Sun May 30 2021 | Patrick Stevens | College
COURTESY OF NCAA PHOTOS
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. What began as the Year of the Transfer in Division I men’s lacrosse has produced a national title matchup with distinctly different traits.
Continuity and cohesion are the watchwords for third-seeded Maryland (15-0) and fourth-seeded Virginia (13-4), who will meet in Monday’s final at Rentschler Field.
Fifth-year players have clearly powered both to varying degrees. The Terrapins have attackman Jared Bernhardt and defenseman Nick Grill, both of whom took advantage of the extra year of eligibility afforded by the NCAA. Virginia still has long pole Jared Conners and midfielder Dox Aitken.
Photo by Alan Schaefer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Thanks to a devastating pandemic, an unsavory finish to Maryland men’s lacrosse 2020 campaign left plenty to be desired. In just six games, the team demonstrated its perennial ability to produce at a high level on offense, displayed its depth on both sides of the field and was firmly positioned to make a significant run in the NCAA Tournament.
Now with no major departures following the prolonged offseason, the Terps, who are No. 5 ranking per Inside Lacrosse, bring in a roster that includes high-end freshman talent along with prolific upperclassmen athletes. And they’re all poised to make this 2021 season a mulligan to last year’s shortened campaign.