CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – For the third time in the past two seasons, Harvard and Syracuse will meet on the field in one of the most anticipated matchups of the 2026 college lacrosse season. The contest will be a rematch of the 2025 NCAA Tournament battle between the No. 13 Crimson (2-0, 0-0 Ivy) and the No. 1 Orange (3-0, 0-0 ACC). This matchup presents an early opportunity for the Crimson to test itself a top-ranked team following a pair of early-season victories. The sides are set to square off at 1:00 PM on the banks of the Charles River with all the action airing live on ESPN+.
 

What To Know

Who: No. 13 Harvard vs. No. 1 Syracuse
When: 1:00 PM, Saturday, February 21
Where: Jordan Field / Boston, Mass.
Camps: Learn more about the Crimson Lacrosse Academy hosted at the Harvard Athletics Campus by the Harvard Men's Lacrosse Coaches for rising 4th-8th grade boys [HERE].
 

Quick Hits

• Harvard continued its 2026 campaign with a 17-8 win over RV Colgate on Tuesday (Feb. 17th).
• The Crimson improved to 2-0 for the second time under the Frisbie Family Head Coach for Harvard Lacrosse, Gerry Byrne.
• Harvard split the series last season with Syracuse (1-1), earning an upset win over the No. 6 Orange in the regular season before falling by just a goal in the NCAA First Round Tournament matchup.
• Both contests against the Orange last season were decided by one goal.
• Teddy Malone was named the Ivy League Player of the Week for his 6-point day against Providence (Feb. 14).
• Malone led the team once again with six goals in the Colgate tilt, recording a new career high.
• The Crimson have outscored their opponents 27-12 this season.
• Harvard has played 14 games against teams ranked No. 1 in the USILA Coaches Poll, two of which have occurred under Byrne. 
• Harvard has never upset a top-ranked team since rankings began in 1973. 

 

By The Numbers

2 – Athletes on the Preseason Tewaaraton Award Watch List: Jack Speidell and Logan Ip
3 – Assists per game by Jack Speidell, the ninth-best total in the nation.
4 – Players with 5 points or more this season: Teddy Malone (12), Jack Speidell (9), Nathan Cobery (6), and Logan Ip (5).
4 – Defensive Efficiency ranking for Harvard according to Lacrosse Reference.
6 – Goals for Teddy Malone against Colgate, a new career high.
6 – Goals per game allowed by Harvard this season, the fourth-best mark nationally.
8 - Points for Teddy Malone (7 Goals, 1 Assist) in two games against Syracuse in 2025.
11 - Saves Made by Goalie Graham Stevens against Colgate.
12 – Goals Allowed by the Crimson Defense this season, the lowest total through two games for Harvard since 2009.
14 – Matchups against teams ranked No. 1 in the USILA Coaches Poll in Harvard history.
35 – Caused Turnovers by the Crimson against the Orange in 2025.
78 – Ground Balls for the Crimson this season.
 
 

In the National Rankings

• Harvard remains at No. 14 in the KANE Footwear Inside Lacrosse Media Poll.
• The Crimson is ranked No. 12 in the USA Lacrosse Magazine Rankings.
• The USILA Coaches voted Harvard as the No. 13 team in the nation.
• In the NEILA Poll, Harvard currently sits in second.

 

A Look At Syracuse

• The Syracuse Orange is 3-0 in its 2026 season after a convincing win against former top ranked Maryland (11-9). Additionally, the team defeated No. 16 Boston University (13-6) and Saint Joseph's (20-2).
• Offensively, the No. 1 Orange have scored 44 goals on a 33.8 percent shooting percentage. The team averages 43.3 shots per game and is 4-for-9 on the man-up through three games.
• Joey Spallina leads the team with 18 points (11g, 7a) on the season. A balanced scoring attack also sees Michael Leo (6g, 2a), and Wyatt Hottle (6g, 2a) near the team lead in points.
• Jimmy McCool has started all three games in goal for the Orange, posting a 6.18 GAA and a .660 save percentage in the games, which is good for 3rd nationally.
• The defense averages 8.0 caused turnovers per game, 32.33 ground balls per game and is yet to face a man-down situation yet this season.

 

Player History vs. Syracuse

• Teddy Malone (7g, 1a), leads the team in points against Syracuse, with Jack Speidell (4g, 2 a) and John Aurandt IV (3g, 2a) posting impressive performances as well. All points came in the pair of 2025 matchups.
• Charlie Muller impressively caused three turnovers in the most recent meeting with Syracuse, last May in the NCAA Tournament.
• Graham Stevens started in both matchups with the Orange last season, making 24 saves and grabbing two ground balls.
• Teddy Malone led the way with 5 ground balls in previous meetings with Syracuse, Joost de Koning is right behind with 4.

 

Against the ACC

• Harvard is 1-3 under ACC schools under Gerry Byrne.
• All-time, Harvard is 11-42 against current ACC member schools.
• The Crimson is 1-15 all-time against Syracuse with the win coming in last season's regular season matchup.

 

Lacrosse Reference Metrics

• According to Lacrosse Reference's advanced metrics, Harvard currently sits at 13^th nationally in the LaxELO rankings.
• The team's defensive efficiency of 17.4-percent currently ranks fourth nationally.
• Harvard ranks 3rd in time of possession with a 58.5-percent clip.
• In the cumulative efficiency category, Harvard ranks sixth with a 45.4-percent clip.
• Offensively, Harvard has posted a 33.8-percent efficiency rating, the 17^th highest nationally.

 

Ivy League Preseason Poll

• Harvard was picked third in the 2026 Ivy League Preseason Poll.
• The Crimson came in behind Princeton (1) and Cornell (2)
• It's third-place rankings is tied for the highest preseason poll mark in the last 10 years.
• Gerry Byrne and his group was picked fourth in the league a year ago.

 

At the Helm

The Frisbie Family Head Coach for Harvard Men's Lacrosse, Gerry Byrne, is in his seventh season at the helm of the program in 2025-26. The team has experienced success under Coach Byrne, posting a 35-24 record and a 11-13 mark in Ivy League action. Byrne has guided the Crimson to two NCAA Tournaments and last season helped lead the team to a spot in the Ivy League Tournament for the first time since 2016.
 

The Crimson Shield

Through two games, Harvard has allowed just 12 goals to its opposition which represents the lowest total through two contests for the Crimson since 2009. The team has forced 42 turnovers and caused 22 turnovers this season in a pair of relentless defensive efforts. Harvard has hit the ground often as well, grabbing 78 ground balls compared to only 49 by its opponents.
 

A Goal Parade at Jordan Field

Paired with a strong defensive showing, Harvard's offense was on fire in the Tuesday night matchup with Colgate (Feb. 17), tallying 17 goals in what became a goal parade at Jordan Field. The Crimson assisted on 15 of the team's 17 goals, which was the highest assist percentage in a game (88-percent) since 2018 (eight assists on nine goals against Holy Cross). Teddy Malone led the team with six goals, while Jack Speidell piled up six points with two goals and four assists. Nathan Cobery and Andrew Perry each recorded four points with two goals and two assists to factor in. In total, 12 different players recorded a point against the Raiders. It was also the ninth time the team has reached the 17-goal total under Byrne and his offensive coordinator, Neil Hutchinson.
 

Dominant Defensive Display Against Providence

The Crimson defense was relentless in the season opener against Providence, holding the team to only four goals on the afternoon. The total is tied for the fewest goals in a game since 2009 (two goals allowed vs. Presbyterian). Harvard has allowed four goals in a game six times since the two goal stand 17 years ago.
 
Harvard also shut out Providence for over 32 minutes of game action from the second quarter until the fourth quarter. The shutout streak was the longest in a game for the Crimson since March 9, 2019, when the team shut out the Friars for over 36 minutes in a 9-8 victory. It was the fourth Harvard has posted a shutout streak of 25 minutes or longer under Byrne.
 
The team also allowed only one goal in the second half to the Friars, the first time the team has accomplished the feat since a 14-7 win over Dartmouth in 2017. The Crimson held the Friars to a 12.1-percent offensive efficiency rating, the second lowest in a game for Harvard since 2016.
 

Causing Chaos

On the defensive side of the field, Harvard tortured Providence and Colgate attackers by posting 22 turnovers and forcing 42 turnovers overall. Wyatt Wiggins and Owen Guest currently lead the team with four CTOs each and Joost de Koning's three is good for second.
 
Harvard led the nation in the category a year ago with 11.67 caused turnovers per game.
 

Ivy League Player of the Week

Senior attack Teddy Malone earned his third career Ivy League Weekly Honor after being voted at the conference's Player of the Week (Feb. 16). The Haverford School product logged six points on four goals and two assists against the Friars to lead the team in all three categories. A Delaware native, Malone posted two ground balls to contribute defensively.
 
Malone posted a 60-percent goal contribution clip, factoring in on six of the Crimson's 10 goals in the game. That percentage is the highest in a game for a Harvard player since 2018, when Morgan Cheek '18 notched 13 points on 19 Crimson goals against Boston University.
 

Spidey Senses

One of the most talented attackmen in the Ivy League, Jack Speidell is picking up where he left off in 2025. The junior has already logged nine points on the season after posting 59 a season ago. His goal total of 46 was the most by a sophomore in program history and stands as the eighth-highest total in a season in team history. A dynamic playmaker, Speidell has shown off his ability as a distributor this season, leading the team with six assists through two games. His 3.0 assists per game ranks ninth in the nation and is the best clip in the Ivy League
 

At the Faceoff X

Junior Owen Umansky has taken over as the primary faceoff specialist for Harvard this season and is off to a strong start in the 2026 season. Umansky owns a .512 faceoff percentage after going 21-for-41 in the first two games of the season. The New Hampshire native also leads the team with 13 ground balls on the year and has caused two turnovers for the Crimson.
 

Stevens Locking Down the Cage

Sophomore goalkeeper, Graham Stevens, had one of the best games of his young career against Providence last weekend, making eight saves and allowing just four goals. The goals allowed total and his save percentage of .667 were both career bests. The creaseminder followed up the effort with an 11-save performance against Colgate where he allowed just eight goals in a win. Stevens started all 15 games for Harvard a year ago, helping guide the program to 10 wins.
 

Running it Back

Harvard returns a majority of its production from 2025 to the roster in 2026 from all five major statistical categories.

• 65 percent of its points (213/326)
  • Leading returner – Jack Speidell (59 points)
• 68 percent of its goals (141/208)
  • Leading returner – Jack Speidell (46 goals)
• 61 percent of its assists (72/118)
  • Leading returner – Teddy Malone (18 assists)
• 65 percent of its ground balls (347/531)
  • Leading returner – Jackson Henehan (54 ground balls)
• 51 percent of its caused turnovers (88/175)
  • Leading returner – Charlie Muller (21 caused turnovers)

 

Up Next

The matchup against Syracuse brings Harvard's three-game homestand to a close. The team will be back on the field next Saturday (Feb. 28) in the first of two consecutive neutral site battles against the Marquette Golden Eagles. The sides are set to square off on Long Island at Chaminade High School – the alma mater of Gerry Byrne – in Mineola, N.Y. at 12:00 PM. The tilt will be broadcast live through Varsity Media.