Fall Snapshot: Vermont Catamounts

(Photograph Courtesy of Vermont Athletics)

Welcome to the Fall Snapshot collection. All through the autumn I will likely be taking an early have a look at all 75 DI males’s faculty lacrosse groups and giving a snapshot of the place every is heading into the 2023 season.

Head Coach: Chris Feifs (Seventh season, 2017-Present)

Vermont 2022 Report: 12-7 (7-0 America East)

Key Departures: Thomas McConvey (M), Michael McCormick (A), Liam Limoges (A), Ryan Cornell (G)

Key Returners: David Closterman (A), Brock Haley (A), Griffin Fenech (M), Tommy Burke (FO), Nick Alviti (LSM), Jackson Canfield (D)

Switch Additions: N/A

Vermont has been the cream of the crop within the America East every of the previous two seasons. In 2021, the Catamounts went 9-5 (7-2 AE), gained the convention title for the primary time in program historical past, and made its first NCAA Event look.

The Catamounts adopted that historic season was an arguably higher one this previous spring, going 12-7 with a 6-0 unbeaten mark in league play. They gained the league as soon as extra and beat Manhattan within the NCAA play-in sport earlier than falling to Maryland within the first spherical for the second consecutive season.

Now heading into the 2023 season, Vermont will likely be seeking to defend its consecutive titles and keep on high of the America East. And they’re going to achieve this with totally different look in some spots on each ends as they lose 4 key gamers from final spring. It’ll even be in a considerably new-look America East as each Bryant and Merrimack have joined whereas Stony Brook has left.

Burning Questions

Who Replaces Ryan Cornell in Cage?

The most important query dealing with this program heading into the 2023 season is who will take over because the beginning goalie. Being a place Vermont has been very robust at over the previous six seasons with Nick Washuta being the starter for 4 seasons earlier than Ryan Cornell took over because the starter every of the previous two seasons. Cornell made 200 saves with a 55.6% save share this previous spring, anchoring the No. 5 scoring offense in DI (9.21 objectives allowed per sport) en path to being the primary Catamount to win America East Defensive Participant of The Yr honors.

Having exhausted his eligibility, Vermont finds themselves as soon as once more wanted to exchange a program nice in cage. They usually should discover the reply in a goalie room that’s considerably inexperienced, so far as sport play is worried.

Vermont has 4 goalies on its roster. Graduate scholar Matt Shaffer has performed in 12 video games all through his profession and made 17 saves with a 56.7% save share. He was the first backup final season. Junior George Egan has seen restricted motion by way of two season, taking part in three video games in 2021 and 5 in 2022. Redshirt freshman Brooks Catlin and freshman Jake Dandrea haven’t any collegiate expereince.

What to Anticipate From The Vermont Offense?

Final season, the Catamounts had the nation’s Twenty fifth-best scoring offense (13.2 objectives per sport). Following that season, Vermont misplaced three of its top-five scorers in Thomas McComvey (60G/14A), Michael McCormick (40G/11A), Liam Limoges (32G/11A), in addition to its offensive coordinator in Jake Bernhardt.

Regardless of all these losses, this offense nonetheless returns a stable basis during which it may construct off of with new offensive coordinator Danny Murphy this spring. Three-time All-Convention honoree David Closterman (29G/26A) returns as the highest attackman for this staff after being the second-leading scorer final spring. Brock Haley (26G/25A) returns for his senior season after a breakout junior marketing campaign that noticed him produce as Vermont’s fourth-leading scorer as part of the primary midfield. Griffin Fenech (10G/20A) and Charlie Pope (16G/7A) additionally return after robust sophomore and freshman campaigns.

Whereas Vermont definitely has to exchange a great deal of its top-end offensive expertise from final season, the cabinet is much from empty. With a powerful basis in place thus unit may produce strongly as soon as once more. However how strongly and the way the returners all come collectively are the actual questions round this offense.

Can The Man-Up State of affairs Enhance?

Throughout the 2022 marketing campaign, Vermont didn’t have too many evident holes or weaknesses. Nevertheless, a kind of was its man-up offense. The Catamounts had one of many worst man-up offenses in faculty lacrosse, rating 62nd in DI as they transformed on simply 20 of 73 such alternatives. That’s good for a 24.7% success price.

The McConvey brothers led the way in which for the Catamounts’ man-up unit final season as Thomas had seven and Jonathon had 4. Each are gone. David Closterman netted three scores in such conditions.

Man-up offense is an space during which the Catamounts will very a lot wish to enhance. And one the place enchancment may assist them to extra non-conference wins and keep on high of the AE.

Potential Breakout Participant

James Basile, A/M, Junior

Vermont had a lot of reserves who contributed moderately closely of their showings final season. Basile was one among them as he netted 5 objectives and 4 assists for 12 factors as a reserve midfielder. With the holes this offenses has to fill, Basile may assist present a solution.

Freshman Class

Chris Feifs and the Catamounts herald a 17-man freshman class with its 2022 recruiting efforts. The headliners of the category are Staples (Conn.) faceoff man Henry Dodge, Ponte Vedra (Fla.) midfielder Jack Reed, and Paul VI (Va.) midfielder Carson Boyle. Dodge is rated as a four-star by Inside Lacrosse whereas Reed and Boyle are three-star gamers.