Maryland is often the first state to come to mind when many people think of lacrosse in the U.S. Others would go further and refer to Maryland as the lacrosse capital of the world. Still, it's a topic that causes debate among the lacrosse community, especially for those on the East Coast.
What one cannot deny, though, is the history of accomplishment that the University of Maryland men’s lacrosse program holds. The university has produced 45 conference titles, 28 NCAA Final Fours, 522 All-Americans, and 13 national championships in its 99 seasons, and its success attracts many student-athletes from the area.
Of the 50 players on its roster, 15 hail from the state of Maryland, which is by far the most of any state. However, there’s a state with significant representation among the few that aren't on the East Coast. Ryan Siracusa, Eric Malever, and Braden Erksa make up a trio of offensive starters from Georgia.
Siracusa (Alpharetta), Malever (Atlanta), and Erksa (Marietta) are not only from the same state, but they also grew up living no more than 30 minutes away from each other.
“I feel like I've just known them forever,” Siracusa said. “There aren’t that many big names in the Atlanta area, and you sort of just get a sense of who's going to play at the college level, and you start interacting with them more.”