With the 2024 DI men's lacrosse tournament here, let's break down the top offensive players competing. The tournament kicks off with an opening round game between Albany and Sacred Heart on May 8, and the first round begins Saturday, May 11.
This list is in no particular order, and many more names could have been added. This is just a handful of a large pool of remarkable talent looking to take home a title in 2024.
*Stats are through all games up to May 5, 2024
1 and 2. Pat and Chris Kavanagh (Notre Dame)
The list kicks off with the star duo from Notre Dame. Pat, a graduate student, and Chris, a junior, have led the Irish to the No. 1 overall seed. Both are top 15 in points per game in DI (goals and assists), and the brothers are looking to repeat as national champions in Patβs final season.
πππ πππππ§π¬π’π―π ππ₯ππ²ππ« π¨π ππ‘π ππππ«
β Notre Dame Lacrosse (@NDlacrosse)
Pat Kavanagh has earned the honor following an incredible regular season, leading the #1 Irish attack with 53 points (19G, 34A).βοΈ
Notre Dame enters the tournament scorching hot, defeating NCAA tournament No. 6 Virginia 18-9 and NCAA tournament No. 2 seed Duke 16-6 en route to the ACC tournament title.
3. Brennan O'Neill (Duke)
The reigning Tewaaraton winner is out for revenge after falling short in the 2023 title game to Notre Dame. O'Neill was the lone collegiate player on the U.S. Menβs National Team for the 2023 World Menβs Lacrosse Championship, and he has continued his dominance into his senior season.
BRENNAN. OβNEILL. π | ACCN | π
β The ACC (@theACC)
The 6-foot-2, 250 pound attackman leads No. 2 Duke with 74 points (49 goals, 25 assists), and will look to add more in the Blue Devilsβ first round matchup with Utah on May 11.
4. Connor Shellenberger (Virginia)
Virginiaβs all-time leader in points has led the Cavaliers back to the tournament. Shellenberger is tied for third in DI in assists per game (3), and also sits in the top 10 in points per game (4.73). The Virginia native returned as a graduate student in 2024, looking to improve upon the Cavaliers' semifinal appearance from 2023.
5. Joey Spallina (Syracuse)
The former number one overall recruit in 2022 has led the Orange back to the tournament after missing the dance in 2023. In just his sophomore season, Spallina sits top five in points per game in DI (5), with 33 goals and 47 assists on the year.
Spallina is just one of five underclassmen in the top 50 of points per game in DI.
6. Jacob Angelus (Johns Hopkins)
The 5-foot-9, 165 pound graduate student is the engine of the Blue Jaysβ offense. Angelus is top 25 in points per game (4.21), and leads No. 3 Johns Hopkins with 37 assists β 25 more than the second leader in assists for the Blue Jays.
The Hopkinsβ offense will run through the attackman as the Blue Jays look to improve upon their quarterfinals showing from 2023.
7. Nick DeMaio (Towson)
The transfer from Maryland has been a huge addition to the Tigersβ offense in his three years with the program. DeMaio finished the regular season tied for fifth with Spallina with five points per game and tied for third with Shellenberger with three assists per game. The graduate student is the only player in the tournament to sit top-five in both points and assists per game in DI.
Towson has reached the tournament for the first time in five years, and DeMaio hopes to make a run with the Tigers in his final season.
8. Morgan O'Reilly (Sacred Heart)
The 6-foot-4, 215 pound senior led the Pioneers to their first-ever DI tournament appearance, defeating Manhattan 11-5 in the MAAC championship to earn an automatic bid. O'Reilly finished fifth in DI in goals per game (3.18), tallying 54 on the season.
The Pioneers will face off against Albany in the tournament's play-in game on May 8, looking to take advantage of their first appearance.
9. TJ Malone (Penn State)
The Pennsylvania native has led the Nittany Lions to their second-straight tournament appearance and their seventh overall. The graduate student leads Penn State with 74 points, finishing the regular season fourth in DI in points per game (5.29).
Malone is looking to lead the Nittany Lions on another deep tournament run after reaching the semifinals in 2023.
10. Justin Tiernan (Michigan)
The Lehigh transfer gave the Wolverines just the boost they needed to get back to the tournament for the second time in program history. The graduate student enters the tournament second in DI in goals per game (3.31), and Tiernan has been a scoring machine with 53 goals on the year. He may only have three assists, but Tiernan leads the Wolverines in shooting percentage (.371) for anyone with over 20 attempts for the season.
Justin Tiernan completes the hat trick early in the second half. π₯π₯π₯ x
β Big Ten Lacrosse (@B1GLacrosse)
Tiernan will be counted on to find the back of the net as Michigan takes on No. 5 Denver May 11.
11. Payton Cormier (Virginia)
Cormier is a part of the two-headed monster featuring his counterpart Shellenberger. The Canadian leads all of DI in goals per game (3.67), and has tallied over 50 goals for the third straight season β the only Cavalier to have multiple 50-plus goal seasons in program history.
The graduate student will look to continue his success alongside Shellenberger when Virginia takes on Saint Josephβs on Saturday.
