The men’s lacrosse 2024 season was among the most successful in program history. The team won their third conference championship — their first as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference — and took on six-seeded University of Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before falling 17-11. 

This year felt more like a culmination rather than a continuation from past seasons for one key reason. The team graduated its top four goal scorers from the 2024 season, including program all-time goals leader (149) Matt Bohmer ’23, M.S. ’24, and Premier Lacrosse League third-round pick Levi Anderson ’22, M.B.A. ’24. Entering the 2025 season, head coach Taylor Wray had a tall task to complete: replace the 157 goals that the graduating class scored last season. 

Things looked bleak to start the season. An upset loss to Sacred Heart by one goal at home and a close two-goal loss to #7 Duke kicked off the season. However, since starting 0-2, the Hawks hit their stride. They won seven straight games, including a Philadelphia schools sweep, winning games over Drexel, Villanova and Penn by a combined 11 goals. St. Joe’s closed out non-conference play ranked No. 15 in the nation by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association.

The question “Who will replace all those goal scorers?” was emphatically answered. True first-year attack Ben Dutton has not stopped scoring since stepping on Sweeney Field for the first time. He scored in each of the first nine games this season and even went on a five-game hat-trick streak. Dutton scored a first-year program record of six goals in one game, leading the Hawks to a 16-8 win against Providence College March 22.

Fifth-year attack Richie LaCalandra joins Dutton as the only other player with 30+ points this season. The fifth-year has 19 goals and 17 assists through ten games and scored four in his last game against the University of Massachusetts. LaCalandra has mostly operated behind the net at X and consistently shows off his agility around the crease to score and pass effectively.

The defensive core has remained largely unchanged since last season. Headlined by USA Lacrosse Preseason All-American and Tewaaraton Watch List senior defender Levi Verch and Inside Lacrosse 2025 Breakout Candidate junior goalie Tommy Gross, the Hawks defense has allowed single-digit goals five times this season. 

The combination of an experienced defense and a new-look offense has propelled St. Joe’s to success in the early part of this season. The Hawks won the first two A-10 regular-season championships and are looking for a three-peat this season. Richmond offers steep competition, currently ranked No. 10 by the USILA and led by fifth-year Tewaaraton Watch List goalie Zach Vigue. The Hawks are coming off three straight wins against Richmond, and the Spiders have to come to Hawk Hill April 25 to end the regular season.