaware, helping the Upstate team win the America Select tournament. Volpe, a five-star freshman and the No. 21-ranked recruit according to Inside Lacrosse, suffered two ACL injuries within a 21-month span, sidelining her for half of her high school career. Instead of being in the spotlight, Volpe spent much of her career on the sidelines. But when she was playing, she was “one of the best players in the country,” an America Select coach told Volpe’s Monster Elite coach David Nieman. Now in her first year with Syracuse, Volpe looks to make her mark in a veteran-laden SU attack. After her play on the Upstate team, Volpe had to wait until 2022 for Corning-Painted Post High School’s (NY) spring season to play again. The attacker had limited opportunities to show her talents to college recruiters. “She would have gotten 100 phone calls on September 1,” Davis said. “If she never hurt herself, she would have been probably the top recruit in the country.” She did get a call from Syracuse, however, who gave her an offer that day. She committed on Oct. 1. In 2022, Volpe led a high-powered Corning offense with 54 goals and 33 assists. Volpe led the Hawks to a Section 4 Class A title where she scored four goals in a 13-10 victory. But about a month after the championship, Volpe suffered her second ACL tear during a club game, which kept her out her senior season. While injured, Volpe shifted her focus to her teammates. She drove younger players over an hour to club practices, Davis said. Volpe also took up a coaching role to mentor younger players. “She sort of had like a bird’s eye view on the field, she could really see what was unfolding,” said Katie Grottenthaler, Volpe’s Corning and Monster Elite teammate. “She was always giving advice to the younger girls … She was always very supportive, and always pulling out things that can make us better.” “Coach Volpe,” as Kevin Scanlon, head coach at Corning, called her, never missed a game or practice, Nieman said. With her support, the Hawks repeated as 2023 Section 4 Class A Champions. Volpe shifted the focus back to herself once she got healthy. After being cleared to return in June, she started preparing for Syracuse. Volpe participated in the Three Lax competition hosted by Davis and Monster Elite. There, Volpe played with other collegiate players in small 3-on-3 and 4-on-4 scrimmages. Volpe said she also practiced with the 2024 and 2025 Monster Elite teams to test out her knee. “Coming back it’s (important to) just get a feel for that dodge again, that you always have
done like your whole life,” Volpe said. Volpe also spent parts of the summer training at Kinsella Park in Painted Post, New York. Volpe joined Grottenthaler and Jenna DiNardo, a teammate at Corning and Monster Elite, to sharpen their stick skills along with dodging and footwork. “(Volpe) is a dodging beast,” Nieman said. “If you don’t put a second girl on her, she’s going to go by whoever’s on her. Her body control is amazing.” Volpe worked on her shooting, especially from close to the crease. Throughout her career, Volpe’s electric, highlight reel shots involving 360-spin moves and jumps have been a common part of her game. She credits her experience in gymnastics and cheer at a younger age. “I’m always jumping up and down on the field, doing spin moves, doing whatever, jumping, hopping and everything like that you can think of,” Volpe said. “Those plays when I do that. I’m just like, ‘That reminds me of me as a little kid.’” With Monster Elite, Davis recommended Volpe to use a smaller lacrosse stick. Since making the change, it’s allowed her to handle the stick better. At Syracuse, she’s planning to use a 40-inch stick, Volpe said. Although Volpe does most things right-handed, she plays lacrosse primarily with her left hand, a rare asset to collegiate teams. Being a lefty gives her more opportunities and allows her to find cutting teammates easier, Volpe said. Volpe is also skilled at throwing behind-the-back passes and shots. Her knack for behind-the-back plays separated Volpe from other high school players, Grottenthaler said. “When you saw those amazing plays, when she put it all on the line, it was when the game asked for it,” Scanlon said. “It was not just to show off. That’s what made her special.” In July, Volpe was selected for the New Balance Girls Senior All-America Game — her first game back since her second ACL tear. She played alongside fellow 2023 Syracuse recruits Kaci Benoit and Alexa Vogelman in the game. After dealing with her injuries, to be on the field with the country’s best players, the game was “the culmination of her scholastic career,” Nieman said. When Volpe arrived in Syracuse last fall, she established on-field connections with SU’s attackers, singling out Emma Ward as someone who helped her. She gave Volpe advice about playing from behind the goal and adjusting to the pace of the college game. “(Ward) would always be behind the goal, teaching me about stuff that I need to work on, stuff that I need to do during this play,” Volpe said. “(We talk about) what happened in that play and what I should have done better.” The injuries tested Volpe’s fortitude, and coaches made sure she was doing well throughout her recovery. Volpe’s positive mindset powered her back to the field, Nieman said. Grottenthaler, her teammate for many years at Monster Elite and Corning, has seen Volpe’s recovery first-hand. She said the injuries have not kept Volpe from improving. “I want to be the ACC Freshman of the Year,” Volpe said. “I want to show everyone what I’m actually made of because no one has really seen me play throughout my whole high school career.”
21 Ashlee Volpe was Inside Lacrosse’s No. 21 ranked recruit in the class of 2023
tswilcox@syr.edu @TimmyWilcox32
10 lacrosse guide 2024
The first two years under head coach Gary Gait haven’t lived up to the standard he set as a player. With stars in each unit, this is the year for the Orange to get back to national prominence. ANISH VASUDEVAN
ON THE ROAD
W
hen the Drake Porter replacement plan went south in 2022, head coach Gary Gait and his coaching staff approached the transfer portal with a pointed urgency. They brought in Will Mark, who was 2020 and 2021’s national leader in saves per game, and immediately found consistency in goal. With the faceoff unit, Gait took the same approach. They waited out a year, seeing if Johnny Richiusa and eventually Jack Fine could fill Jakob Phaup’s gap in 2023. They couldn’t. “We’ve got some new faces in that area,” Gait said, mentioning transfer Mason Kohn and freshman Johnny Mullen joining the squad this year. After last year’s 8-7 finish, I used a facetious analogy to describe Syracuse’s season, comparing it to a pantless three-piece suit. There was some validity to the statement — SU recorded the ninth-worst faceoff percentage nationally with no go-to faceoff specialist one year after Phaup set a programrecord for the most consecutive faceoffs. The unit was virtually nonexistent, giving the offense no time with the ball and leaving the fate of Syracuse’s season in the defense’s hands. Gait and his staff knew this too. “We talked a lot last year about faceoffs,” Gait said at a preseason media opportunity on Jan. 24 when asked about what needed to change from last season. “We have a sixman faceoff team and we’re hoping we can improve on those numbers dramatically.” Faceoffs were the missing piece to the puzzle. “Our faceoff play will be better, so when teams score one to two goals they won’t be scoring a third and fourth right off the draw. We’ll be able to get the ball and calm things down,” said star sophomore Joey Spallina. “I think many games won’t be getting away from us this year.” Spallina’s right. With the additions to the faceoff unit, the trial runs for Gait as the leading man of his alma mater are over. He has depth at every position group, with a top 10 recruiting class that he found mostly on his own. This year is the first step in bringing SU back to national prominence. Back to the “Orange standard” Gait set as a player. “I don’t think that standard has been back for a bit,” Spallina said. “I don’t think there’s necessarily pressure on us, but we know what we have to do.” So where did Syracuse go? The last time the Orange were in the national conversation was 2020. They
started the season 5-0, earning the the No. 1 ranking nationally while Porter, Phaup, Stephen Rehfuss, Brendan Curry and Jamie Trimboli fired on all cylinders. It was their best start since 2016, reminiscent of the national championship winning team from a quarter century earlier. But the start of the COVID-19 pandemic ended any possibility of that, simultaneously changing the collegiate athletic landscape forever. The Orange couldn’t recover from the whatifs of 2020. They plummeted to mediocrity in 2021, littered with controversy after Chase Scanlan’s arrest and indefinite suspension. John Desko retired and Gait’s opening season ended with Syracuse’s worst record ever. A No. 1 spot in the rankings was completely out of the question. Then, Spallina arrived. The first No. 22 since Scanlan, the first No. 1 recruit to go to Syracuse since Jordan Evans in 2013. Last year, he lived up to the expectations of being a generational talent, becoming the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Freshman of the Year while facilitating the offense from X. Gait chuckled at the description of Spallina as a “sophomore veteran,” but he, along with Michael Leo, are some of the most experienced within Pat March’s offensive system. “Michael Leo is a player who has really gained a lot of confidence getting through that freshman year and I’m expecting him to have a big year. And, of course, Joey Spallina expects that of himself, so I don’t need to put any more pressure on him,” Gait said. “I’m looking for other players to step up.” Those others are mostly transfers, a benefit of SU’s lost 2020 season. Princeton midfielders Jake Stevens and Sammy English bring an offensive mindset, and Gait expects them to help with faceoffs as well at the wing position. After Cole Kirst’s key addition in 2023, the Orange brought in another Lehigh transfer in Christian Mulé, who actually scored more goals in 2022 than Kirst. “We have a ton of talent on the offense and I’m waiting to see them play,” Gait said. “We’re in a position where we really haven’t been in
the last couple years, where it’s tough picking the starting lineup.” All three additions will spice up Syracuse’s already potent offensive recipe, which had the sixth-most assists in the country, an increase of almost two per game from 2022. Chemistry is a buzzword which Gait has thrown around since he took over, wanting to bring SU back to prominence. But after relying too much on Spallina in close games last year (the Orange dropped four games by three or less goals), it matters. “Last year, we were in almost every game except for maybe one in the fourth quarter and we couldn’t find ways to win against the tough teams,” Gait said. “Hopefully with the added experience our young group has mixed with the transfers that have come in we can find ways to win those games.” Winning close games will be a tall task for the Orange this year. They set themselves up with the toughest schedule in the country, according to Lacrosse Reference, with seven of their opponents ahead of them in Inside Lacrosse’s preseason poll. Gait said the decision was purposeful. “The good thing is we kind of laughed and said if we didn’t win an ACC game but won every other game we would make the tournament no problem,” Gait said. “It’s a perfect schedule for where we’re at right now and gives us the best opportunity to be back in the postseason.” Now the Orange have to execute, Gait said. The hodgepodge of the last three seasons is behind them and the first three games — Vermont, Colgate and Manhattan — should provide enough of a tune-up before the rest of the year. Most trilogies have a bad final entry, but the pieces are all there in Gait’s third year at the helm to make it back to the NCAA Tournament. They have the generational offensive talent, should have a consistent faceoff unit and bring back a goalie who’s one of the best in the nation. Only time will tell if this will be the “Godfather Part III” or “Return of the Jedi.” Anish Vasudevan is the Editor-in-Chief at The Daily Orange, where his column appears occasionally. He can be reached at asvasude@ syr.edu or on X @anish_vasu.
The Gary Gait era hasn’t lived up to the standard he set as a player. With stars in each unit, our columnist argues this is the year for SU to return to national prominence. courtesy of su athletics
lacrosse guide 2024 11
from page 4
rehfuss seventh and eighth-grade girls' lacrosse team, she was named the high school’s Varsity head coach. Rehfuss worried about how this would affect her hours at the law firm, but Stephen fully supported her, allowing her to tweak her hours. “It was great to see her doing two things that she loved doing and that she was actually very good at,” Stephen said. In her first season coaching, Rehfuss led Shaker to be 2016 NYS Section II Champions and she was named the 2016 Times Union Coach of the Year. The program didn’t replicate their success the following season, but Rehfuss was presented with a new opportunity. After Siena finished the 2017 season 1-15 under third-year head coach Bryana Borrelli, the Saints parted ways with her. On Columbus Day weekend, Rehfuss received a call from Siena Athletics Director John D’Argenio and then Assistant Vice President/Deputy Director of Athletics Lori Anctil inquiring about the vacancy. It wasn’t an opportunity Rehfuss sought out, but it allowed her to jump to D-I straight from high school. With Stephen’s approval to handle all of the firm’s motions and appeals remotely, which she still does today, Rehfuss jumped at the chance. from page 5
odierna diately adapting to it. When you know you’re seeing the best, it might make it easier going into games.” Though the challenge of securing commitment from his players loomed over Odierna. He arrived in Manhattan when it was at its lowest — Lothian said he took over a defense that didn’t want to practice. But Odierna’s players bought into what he sold. Since Manhattan lacks the same funding of elite Division I programs, Krebs said Odierna served as more than a coach. He ordered meals, booked hotels, made sure players’ grades were in order and organized meetings, among other things. Paired alongside his emphasis of a playerdriven defense, Manhattan’s roster invested in Odierna’s vision. from page 7
sweitzer sented at the event. The goalkeeper position often isolates the athlete on the field. With Goaliesmith, the company is bringing them all together, often into one cage. “It creates a community where these goalies at the top of their game can train together and learn from each other,” Gvozden said. “It's a nice scenario where they're all training and competing alongside each other but against each other and it's all facilitated in a growth mindset.” At the event, Sweitzer was grouped with the other goalies into one goal, where they competed for every rep. After an extensive warmup, the groups got into competition-based training sessions, including save contests. “You don't want to be the only goalie not making those saves for your group,” Taylor, the first-ever goalie to win the Tewaaraton award, said. “There's a lot of pressure that comes with that just like when from page 8
kohn
in-game adjustments and counter opponents’ moves helped too, Torrey Pines head coach Jono Zissi noted. “A lot of those guys get anxious, they jump the whistle, they’re nervous and they get in their own heads. He just likes to laugh at those kids,” Zissi said. “The best way to describe him is that he's just built different.” Kohn’s winding path through junior hockey started to come to a close when he was a teenager. He joined the San Diego Junior Gulls in the North American Prospects Hockey League. The team tried to become a AAA team and compete with other NHL junior teams around California, Kohn’s father, Drew, said. That idea was eventually shot down, leaving Kohn with limited options. He could’ve spent over five hours in a car each day traveling to the Los Angeles Kings or Anaheim Ducks junior hockey facilities. Instead, he stayed home to play for the San Diego Sabers in the Western States Hockey League. Later that year, he was drafted by the Muskegon Lumberjack in the 2017 USHL draft. At that point, Kohn realized it was time to move away and “get serious.” A couple of months later, he signed with the Boston Junior Bruins. With the Bruins, Kohn attended Shrewsbury (MA) High School and joined its lacrosse team. During a period when Kohn was trying to be
But the Siena job wasn’t perfect. After Borrelli was let go, Siena players voiced their displeasure. The program was broken and needed repairing — something Rehfuss encountered as a player at Loyola. “I knew (Rehfuss) wouldn’t be able to put the stick down and keep it down,” said Jen Adams, Loyola University Maryland’s women’s lacrosse head since 2009. “We all knew lacrosse would have to continue to be a part of Abby’s life because she innately was just so great at the ability to share the knowledge and information she had as a coach.” In the five seasons following the death of legendary head coach Diane Geppi-Aikens in 2003, the Greyhounds struggled immensely. In Rehfuss’ freshman season in 2008, Loyola went 6-10, its fourth consecutive losing season. But Adams joined the Greyhounds in 2009, leading them to an 11-6 record in her first season at the helm. With Loyola, Rehfuss notched 177 career points, ranks fourth in program history with 153 draw controls and earned All-Big East First Team as a senior. But Rehfuss’ impact off the field as a two-time captain was just as impactful. “I still draw examples from her when I’m speaking to my captains and my leaders now,” Adams said. “Just in the way in which she handled herself as one of the best players on the team
but also as one of the players that had the influence and captured the attention of a locker room. (She) did it in such a powerful way.” When Rehfuss arrived at Siena, the Saints’ program was under-budgeted, shared a locker room with the field hockey team and their culture was fractured. Once she took over, Rehfuss immediately drummed up internal and external support, bringing in better funding. But the team still struggled on the field, finishing the 2018 season 5-12. Despite Rehfuss’ heavy emphasis on building relationships, the locker room was still divided. “The culture was struggling,” said Emily Fiorillo, a Siena defenseman from 2018-2022. “(Rehfuss) was trying to get through but there was some apprehension. So after (the 2018) season, a lot of the girls that didn’t buy into what Abby was saying had left and we only had 20 girls on our roster. But it was the 20 girls who believed in the message and the 20 girls who wanted to be there.” Over the next five years, with players who bought into her culture, Rehfuss rebuilt Siena. The Saints reached three MAC Championship games (2019, 2021 and 2023) while Rehfuss became the program’s all-time leader in wins (53). “Abby is really the definition of a leader,” said Danielle Schwan-Tetreault, who worked under
Rehfuss for six years at Siena and became the program’s next head coach. “She’s someone who is fearlessly herself. She holds those around her to high expectations while also expecting that of herself.” Rehfuss signed a contract extension through 2026 and didn’t intend to leave the program. But when she found out former Syracuse assistant coach Kenzie Kent left the program, her younger brother Stephen — who starred on Syracuse’s men’s lacrosse team from 2017-2021 — encouraged her to reach out to SU head coach Kayla Treanor. Within a week of speaking with Treanor, Rehfuss joined the Orange’s coaching staff. As successful as Rehfuss has been on the lacrosse field, she’s just as accomplished as an attorney. In her time practicing, Rehfuss has won over 75 motions. Stephen said she was the best associate he ever had, but as her father, he joked that people should probably take that with a grain of salt. “I don’t know how she does it given her responsibilities both at Siena and now at Syracuse, but she gets it done,” Stephen said. “She has an incredibly busy spring this year in terms of motions and appeals — this is about as busy as she’s ever been. But she just takes it in stride, she handles it, she doesn’t complain and she gets it done.”
“He made it cool to care,” Lothian said. Manhattan’s turnaround resulted in its 2022 MAAC Championship win — the program’s first in 20 years. The Jaspers were scouting their opponent, St. Bonaventure, and pinpointed its attacker Sean Westley, that season’s co-MAAC Offensive Player of the Year, as the player they needed to stop. Pacher said Odierna scouted Westley all weekend. He found that Westley liked to circle around and penetrate the middle of the field when defenses drew him out wide. Odierna wanted Pacher, a former First-Team All-MAAC defender, to match up with the Bonnies’ attacker. Odierna told Pacher that once he turned Westley at midfield, the rest of the back end would slide toward Westley’s motion and trap him in a double-team. During a crucial portion of the title bout, Manhattan faced the situation Odierna prepped for. Pacher said Westley darted toward the middle, but the defense slid with him. Pacher received help from defender
Tadhg O’Riordan with Westley, forcing a ground ball which the Jaspers claimed before scoring on the other end. Manhattan held Westley to zero goals on just two shots and defeated St. Bonaventure 8-7 to win the MAAC. “After things calmed down after the MAAC Championship, we were going over the game film and said ‘We drew this exact play up,’” Pacher remembered. “It was the culmination of everything. Everything lined up perfectly in the most important game.” Odierna said he takes pride in helping progress Manhattan from “arguably the worst team in Division I” to a conference champion. It didn’t make leaving any easier, though his players knew it was inevitable. Through one offseason at Syracuse, Odierna’s already begun to instill his culture. SU head coach Gary Gait believes Odierna has created more cohesion within its defense.
“These guys are developing the communication and that chemistry and they’re all on the same page,” Gait said. “And I think that’s going to help us improve our defense.” In the ending of “Step Brothers,” Ferrell and John C. Reilly’s characters save The Catalina Wine Mixer by performing together on stage — what the two were best at. For Odierna, he makes sure his team plays to its strengths while hammering the little details out through film study. His mindset pulled Manhattan from the depths of the MAAC, and could lift Syracuse to a place it hasn’t been in awhile — atop D-I lacrosse. “Maybe (being in Syracuse) is a little bit different than what we were up against in Manhattan,” Odierna said. “So, I’ve done my best to sort of adapt that approach but make it ours at Syracuse…I think defensively over the years, Syracuse has not been known for defense and we’re trying to make that our thing.”
you're in a game. That's kind of the Goaliesmith way: being able to handle the pressure.” The drills vary from practices that cause the athlete to get outside the crease and push an offense out of its zone to defending against trick shots and quick-stick attempts. Goaliesmith’s innovative coaching style is what has helped Sweitzer and countless goalies improve. Gvozden’s reasoning behind starting the company began because of a curriculum gap he noticed while training goalies individually. Offensive schemes had advanced while goalie techniques became outdated. Rather than attempting to conform all of their athletes into one specific playing style, Goaliesmith elevates each player individually based on their strengths and weaknesses. Over her training sessions, Sweitzer learned how to use her 5-foot-9 frame to her advantage. By staying athletic and manipulating shooters, Sweitzer ranked top 10 in the country in total saves (185) and save percentage (50.5%), while helping SU to a program-best 15-0 start in 2023.
After Sweitzer trained with Goaliesmith this past summer, Syracuse goalie coach Jason Gebhardt saw significant improvements in her passing ability. Getting the ball up to SU’s potent attack is vital to its success. When Sweitzer wasn’t training with Goaliesmith this summer, she continued to train with high-level competition. As a part of “Camp Colleen,” Sweitzer trained with some of the top women’s lacrosse players in the Philadelphia region — including Sweitzer’s twin sister, Savannah, Rachel Clark (Virginia), Lucy Pearson (Stanford) as well as Olivia Dirks and Darcy Felter (North Carolina). The group, named by the players after coach Magarity, meets five to six times a week during the summer. They often train at Limitless Philly (Magarity’s facility) on strength and conditioning and at William Penn Charter School to work on tactical skills. The Sweitzer twins played for Magarity’s club team, Big 4 HHH (head, heart, hustle), since the summer going into their eighthgrade season. When they went off to college, they
wanted a place to train at home, prompting the start of Camp Colleen. As the 2024 season neared, Sweitzer went back to Maryland over winter break, working with Gvozden and Taylor as a coach for the younger girls’ groups at Goaliesmith for its Winter Week. In this environment, Sweitzer helped aspiring college athletes while communicating frequently with two of the people she often looks to for guidance. Through her time at SU, Sweitzer has racked up a flurry of personal accolades. Heading into 2024, she continues to get national recognition, as USA Lacrosse Magazine named her a preseason All-American and the Preseason Goalie of the Year. But with one year remaining, it’s Sweitzer’s last shot at a national title. “What we're seeing now is the results of three or four years behind the scenes,” Gvozden said. “And now that it's her in there, it's like kill or be killed. And she's ready for it.”
a professional, he felt it was also important to enjoy something with kids his own age. Kohn earned an offer to play lacrosse at Hartford, but he wanted to keep playing hockey. He moved on to the Corpus Christi IceRays in the North American Hockey League, attending online school and living with a younger couple. Drew said there was pressure on young players to perform because if you were at risk of “not making the next level” if you didn’t have consistent production. “It kind of does transform into a job…it's also like a perform or suffer kind of a job,” Drew said. Army and a few other schools showed interest, but they wanted Kohn to play two more years and come in as a 20-year-old freshman, something he wasn’t comfortable with. Then Tufts reached out in fall 2018, telling his parents he could come back home for his last semester at Torrey Pines before enrolling. Kohn committed in February 2019. Kohn helped Torey Pines to a CIF Lacrosse State championship berth but tore his ACL, PCL and MCL while getting extra reps after practice. It kept him on the sidelines for both sports his freshman season and the start of the COVID-19 pandemic complicated joining the lacrosse team. It was a gradual process of re-integrating Kohn back into the sport. After joining the team in February 2022, D’Annolfo kept Kohn out of workouts for the first week — since lacrosse works different muscles than hockey. It took several weeks before he was practicing at a similar level to his teammates.
Through Tufts’ first seven games that season, Kohn only took at least 10 faceoffs in a single game once. But after Hesse suffered an injury in late April, Kohn received more in-game reps. His first collegiate start came against Bowdoin in the NESCAC championship game, where he won 17-of-30 faceoffs. Two games later in the NCAA Sweet 16, Kohn’s matchup was Joe Post — a 2022 USA Lacrosse All-American. Kohn held his own again, winning 14-of-24 faceoffs to solidify his starting role. “Those two things happen within like a twoweek period and you're like ‘OK this isn't fluky,’” D’Annolfo said. In a 26-15 loss to RIT in the semifinal, Kohn won nearly 66% of his faceoffs but struggled to get the ball out of his stick and feed teammates. During his limited availability that offseason, Kohn refined his stick skills, playing wall ball by himself to make sure the same mistakes didn’t reoccur. In 20 games last season, Kohn won nearly 72% of his faceoffs and earned the Division III specialist of the year. Tufts made the national championship and as the season wore on, Kohn thought more about playing a fifth year in D-I. “Him in March of junior year versus him like, by the time we're playing the national championship last year, were like two completely different people,” former teammate and current-Virginia attacker Jack Boyden said. Kohn was admitted into UCLA Law School in fall 2022, but his on-field performances
attracted some of the nation’s top programs. While on the bus heading to Tufts’ regular-season finale against Bowdoin, Kohn got a call from his sister Mia, a lacrosse player at San Diego State whose coach was Taylor Gait, Gary Gait’s daughter. Taylor told Mia — who relayed to Kohn — that Gait wanted in. When Mia called, Kohn was thrilled but said he had to prepare for a game, so he hung up and said they’d talk later. Over the next couple weeks, the two discussed Syracuse, but Kohn wanted to win the national title with Tufts first. Despite winning nearly 80% of his faceoffs in the national championship against Salisbury, Tufts fell 17-12. Kohn’s lacrosse career at Tufts started with minimal expectations. He was one of the last guys on the roster. He got changed in a snack closet. Kohn wasn’t expected to play, but as time went on, he evolved and so did the expectations. Now with Syracuse, Kohn has the chance to be the missing piece on a team with lofty expectations in 2024. “The end goal is to win the national championship,” he said. “That's the standard of whether or not you succeed or not in a season, especially at a program like (Syracuse). “I'd be lying if I said that's not why I came back to play fifth year.”
justingirshon@gmail.com @JustinGirshon
ccandrew@syr.edu @cooper_andrews
amstepan@syr.edu @AidenStepansky
zakwolf784254@gmail.com @ZakWolf22
beat writer pr
12 lacrosse guide 2024
prolific production
in his footsteps
2014: Tied NCAA Single-Season Record in Goals
MILES THOMPSO TREY DEERE
Megan Carney and Meaghan Tyrrell combined for 114 goals last season. With their departure, freshmen like Ashlee Volpe will try to replace their goal production.
2015: Followed Miles Thompson for a day
2021: Co to Sy
Miles
source: cuse.com
road to the maac
slow on the draw
12 11 10
METRO ATLANTIC ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS
9 8 7 6 5 4
2023
3 2
CANCELLED (COVID-19)
1 2016
2017
2018
2019 WINS
2020
2022 2021
2021
2022
2020
LOSSES
John Odierna’s defense took a three-win Manhattan “band of misfits” to a conference title in 2022 source: gojaspers.com
John Odierna’s defense took a thr “band of misfits” to a conference source: gojaspers.com
Following a Final Four appearance in 2023, our beat writers believe Syracuse will make another deep run in the NCAA Tournament AIDEN STEPANSKY
JUSTIN GIRSHON
OVER THE HUMP?
FINALLY ON TOP
RESILIENT DOWN THE STRETCH
RECORD: 13-3 (7-2 ACC) MVP: emma ward X-FACTOR: olivia adamson
RECORD: 14-2 (7-2 ACC) MVP: emma ward X-FACTOR: kate mashweske
RECORD: 13-3 (7-2 ACC) MVP: emma tyrrell X-FACTOR: ashlee volpe
In the first two years of the Treanor era, Syracuse’s season has ended on the cusp of a National Championship appearance. In 2024, SU will be defined by its ability to get over the hump. Despite a grueling schedule that features 11 teams who made last year’s tournament, expect Syracuse to once again finish well above .500 and go deep into the NCAA Tournament. Still, I see them falling once again at the doorstep. While SU’s defense returns one of the nation’s top goalies in Delaney Sweitzer, its offense is losing two all-time greats in Meaghan Tyrrell and Megan Carney. But Syracuse does return top offensive weapons Emma Ward (94 points) and Emma Tyrrell (52 goals). Olivia Adamson could also be a top threat as she totaled six points against JMU in the national quarterfinals. Yes, the schedule is daunting. But it was in 2023, too, when SU still beat eight ranked opponents in the regular season. Though for the Orange, in the end, all that will be remembered is how they perform on Championship Weekend.
After back-to-back seasons of heartbreak under Treanor followed a National Championship loss in 2021, the best way to describe SU’s program is one that continuously falls short at the biggest stage. But with Treanor now having two years of experience under her belt and a group of experienced upperclassmen, led by Ward, Tyrrell and Sweitzer, this is the year. The Orange have all the pieces and talent to win the ACC Tournament for the first time since 2015 and win their longawaited first NCAA title. While Syracuse needs to overcome the loss of Tyrrell and Carney, it is more than equipped with depth. Kate Mashewske is returning from a season-ending injury in 2023 and upperclassmen Natalie Smith, Adamson, Maddy Baxter and Katie Goodale are ready to assume larger roles. It’s been 26 years, but this is finally the year Syracuse gets on top.
TIMMY WILCOX
Syracuse looked unstoppable to start 2023 before the season came to a halt in May. Boston College proved to be SU’s kryptonite. In 2024, the Orange have the same mission: win the national championship. The offensive loss will make it difficult for SU to make a run in the postseason again. Now, Emma Tyrrell and Ward will need to step up on offense. Five-star freshman Ashlee Volpe will be counted on to score and will compete for ACC Freshman of the Year. SU starts the year with the defending National Champions, Northwestern, which will gauge the resilience of this team early on. The Orange can power through most of their regular season schedule. Syracuse will turn some heads, picking up big wins against UNC and Maryland, building momentum before the postseason. Ending the year with BC will prove a testament to how much SU has grown since 2023. Syracuse should reach the ACC semifinals, but I don’t think it will reach the Final Four for the second time in Treanor’s three years at the helm.
redictions 2014: Drafted 20th overall in MLL Draft
2014: Member of Iroquois National Team
lacrosse guide 2024 13
2015: Became Trey Deere’s mentor
ON
ommitted yracuse
2022: Member of Iroquois U19 team
2023: Played at All-American Boys Senior game
Thompson accomplished a lot before he met Trey Deere in 2015. Now, Deere looks to follow a similar path as Thompson. source: ncaa.com, insidelacrosse.com
class of his own .671 (5th in nation) .516 (26th in nation) .578 (9th in nation) .419 (64th in nation)
Trey Deere is Syracuse’s only five-star recruit in the 10-person 2023 class
ree-win Manhattan title in 2022
After missing the NCAA tournament the first two years of the Gary Gait era, our beat writers agree SU will return to the big dance in 2024 ZAK WOLF
COOPER ANDREWS
ANISH VASUDAVEN
UNDER PRESSURE
A NEW MINDSET
DOUBLE STANDARD
RECORD: 11-4 (2-2 ACC) MVP: mason kohn X-FACTOR: will mark
RECORD: 12-3 (2-2 ACC) MVP: joey spallina X-FACTOR: john odierna
RECORD: 10-5 (1-3 ACC) MVP: joey spallina X-FACTOR: faceoffs
Syracuse comes into the 2024 season with expectations to make the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2021. SU faces a tough schedule as it’s set to play seven of the top eight teams in the Inside Lacrosse preseason poll. The question isn’t whether Syracuse will be tested, but will it survive? With veteran additions like Jake Stevens and Sam English along with faceoff man Mason Kohn, the Orange will be more experienced this year. Kohn is going to be the x-factor on a team which struggled to consistently win faceoffs last season. At Tufts, Kohn won 72% of his faceoffs — while the Orange won just 42% — and was the Division-III specialist of the season. Kohn’s ability from the faceoff X gives the Orange a different dynamic from last season which will lead to them having one of the best offenses in the ACC. The tough schedule will provide some bumps in the road, but ultimately Syracuse will make the NCAA tournament for the first time under head coach Gary Gait.
Under Gait, Syracuse hasn’t been more well-equipped to handle a gauntlet of a schedule. Even through a middleof-the-pack 2023 campaign, the Orange had one of the top offenses in the nation. They ranked No. 3 in man-up offense (.565%) and No. 6 in goals per game (23). But SU’s defense was forgettable. It ranked last among ACC teams in goals given up per game, allowing just over 12 a contest, and consistently faltered against top competition. Now, though, new defensive coordinator John Odierna brings a whole new attitude — centered around intense preparation and an unpredictable scheme — to Syracuse. In his previous year at Manhattan, the Jaspers allowed the fewest goals per game in the country (8.00) under Odierna’s command and made a third straight MAAC title game. With Odierna’s ability to dissect opposing offenses, SU should have an added boost on the sidelines. And as star attacker Joey Spallina leads an even more-talented offensive group, the Orange are primed for their best year in the Gait era — and an NCAA Tournament berth.
In his preseason media availability, Spallina mentioned the standard of Syracuse lacrosse. A mark set by his head coach, when the Orange won 10 championships in 21 years. A mark he wants to bring SU back to. It’s far-fetched, but SU’s generational talent is back for another year with a summer of box lacrosse alongside freshman Trey Deere under his belt. Spallina will be better, able to score more in tight spaces while being familiar with Deere. The faceoff unit just needs to get him the ball. I’m much more pessimistic about the Orange’s chances than my counterparts. I don’t think they’ll scrape together two ACC wins despite almost defeating Duke twice last season. But with this loaded schedule, nonconference wins should be enough to help their R PI and allow them to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Will they win more than one game in the postseason? Probably not. But just making it to the NCAA Tournament is the new standard Syracuse needs to meet.
14 lacrosse guide 2024
legit pizza. blazin’ fast. NOW OPEN IN DEWITT
GLUTEN-FREE DOUGH AND VEGAN CHEESE AVAILABLE.
YOU NAME IT, WE BUILD IT.
FRESH DOUGH,
MADE FROM SCRATCH DAILY.
REAL INGREDIENTS. NO NITRITES. NO KIDDING.
180 SECONDS
IN OUR OPEN-FLAME OVEN.
FAST-FIRE’D PERFECTION. NOW THAT’S LIT.
DeWitt - Marshalls Plaza 5743 Widewaters Parkway
dailyorange.com
lacrosse guide 2024 15
16 lacrosse guide 2024
dailyorange.com