ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The RIT Men's Lacrosse Team opens its 2024 campaign on Saturday (Feb. 17) at Denison. Here are the top six things you need to know about the Tigers heading into the season.
 
1. A LOOK BACK
RIT finished with a 21-2 record in 2023, winning its 12th consecutive Liberty League title. The Tigers made their 25th NCAA Tournament appearance and 14th straight, advancing to the semifinals for the 13th time in program history.
 
Seven Tigers were named USILA All-Americans led by First Team selections, Mike Grace, Taylor Jensen, John Mozrall and Luke Pilcher.
 
Pilcher was the Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year, while Jensen earned his second straight Defensive Player of the Year honor. They led a list of nine Tigers to earn All-Liberty League accolades, including six first team selections.
 
2. OFFENSIVE FIREPOWER RETURNS
RIT returns its nine of its top-10 scorers from 2023, including 2024 USILA Preseason All-Americans Pilcher, Mozrall and junior Clifford Gaston.
 
On attack, Pilcher led RIT with a career-high 95 points last season, including a team-best 66 goals, while Gaston tallied career highs in points (68), goals (50) and assists (18). Junior attack Ethan Harkins tallied eight goals and 10 points last season, while graduate student transfer Jake Erickson joins the squad after tallying 60 points (28g, 32a) at Ithaca, earning 2023 USILA Honorable Mention All-American accolades.
 
In the midfield Mozrall was third for the Tigers with a career-best 65 points, including a team-high 44 assists. Senior midfielders TJ Hendricks (38g, 14a) and All-Liberty League Honorable Mention selection Seth Grottenthaler (22g, 30a) each return after scoring 52 points apiece a year ago. Seniors Kaden Brunson (12g, 17a), Dylan Bruno (13g, 8a), Ian Dinga (12g, 6a) and Michael Finneran (8g, 7a) all return along with junior Sam Bennett (8g, 9a).
 
3. DEFENSE & GOALIES
A 2024 USILA Preseason First Team All-American, Grace returns after finishing second on the team with a career-high 35 caused turnovers and and 67 ground balls. Senior Tanner Winklemann returns after tying for fourth with 15 caused turnovers. Seniors Drew Leahy, Hunter FitzGibbons and co-captain Jamie Hunt will all see time on defense. Leahy was tied for sixth on the team with 13 caused turnovers, FitzGibbons played in a career-high 14 games and Hunt saw action in eight games.
 
Senior goalies Kyle Burbank and Kyle Gaffey and sophomore Alex Zborowski will compete for the starting spot. Burbank recorded seven wins last season, Gaffey saw action in 11 games and Zborowski has been solid this preseason.
 
4. LONG-STICK MIDFIELD AND DEFENSIVE MIDFIELD
Senior long-stick midfielder Caleb Commandant and junior Axel Sanderson return along with sophomore Tyler Kuchar. Sanderson had career-highs in caused turnovers (13) and ground balls (31) and scored four goals. Commandant returned from an injury-shortened season, while Kuchar played in seven games. Senior Max Skene has improved and could see time at LSM.
 
Senior Caiden Perry and junior Dominic Comella return. Perry had 23 ground balls last season to go along with three goals, while Comella scooped up 12 ground balls and caused four turnovers. Junior Connor Finneran and transfers Sean Tierney and Kaden Dietrich will solidify the Tiger's defensive midfield.
 
5. FAST STARTERS
RIT outscored its opponents 204-111 in the first half last season, including 103-61 in the first quarter. The Tigers averaged 8.87 goals in the first half, while only allowing 4.8 goals. RIT dominating the third quarter, outscoring their opponents, 98-55.

6. 2024 SCHEDULE
Fifteenth-year head coach Jake Coon and the Tigers are scheduled to play 17 regular season games, including seven in the Liberty League. The Tigers will play seven home games, and 10 on the road. Seven of RIT's 17 opponents are ranked in the USILA Division Poll, while eight teams played in the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
 
RIT begins its 2024 campaign at No. 15 Denison on Feb. 17 before its home-opener against Grove City (Feb. 24). The Tigers finish February with a road game at Nazareth (Feb. 28).
 
March begins with a trip to No. 11 York (March 2) followed by a home game against Ursinus (March 9). RIT will play No. 7 Washington & Lee and No. 2 Tufts at the Mustang Classic (March 15-16), hosted by Stevenson.
 
The Tigers play at St. John Fisher (March 20) before opening Liberty League play at No. 17 RPI (March 23). The Tigers close out March with a pair of home games against Cortland (March 27) and Vassar (March 30).
 
RIT hits the road for a pair of Liberty League contests at Skidmore (April 6) and Ithaca (April 10) before returning home to face Clarkson (April 13). The Tiger's final non-conference game is against Geneseo (April 17). RIT closes out the regular season at No. 14 St. Lawrence (April 20) and home against No. 12 Union (April 27).