Men's Lacrosse 2024 Season Preview

FROSTBURG, Md. - Frostburg State Athletics will be taking a preview of each team competing in the spring season, covering nine total sports.  Over the next couple weeks, each team will be broken down into their matchups, key players, and overall outlook for their season and program.  To finish out the third week is Men's Lacrosse.
 
Overall
Frostburg State Men's Lacrosse will play their 14^th season as well their fifth year in the East Coast Conference, as they were placed second in the ECC Preseason Poll, along with Bubba Love being named ECC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.  The Bobcats were also selected 17th in the USILA Coaches Poll.  Head Coach Steve Gartelman enters his sixth season with the team, as he is once again accompanied by assistant coaches Carl Haas and Victor Licata, as Gartelman welcomes Kevin Murphy as the graduate assistant.     
 
Last Season
FSU put up a 13-5 record last season, going for a strong 4-2 record in conference play.  The Bobcats started out hot in 2023, winning their first eight games, including a huge 14-12 win over No. 1 ranked Tampa.  The Bobcats made it to their second straight ECC Championship, having fallen to Mercy once more.  Gartelman placed three players on both the ECC All-Conference First and Second Team, with Jake Bowman, Owen McCallum, and Luke McCullough all being placed on the ECC All-Conference First Team, as Love, Tanner Donaldson, and Jake Sprecher were all named to the ECC All-Conference Second Team.  Bowman continued to rack up the awards in 2023 being named USILA Second Team All-Region, USILA Honorable Mention All-American, and USILA Scholar All-American as well.   
 
The Returners
Gartelman welcomes back a significant number of players from 2023 in 36 returners, after losing a total of eight seniors.

At attack, Frostburg will be led by Love, who finished with 41 goals and 35 assists to go for 76 points last season, as well as 124 shots and a .331 shooting percentage.  Love will be accompanied by senior Austin Sipes, who put up 43 goals last season, along with tying Love in assists with 35, for a total of 78 points, 133 shots, and a .323 shooting percentage.  Senior Parker Masters also returns at attack, having come up with eight goals and six assists for 14 points in 2023.     

The midfield will be made up of McCallum, who comes back as a graduate, having put up 31 goals and 30 assists last season for 61 total points, to go along with 89 shots and .348 shooting percentage.  Joining him at midfield, also as graduates, are Chase Buckwalter and Justin Hulse, who combined for 27 goals and 18 assists last year, with Hulse also scooping up 42 ground balls. 
 
In the backfield, junior long stick midfielder Seamus Kearney returns having led the team in ground balls (45) and caused turnovers (31) last season, as well McCullough, who returns as a senior defender, who scooped up 38 ground balls and caused 12 turnovers.  The Bobcats look to replace the starting role in goal with Mitch Meckley graduating, as junior Nate Jones and sophomore Aidan Pierce return. 
 
The Newcomers
Gartelman adds 16 new players to the squad, in a large class of 13 freshmen, along with two transfers and one other addition.  Sophomore long stick midfielder Noel Ruiz joins the team having played at Mount St. Mary's prior, while Jashane Uter transferred from Barton College as a graduate faceoff.  Dontray Smith joins the team as a sophomore midfielder. 
 
Kick off to Season
The Bobcats begin their season at home on Sunday, February 18 at 12 PM as they host Saint Michael's.  Frostburg is then home their next three games, as their first away game is Saturday, March 9 at 1 PM against Malone.  FSU opens ECC play at home on Saturday, March 16 as they welcome in St. Thomas Aquinas at 1 PM for the team's Morgan's Message Game. 
 
For more information and upcoming previews, please visit frostburgsports.com.