LONG TIME COMING: Princeton University men’s lacrosse player Andrew Song heads upfield in a 2020 game. Senior longstick midfielder and co-captain Song will be counted on to help spearhead the Princeton defense. The Tigers, who last played a game on March 7, 2020, open their 2022 season by hosting Monmouth on February 19. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Coming into this spring, the Princeton University men’s lacrosse team is looking to pick up where it left off in 2020.

Featuring a core of senior stars, Princeton roared out to a 5-0 start that year, rising to No. 3 in the national polls.

But the season was halted due to the global pandemic and the 2021 campaign was canceled in light of ongoing COVID concerns.

As Princeton prepares to start its 2022 season by hosting Monmouth on February 19, Matt Madalon is looking forward to simply getting back into the grind.

“We are just excited to play just to have a season, preparing for games, recovering and all of that,” said Tiger head coach Madalon, who is entering his sixth season at the helm of the program. “That is what we most excited for, the rhythm of the game prep.”

The Tigers will have a different offensive rhythm this spring in the absence of superstar attackman Michael Sowers, who graduated in 2020 and went on to help Duke make the NCAA semis last year as a grad student.

“Michael controlled a lot of possessions and was responsible for a lot of points and creativity within our offense,” said Madalon of Sowers, who tallied a program record 302 points on 121 goals and 181 assists.

“I would say it will be a bit of a faceless offense although we have a lot of great players with some great accolades. It will be a much more balanced offense, that is our MO.”

Princeton will feature a great one-two punch in attack with senior Chris Brown (70 goals, 37 assists in his career) and junior Alex Slusher (7 goals, 1 assist in 2020).

“Chris brings a lot of experience; Alex moves down there, which is his normal position,” said Madalon. “He was a dominant high school attack man. He has been attack for the U.S.-U21 team.”

Madalon has a lot of options on attack, pointing to junior Christian Ronda, sophomore Tommy Barnds, junior Weston Carpenter, junior Jack Crockett, freshman Coulter Mackesy, sophomore Hunter Engel, freshman Jack Ringhofer, and sophomore Lukas Stanat as players who could see time in that unit this season.

The offensive midfield will be paced by junior Alex Vardaro (23 goals, 7 assists in his career), senior Jamie Atkinson (11 goals, 5 assists), junior Beau Pederson (10 goals, 4 assists), and junior Jake Stevens (12 goals, 4 assists).

“We return guys like Alex who was a first line midfielder last season,” said Madalon. “Jamie brings a wealth of experience. We have Beau and Jake who are like transition, 2-way middies. Jake plays the wing and more offense, he does play a little shortstick defense.”

Like the attack unit, Princeton boasts depth in the midfield with such veterans as juniors Sam English and Luc Anderson along with seniors Nicky Bond, Luke Crimmins, and Will Kusnierek. The Tigers also welcome some new faces in the midfield in freshman Liam Fairback, sophomore Joe Juengerkes, sophomore Teddy Gutman, sophomore Marquez White, sophomore Paul Weathington, and freshman Michael Kelly.

Senior star and co-captain Andrew Song has emerged as a force at longstick midfield.

“Song will stay in the longstick midfield role, he has done a wonderful job there for three years, he is really special,” said Madalon, who will also use sophomore Pace Billings, junior Luca Lazzeretto, and freshman Michael Bath in that position.

At the face-off X, the Tigers feature a trio of standouts. “Our goal will be face-off by committee; Jack-Henry Vara (38-80 one face-offs in 2020) as a senior is bringing a lot of experience there in game prep and practice,” said Madalon.

“Tyler Sandoval (39-73 in ’20) came on really strong in 2020. He was coming off an injury and did a really nice job in the three games he played. Then we are bringing in a talented young guy like Koby Ginder. It is a really well-rounded unit. That is our approach with them, attack it as a unit.”

The defensive unit will be spearheaded by senior standout and co-captain George Baughan.

“George is just an outstanding talent with his intensity, his aggressiveness, energy, and physicality; he is an impact player,” said Madalon of Baughan, a two-time All-American. “He is a super leader and two-time captain for us.”

Along with Baughan, Princeton boasts some outstanding performers on defense.

“Ben Finlay is a returning starter, he has done a really nice job,” said Madalon. “He continues to develop and grow. Cathal Roberts, Jacob Stoebner, and Owen Engel are doing well. We have some really impressive newcomers in Colin Mulshine and Colin Freer.”

Senior Erik Peters has developed into a superb goalie for the Tigers.

“Erik brings such an incredible disposition to the position, he is so even-keeled,” said Madalon of Peters, who posted a 10.80 goals against average and .518 save percentage in 2020. “He understands our approach as a program, as a defensive unit, and as a goalie crew. He has Griffin Rakower nipping at his heels. He has Michael Gianforcaro who was one of the top goalie recruits in the nation two years ago and is also extremely competitive and Ben Churchill is also there.”

Princeton’s crew of five captains, Brown, Atkinson, Song, Baughan, and Peters, have been making a positive impact on the program.

“It is one of the largest teams Princeton has had in the last decade with a 50-man roster,” said Madalon.

“We are balancing it out with the roster and making sure that we have those touch points and that the messaging goes well. They are doing a great job leading our team.”

In Madalon’s view, the team is starting to come together.

“We have to continue to find our identity and really just shore up our systems and get some of those young guys some game experience and get back to competing,” said Madalon. “They have really been doing a great job at practice and the coaching staff as well, trying to put these guys in position throughout the preseason.”

The Tigers will have to do a great job to overcome a tough Monmouth squad in the opener as the Hawks are coming off a 2021 campaign that saw them go 8-3 and win the MAAC title.

“It is a really great program, coach Brian Fisher does a really great job,” said Madalon. “They won their conference last year. They are a top competitor year in, year out in their conference. I think it has been positive for both programs. That is a good team, that is an experienced team that is going to be a really great opponent.”

Looking ahead, Madalon believes the Tigers have the pieces in place to produce a great season.

“We feel really positive about this team; we are excited to see them get better every single week,” said Madalon. “We will really just try to play the season one day at a time, one experience, and one moment at a time.”