The NCAA Tournament is here. Brackets are in hand. And I think this means we wipe the slate clean in one of the most “open” years in recent memory. Throughout the entire season there really has not been one team with a stranglehold on the rest.
The preseason #1 ranked team in Maryland is out of the tournament. My other preseason frontrunner in Syracuse has looked up and down all season and is sitting at the #6 seed. The only team in the nation who has lost 1 game is #4 Richmond. They lost to #3 Notre Dame who has two losses all year, both to #5 Virginia. The most complete team at this moment is the #1 overall seed Princeton, who had two losses all year both to tournament teams. They have already avenged their first loss by dominating Cornell in the Ivy League Championship and could take on their other loss Penn State in the quarterfinals.
If you missed the action this past weekend, there were a few bits of chaos to report on.
The #4 seed in the ACC in Virginia went on and won the ACC Championship, and it wasn’t necessarily close. Jake Marek looked dominant in the cage for the Cavaliers and be on the lookout for Virginia if they can get this kind of goalie play next week.
Two #1 seeds went down in their championship game on Saturday. Siena (MAAC) got out to a slow start and saw Marist take home the MAAC crown, while Towson (CAA) also came out slow and couldn’t claw back in time in a loss to Stony Brook.
Penn State and Princeton put on dominant performances to win the Big Ten and Ivy League. After suffocating Maryland on Thursday night, Penn State went out and dropped the offensive hammer on Hopkins. Princeton did somewhat of the same, gutting through a semifinal win over Yale and then went out and dominated Cornell on Sunday to win the championship.
And so there we have it, the bracket is set. 18 teams remain and it will take 17 games to decide the 2026 National Champion. Without further ado, the bracket.
1. Princeton vs Marist/Stony Brook
8. Penn State vs Army
5. Virginia vs Georgetown
4. Richmond vs Duke
6. Syracuse vs Yale
3. North Carolina vs Albany
7. Cornell vs Hopkins
2. Notre Dame vs Robert Morris/Jacksonville
Printable bracket for those who like the pen and paper method linked here. Let’s get into the games.
Albany @ #3 North Carolina – Saturday, 12pm
North Carolina sits as a heavy favorite but don’t discount the Great Danes who have pros across their roster including Silas Richmond on offense. The past two weeks have not been kind to UNC and they have had up and down goalie play lately. Duffy and Pietramala are banged up which could lead to a slow pace in this one which would favor Albany. The x factor is Brady Wambach, who could steal a ton of possessions for the Heels. Don’t overthink it, give me UNC 15-8.
Army @ #8 Penn State – Saturday, 2:30pm
The question for me in this game is which Penn State team will show up? The one who dragged out a win over Maryland in the Big Ten semis or the one who rolled offensively over Hopkins in the Big Ten championship. Army has a tendency to drag teams into the mud with them. That being said the Army offense can and will get to the goal. If Army can keep the cap on Hunter Aquino they can upset the Nittany Lions. Army 10-9.
Hopkins @ #7 Cornell – Saturday, 5pm
Two storied programs will go at it in Ithaca for the first time in 39 years after both getting blown out in their conference championship game. After losing CJ Kirst, Cornell surprised me by staying competitive this year. Led by Ryan Goldstein and Tewaaraton finalist Willem Firth, their offense lacks a big physical dodger they had last year, but these two have a connection unlike anyone else in the country. Hopkins on the other hand hasn’t really impressed me this year. Their biggest win was a Penn State choke job. Their best dodger is a midfielder and their best attackman is a catch and shoot guy. If you stop Collison and Chauvette you will beat Hopkins. I also have concerns with goalie Oran Gelinas whos had a few very cold streaks. Give me Cornell 14-9.
Duke @ #4 Richmond – Saturday, 7:30pm
Duke has snuck into the tournament after their win over UNC a couple weeks ago and lots of help. That being said they haven’t played in almost 2 weeks. Can they stay hot? They have the talent to play with anyone in the country. Robbins Stadium under the lights should be quite the environment on Saturday night. Richmond also has the talent all over the field so I expect this to be a close game. I think this thriller goes to Duke, 14-13.
Jacksonville @ #2 Notre Dame – Sunday, 12pm
Outside of their 16-10 loss to Duke, Jacksonville lost four other games this season (Rutgers, UNC, Navy, Utah) by a combined four goals. Warning for Irish fans, Jacksonville can hang with Notre Dame and they will. Attackman Jack Taylor leads the nation in points and that matchup with Shawn Lyght will be must watch. Jacksonville faces off very well and saves the ball very well. The Irish offense concerns me because of how balanced they are. There really isn’t a #1 option for them so they need to hope a midfielder steps up to contribute with Yago, Miller and Behrman at attack. Notre Dame 10-7.
Marist @ #1 Princeton – Sunday, 2:30pm
The Red Foxes are moving on after taking down Stony Brook on Wednesday night. Unfortunately, they will take on the most complete team in the field. Princeton has studs all over the field and at every position. Nate Kabiri and Chad Palumbo are dangerous on the offensive
end. Andrew McMeekin is one of the top faceoff men in the country. Jack Stahl and Ryan Croddick hold it down defensively. A loss before the final four is a failure of a season for Princeton, who should have national championship aspirations. They are my pick to win it all. Princeton rolls here 19-6.
Yale @ #6 Syracuse – Sunday, 5pm
Syracuse is undefeated in the dome this season but have looked all sorts of off the past few weeks. Jimmy McCool is streaky in the cage and to the untrained eye looks like he is guessing on shots more times than not. This Yale team can put up a fight and showed they mean business in a close loss to Princeton last weekend. The Syracuse senior class has been everywhere except the National Championship game and I think the experience here will push them through. Joey Spallina and this senior class will not let the ship go down in the first round. Syracuse 14-11.
Georgetown @ #5 Virginia – Sunday, 7:30pm
The committee saved the best for last in my opinion. Everyone knows about the Millon brothers on Virginia’s offense. The question is if they also know about Ty Banks and Robert Plath who have been two of the best defensemen in the country all season. Georgetown cruised through the Big East and is flying under the radar. Virginia is the nation’s hottest team. If the Virginia defense can hold up against the Connor brothers and Jake Marek has another good game in the goal, Virginia moves on. In a close one, Virginia 13-12.
I have my final four as Princeton, Virginia, Cornell and Syracuse, with Princeton over Syracuse 14-12 in the National Championship. Either way, I know this tournament will produce some chaos. In a year as wide open as ever I feel foolish for picking the #1 seed. Princeton and Syracuse are the most complete teams, even though they haven’t played like it all season. Seventeen games to go this season, enjoy!
Lacrosse Analyst
Sam Kuhn currently is the graduate assistant for the men’s lacrosse program at Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio and is working to complete his Masters of Business Administration in 2020. Sam graduated from the College of Wooster in 2018, where he received his Bachelors Degree in English and played lacrosse as well. In his four years, Sam was a two time All-NCAC selection, a first team All-Region selection in 2018, and surpassed 100 goals for his career, one of seven members in program history to do so. Sam has interned with Inside Lacrosse, and wrote for the sports section of The Wooster Voice.