CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Harvard men's lacrosse resurgence into the national spotlight began in the fall of 2021 when the Class of 2025 stepped on campus for the first time. One of the highest-ranked recruiting classes in team history featured 11 student-athletes who paired up with seven Class of 2024 athletes—who deferred enrollment due to the COVID-19 pandemic—to form one of the most talented and well-balanced graduating classes in program history. The 18-person class featured Liam Griffiths, Joey Graham, Sam King, Ray Dearth, Logan Darrin, Finn Leschly, John Warner, Lucas Hilsenrath, Miles Botkiss, Vince Cresci, Tommy Martinson, Jake Brownley, Joe Dowling, Martin Nelson, Max Ewald, Elijah Cohen, and John Fontham.
This group of players guided Harvard men's lacrosse through one of the most successful four-year runs in program history, racking up 31 victories and earning two trips to the NCAA Tournament among a host of other athletic accomplishments. Their impact extended beyond the locker room and into the classroom, where their determination and commitment to academics resulted in four straight USILA Team GPA Awards—given to the team with the highest cumulative GPA in the nation—and saw the team GPA rise every semester, ultimately reaching a program-record 3.81 in the spring of 2025.
The group made an immediate impact on the program's success in their first season on the field in 2022. Playing in Harvard's first competitive season since 2019, the Crimson posted eight victories, with the first-years leading the way for much of the season. The group rose to the occasion in Ivy League play, helping the team win three games, including a thrilling 19–16 victory over No. 3 Princeton. At the end of the year, Harvard received an at-large bid to the 2022 NCAA Tournament, marking the program's first appearance in the national tournament in eight years.
The 2023 season saw the Crimson pick up another top-five win after defeating No. 4 Cornell, 10–8, at Jordan Field in front of a record crowd of 2,500 fans. The class continued its progression and development during a campaign in which Sam King, Owen Gaffney, Ray Dearth, and Martin Nelson established themselves as formidable players on the Ivy League and national stages.
Harvard's climb continued during a 2024 season that saw the team collect eight wins after jumping out to a historic 6–0 start. The Crimson defeated two ranked opponents in the stretch and achieved a season-high ranking of No. 12 in the nation after a road win over No. 13 Michigan to cap off the run.
The 2025 season was historic. With the Class of 2025 now in their senior year, the team kicked into high gear, quickly establishing itself as a national contender. After defeating a nationally ranked Providence College team to open the season, Harvard traveled to the JMA Wireless Dome and knocked off No. 6 Syracuse, earning the first win over the Orange in program history. The victory helped the team rise in the national polls, eventually reaching as high as No. 9. The success continued in Ivy League play, where the Crimson posted wins over Yale, Penn, No. 17 Dartmouth, and Brown to earn a spot in the Ivy League Tournament for the first time in nearly 10 years. At season's end, the group made it back to the NCAA Tournament after receiving an at-large bid from the committee. The team returned to the Dome, where its historic season came to a close after a narrow first-round defeat to Syracuse.
A proven and talented group, the Class of 2025 earned numerous individual accolades throughout their time at Harvard. At the forefront was two-time captain Sam King, who became one of the best players in program history. King's trophy case filled up by graduation, featuring two All-America selections, four All-Ivy League honors (including two First-Team nods), the 2025 New England Player of the Year award, three All-New England honors, and two Tewaaraton Award nominations. Among the many "firsts" King collected was his First-Team All-America selection—the first for the program in over 60 years. He also made history by becoming the first Harvard player ever selected as a Tewaaraton Award finalist in 2025, signifying his place among the top five players in collegiate lacrosse. The Gilman School and Looney's Lacrosse product also became the first Crimson athlete selected in the PLL College Draft, going in the third round to the Utah Archers. By the close of his career, the Baltimore native had written his name all over the Harvard record book. King now ranks second all-time in career points (241), third all-time in career goals (131), and fifth all-time in career assists (110). He became the first player in program history to record 100 goals, 100 assists, and 100 ground balls over a four-year career.
Other honors for the class included Martin Nelson joining King as a 2025 USILA Scholar All-American selection. Ray Dearth joined King in the professional ranks after signing with the Carolina Chaos prior to the 2025 season. Owen Gaffney, Martin Nelson, Miles Botkiss, and Ray Dearth all earned All-Ivy League honors, and every senior in the class was recognized on the NEILA All-Academic Team in 2025.
After their graduation in 2025, every senior secured a job or chose to pursue another degree at the graduate level. The full list of the class's placements can be found below:
-
Liam Griffiths – Point72 – Analyst
-
Joey Graham – Baird – Investment Banking Analyst
-
Sam King – Updata Partners – Analyst / PLL – Utah Archers
-
Ray Dearth – PLL – Carolina Chaos
-
Logan Darrin – TD Cowen – Analyst
-
Finn Leschly – University of California, San Francisco – Research Assistant, with plans to apply to medical school
-
John Warner – McKinsey & Company – Business Analyst
-
Lucas Hilsenrath – Hovde Group – Investment Banking Analyst
-
Miles Botkiss – Columbia University Irving Medical Center – Research Assistant, with plans to apply to medical school
-
Vince Cresci – Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management – Master's Degree Candidate
-
Tommy Martinson – Barclays – Investment Banking Analyst
-
Joe Dowling – Goldman Sachs – Investment Banking Analyst
-
Martin Nelson – The Blackstone Group – Analyst
-
Max Ewald – Clearview Healthcare Partners – Analyst
-
Elijah Cohen – United States Marine Corps – Officer Candidate School
-
John Fontham – Cohen & Company Capital Markets – Investment Banking Analyst
One of the most successful classes on and off the field, the Harvard men's lacrosse Class of 2025 will not soon be forgotten. Their impact has created a lasting legacy while setting the standard for future teams and classes to follow. One of the primary contributors to the Undefeated Experience of Harvard lacrosse, the influence of this group will be felt for many years to come.
The Class of 2025 By the Numbers
-
2 – NCAA Tournament Appearances
-
2 – Players who went on to play in the Premier Lacrosse League
-
3 – Top-10 Victories
-
3.64 – Average Team GPA over the past eight semesters
-
4 – Consecutive years leading the Ivy League in average attendance
-
8 – All-Ivy League Honors
-
8 – All-New England Team Awards
-
11 – Ivy League Victories
-
11 – Wins over ranked opponents
-
17 – NEILA All-Academic Team Selections
-
31 – Victories in four seasons (since 2022)
-
2025 – New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Champions
