This weekend, the Penn men’s lacrosse team fell to Georgetown in its season opener at Cooper Field. The Quakers ranked fourth out of seven in the Ivy League’s 2025 Media Poll after ending the previous season 9-6 and 4-2 in the Ivy League. With unfinished business ahead of them, the team is currently ranked seventeenth nationally for Men's Division I lacrosse. Penn hopes to gain momentum early in the season after being eliminated from the Ivy League tournament last season, eager for Ancient Eight glory and the prospect of an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
This season, the Quakers will rely on the senior leadership from goalie Emmet Carroll and defender Brendan Lavelle. Both players have been named first-team preseason All-America and recipients of the 2025 Tewaaraton Award. Coach Mike Murphy, considered Penn’s “All-Time Winningest Coach” in school history, is also back again leading the Red and Blue this season. This spring, 11 freshmen and one transfer have been added to the roster.
With the new talent added and star veterans set to shine for the Penn men’s lacrosse team, here are four upcoming games to mark on your calendars this season.
Penn at University of North Carolina – Feb. 28
Penn will end the month of February with a visit to the University of North Carolina at five in the evening. The Quakers fell to the Tar Heels last season, in a disappointing 9-13 loss. Consistent performance will be of utmost importance to prevent a repeat, especially keeping up energy in second-half play.
North Carolina will be losing a star player, Peter Thomann. The defenseman sustained an ACL injury during a scrimmage with Delaware, taking him out of the entire season. The Quakers must hope to maintain their own defense, a responsibility falling on the shoulders of Lavelle. Lavelle had a strong showing against UNC last year, causing two turnovers and five ground balls. Such efforts will be necessary for a win at Chapel Hill.
Penn at Duke – March 2
The Quakers get limited time off after their UNC face-off, extending their North Carolina tour to Durham to play the currently seventh ranked Duke at one in the afternoon, where they will hope to put on a similar performance to their 14-12 win last season. The Blue Devils are already off to a hot start this season, blowing past Bellarmine and Jacksonville.
All eyes will be on Duke defensive midfielder Aidan Maguire, who garnered his second consecutive weekly honor with a spot on the USILA Team of the Week, awarded for his contribution in the Jacksonville win. Maguire’s ability to force turnovers will be a focal point for Penn's offense. If Penn were to repeat the historic upset and hold the Blue Devils to a low-scoring output, it would be a big boost of confidence for the Quaker men as they continue their tour of North Carolina.
Penn at Cornell – March 29
Penn will conclude the month of March with a visit to Cornell, with a face-off at noon. An exciting double-overtime victory allowed Penn to top the Big Red, 11-10, last season. The Quakers were able to rally with home-field advantage at Franklin Field and Carroll tied a season-high 17 saves. The Quaker offense will need to rely on upperclassmen talent to take on the Big Red, who are currently first in the Ivy 2025 pre-season rankings.
A trio of Cornell seniors, midfielder Hugh Kelleher and attackmen CJ Kirst and Michael Long share the 2025 Tewaaraton Award with Penn’s Carroll and Lavelle. A heavily offense-stacked team as any, the Quakers will hope to get a streak going against the Bears if they hope to go far in Ivy Play.
Princeton at Penn - April 19
The final conference game before the Ivy League Tournament will be against Princeton at noon. The Quakers will maintain home-field advantage and honor graduating seniors and alumni. The Tigers are the defending Ivy League tournament champions and currently rank second in the 2025 Ivy Preseason Poll. The Quakers will hope to avenge a 11-18 loss in the previous season, while showcasing the talent of upperclassmen.
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