#2 Maryland (14-3, 3-2 B1G) vs. #1 Cornell (17-1, 6-0 Ivy)
NCAA Tournament Finals
May 26, 2025
Gillette Stadium
1 PM
ESPN
Watch COLLEGE PARK, MD -- No. 2-seed Maryland (14-3) plays its 18th NCAA Championship game in school history when it battles No. 1-seed Cornell at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA, on Monday, May 26. The game is set for an 1 p.m. face-off and will air on ESPN.
This year marks the 100th season of Maryland men's lacrosse. The program has produced 532 All-Americans, 30 Final Fours, and four NCAA National Championships. The Terps have remarkably also finished .500 or better in every season.
Where we've been...
- This season, Maryland has wins over No. 18 Richmond, Loyola, No. 2 Syracuse, No. 5 Princeton, No. 1 Notre Dame, Delaware, No. 18 Virginia, No. 7 Penn State, No. 2 Ohio State, Johns Hopkins, No. 7 Penn State again in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, and Air Force, Georgetown, and No. 6-seed Syracuse in the NCAA Tournament.
- The Terrapins' losses came at home to Michigan in 3OT, 11-10, at Rutgers, 8-6, and vs. Ohio State, 14-10, in the Big Ten Tournament finals at Michigan.
- With the Terps' 13-8 win over Penn State on March 29, Maryland joined Johns Hopkins and Syracuse as the only three schools with 900 all-time victories. The Terrapins .754 winning percentage is the best of any NCAA Division I school and far outpaces the Blue Jays (.727) and the Orange (.710).
Scouting The Big Red
- The Big Red are 17-1 this season after toppling No. 5-seed Penn State, 11-9, in the first game of the NCAA Tournament semifinals on Saturday, May 24. Cornell, the top seed in the tournament, earned an automatic bid after winning the Ivy League Tournament and have won its last 13 games since dropping a 13-12 decision in OT to Penn State on March 8. The Big Red are 3-0 in neutral site games in 2025.
- Offensively, the Big Red are led by Tewaaraton Award favorite and Raymond J. Enners Award winner CJ Kirst. The senior attackman and first team USILA All-American is the all-time leading goal-scorer in NCAA history with 241 and leads all scorers this season with 76 goals and 108. Sohpomore attackman Ryan Goldstein and senior attackman Michael Long round out the potent starting attack with 89 and 72 points, respectively, this season.
- In the midfield, first team USILA All-American Hugh Kelleher has 39 points on 27 goals and 12 assists, while seond team USILA All-American Willem Firth has 49 points on 32 goals and 17 assists.
- Defensively, senior defender Jayson Singer was a third team USILA All-American has 20 groundballs and 15 caused turnovers this season. Senior Wyatt Knust, a honorable mention USILA All-American in 2024, has started all 18 games in cage and has a 10.21 goals against average and a .537 save percentage.
- Junior Jack Cascadden, an honorable mention USILA All-American, has taken 83.8% of Cornell's face-offs this season and boasts a .619 win percentage and has a team-best 154 groundballs, which second in the nation this season. Cascadden is also a threat with the ball, totaling 11 points on 10 goals and one assist in 2025.
- Connor Buczek is in his fifth season as the head coach of the Big Red men's lacrosse team and is 51-15 (.773). Buczek took over the program in the spring of 2020 during the COVID pandemic. The Ivy League did not play athletic competitions during the 2021 season, so Buczek has only coached the Big Red for four seasons. Prior to being elevated to the head coaching position, Buczek was a volunteer assistant for one season and a full-time assistant coach for three seasons.
Series history
- This will mark the 20th all-time meeting between two of the most storied programs in NCAA history with the Terps holding the 16-3 advantage. The series dates back to 1929.
- This will be the eighth game between Maryland and Cornell in the NCAA Tournament. The Terps hold a 4-3 lead in tournament games against the Big Red, including wins in the last three meetings.
- The last time these two progams met was the 2022 NCAA Championship game on May 30 in East Hartford, CT. The No. 1-seeded Terps capped of an undefeated 18-0 season with a 9-7 win over the No. 7-seeded Big Red. Logan Wisnauskas led the Maryland offense with four points on two goals and two assists, en route to becoming the first Terp to record 100 points in a single season. Logan McNaney, the 2022 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player, made 17 saves in the finals and finished with 61 saves in the NCAA Tournament.
- Prior to that 2022 meeting, Maryland defeated Cornell, 13-8, in the 2018 quarterfinals, and, 8-7, in the first round of the 2014 tournament. Cornell last defeated Maryland in the tournament in 2013, a 16-8 win for the Big Red in the first round in College Park.
- Arguably the most famous meeting between the two schools came in the 1976 finals. Maryland and Cornell each entered the championship game undefeated and featured Hall of Famers up and down both rosters. The Terps raced out to a 7-2 lead at the half, but the Big Red scored six goals in the third and took a 12-10 lead with seven minutes left in the game. Frank Urso cut the lead to a goal with an extra-man score with three minutes remaining. Cornell was whistled for an offsides violation with seven seconds left, giving Maryland one last chance. Urso sprinted down the right side and laced a pass to freshman Greg Rumpf on the crease and Rumpf tied the score with one second left to send the game to OT. Overtime was not sudden-victory in 1976. Had it been, Maryland would have celebrated its second straight title as Terry Kimball scored on a pass from John Lamon 1:34 into OT to give the Terps a 13-12 lead. However, overtime then was two four-minute periods and the Big Red scored the next four goals to win the championship 16-13.
- The tournament rivalry between the two schools stretches back to 1971, the first year of the tournament. Cornell, the No. 1 seed, battled through Brown and Army to make the finals, where it faced Maryland, which breezed through Air Force and Navy in the quarters and semis, respectively. The Big Red got six of their 12 goals from Alan Rimmer and won the inaugural NCAA Men's Lacrosse Tournament, 12-6. Maryland's offense, which was led by Tom Cleaver's two goals, couldn't solve Cornell goalie Bib Buhmann, who finished with 25 saves.
NCAA Tournament Notes
- This marks Maryland's 47th appearance in program history and an NCAA-best 22nd straight appearance.
- Maryland's first-ever NCAA appearance came in 1971 when the Terps lost to top-seeded Cornell and former Terp Richie Moran in the championship game.
- Throughout the team's previous 47 appearances, the program is 76-42 (.644) all-time in the tournament with an NCAA-best 30 Final Four trips.
- Since 2011 under Coach Tillman, the Terps have made every tournament, gone 34-11 (.756), and earned 10 Championship Weekend appearances with two NCAA Championships. In addition, Tillman owns the most NCAA Tournament victories of any active coach with 34.
- Maryland has now made 18 NCAA Championship games in program history, including nine in 15 seasons under head coach John Tillman. Tillman is 2-6 in the finals.
- Did you know ... In Maryland's 11 semifinal appearances under John Tillman the Terrapins have played in the second semifinal game 11 times?
- NCAA Championships (4): 1973, 1975, 2017, 2022
- Finals (18): 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025
- Final Four (30): 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025
- Tournament Appearances (47): 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
As The No. 2 Seed
- This season marks just the fourth time since the tournament began in 1971 that Maryland is the No. 2 seed. The Terps are 7-3 all-time as the second seed after defeating Syracuse, 14-8, in the semifinals.
- The last time the Terps were the No. 2 seed was 2006. The Terps breezed through Denver, 16-8, in College Park in the first round behind six-point efforts by Max Ritz (5g-1a) and Joe Walters (1g-5a). Maryland then toppled No. 7-seed Princeton, 11-6, at Towson's Unitas Stadium in the quarterfinals. Walters led the Terps again with four points (2g-2a), while the close defense of Steve Whittenberg (4GB-6CT), Joe Cinosky (3GB-3CT), and Ray Megill (4GB-1CT) held the Tigers' offense in check. Maryland's run ended with an 8-5 loss to UMass in the semifinals in Philadelphia.
- The prior time Maryland was the second seed in the tournament was in 1996. After a bye in the first round, the Terps lost to No. 7-seeded Johns Hopkins in the quarterfinals.
- The first time as the 2nd-seed was 1979. Maryland reached the championship game with wins over No. 7-seed Syracuse, 16-13, in the quarterfinals and No. 3-seed Navy, 15-10, in the semifinals. But the Terps lost to top-seeded Johns Hopkins, 15-9, in College Park in the finals.
Terry Kimball scored three goals and added an assist in the 1979 NCAA Tournament semifinals to lead the No. 2-seeded Terps past Navy and into the NCAA Championship game.
Trio of Terps Picked In PLL Draft
- Maryland men's lacrosse standouts Logan McNaney, Jack McDonald, and Bryce Ford were selected in the 2025 Premier Lacrosse League Draft.
- McNaney was taken 11th overall by the Denver Outlaws, becoming the first goalie selected in the draft. McDonald followed at 16th overall in the second round, going to the Carolina Chaos. Ford rounded out the night, picked 32nd overall by the Utah Archers.
- With these selections, Maryland now boasts 76 professional outdoor lacrosse draftees and has had at least one top-12 pick in each of the last three drafts.
Consecutive 10-Win Seasons
Seven Terps Earn USILA All-America Honors
- Seven Maryland men's lacrosse players earned USILA All-American honors on Thursday afternoon, highlighted by Will Schaller's First Team selection. Eric Kolar and Logan McNaney were named to the Second Team, Jack McDonald earned Third Team recognition, and Eric Spanos, Braden Erksa, and Bryce Ford received Honorable Mention nods.
- Schaller collected his first career USILA All-American honor after being named the 2025 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. The junior leads the team with 22 caused turnovers and has anchored a defense that ranks third nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 7.81 goals per game.
- McNaney, the 11th overall pick in the 2025 PLL Draft by the Denver Outlaws, earned his third career All-American honor and first Second Team selection. Previously an Honorable Mention in 2021 and 2022, he set Maryland's all-time saves record this season with 743, surpassing a mark that stood for 41 years. McNaney has posted double-digit saves in 14 games and is averaging 11.19 saves per game.
- Kolar earned his first career All-American recognition with a Second Team selection. A critical part of Maryland's short-stick defensive midfield unit, he's tallied 10 caused turnovers and eight ground balls, playing a key role in one of the top defenses in the country.
- McDonald was named to the Third Team, also earning his first career All-American honor. Selected in the second round of the PLL Draft by the Carolina Chaos, he's been a key piece of Maryland's long-stick midfield unit. McDonald leads the team with 46 ground balls and ranks second in caused turnovers with 14.
- Spanos, a 2025 Tewaaraton Top-25 Finalist, earned Honorable Mention recognition for the second consecutive season. He leads the Terps in points (46), ranks second in goals (30), and second in assists (16), serving as a dynamic and consistent offensive threat.
- Erksa received his first career All-American honor as an Honorable Mention. He's tied for second on the team in points (46), goals, and ranks third in assists (15). He has recorded three or more points in seven games this season, including four in the NCAA Quarterfinal victory over Georgetown.
- Ford, a graduate transfer midfielder, also earned his first career All-American honor with an Honorable Mention selection. He has started all 16 games for the Terps, tallying multi-point performances in 11 contests. Ford was selected 32nd overall by the Utah Archers in the PLL Draft.
100th Season of maryland men's lacrosse
- The Terps boast an all-time record of 906-294-4 (.754), dating back to the first varsity team in 1924 (a team was not fielded in 1944 and 1945 due to World War II). Maryland has finished with a .500 or better record in all previous 99 seasons. The program reached the 800-win milestone with a 12-6 victory on April 12, 2017, at Albany and became just the third school with 900 wins on March 29, 2025, with a 13-8 win over Penn State.
- Maryland finished the decade of the 2010s 134-42 for a .761 winning percentage, making it the winningest decade in Terrapin lacrosse history. Nine of those seasons came under the direction of head coach John Tillman, who has posted a 122-38 record and a .763 winning percentage at the helm for Maryland.
- During the decade of the 2000s, Maryland went 111-49 for a .694 win percentage. In the decade of the 1990s, Maryland posted a 95-47 record. The .669 winning percentage matched Maryland's win percentage of the 1980s when the Terps went 83-41 and also compiled a .669 win percentage.
- Midway through the 2020s, the Terrapins are 73-17 (.811), which is on pace for the second-best winning percentage for a decade behind only the 1950s when the Terps were 84-15-1 (.845). The only other decade with a winning percentage of .800+ was the 1970s, with a mark of 85-21 (.802).
900 Victories
McNaney: Maryland's All-Time Saves Leader
Lockdown Defense
- The Terps have been excellent defensively in the 2025 campaign, holding its opponents to 10 goals or less in 15 of 17 games (and 16 of 17 in regulation).
- Maryland held its first eight opponents in 2025 to 10 goals or less. The last time the Terrapin defense had seven straight games allowing 10 or fewer goals was the final seven games of the 2017 season, when the Terps captured the NCAA Championship.
- Maryland's scoring defense of 7.82 is the second-best mark in the nation.
- The Terps held Delaware to just three goals. The last time the Terps held an opponent to three or fewer goals was on March 14, 2015, when they defeated Villanova 11-2.
- Maryland has held 15 of its 17 opponents to fewer goals then the opponents' season scoring average. Only Michigan (13 goals / 10.64 gpg) and Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament (14 goals / 12.69 gpg) have scored more than their season average against the Terps.
Scoring Average Differences
| Opponent |
Goals/Game |
vs. UMD |
Difference |
| Richmond |
13.67 |
7 |
-6.67 |
| Loyola |
9.29 |
7 |
-2.29 |
| Syracuse |
13.58 |
7 |
-6.58 |
| Princeton |
13.50 |
9 |
-4.50 |
| Notre Dame |
13.64 |
10 |
-3.64 |
| Delaware |
12.15 |
3 |
-9.15 |
| Virginia |
11.00 |
6 |
-5.00 |
| Michigan |
10.64 |
13 |
+2.36 |
| Penn State |
12.29 |
8 |
-4.29 |
| Rutgers |
9.00 |
8 |
-1.00 |
| Ohio State |
12.29 |
8 |
-4.29 |
| Johns Hopkins |
10.07 |
8 |
-2.07 |
| Penn State |
12.29 |
8 |
-4.29 |
| Ohio State |
12.29 |
13 |
+1.71 |
| Air Force (NCAA) |
12.18 |
5 |
-7.18 |
| Georgetown (NCAA) |
12.88 |
6 |
-6.88 |
| Syracuse (NCAA) |
13.58 |
8 |
-5.58 |
A Trio Of Teros On The All-Time Points List
