CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The Harvard men's lacrosse team will be riding high down to Long Island this weekend after securing a 13-12 victory over No. 1 Syracuse last weekend. The Crimson (3-0, 0-0 Ivy) will now shift its focus to Marquette (2-2, 0-0 BIG EAST), as the teams are set to meet at Chaminade High School in Mineola, N.Y. this Saturday (Feb. 28) at 12:00 PM with all the action streaming live on YouTube via Varsity Media. The Frisbie Family Head Coach for Harvard Men's Lacrosse, Gerry Byrne, and his team will look to continue its strong start when it takes on the Golden Eagles for the second consecutive season.
 

What to Know

Where: No. 4 Harvard vs. Marquette
When: 12:00 PM, Saturday, February 28
Where: Chaminade High School / Mineola, N.Y.
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 upset the No. 1 team in the nation, Syracuse, last Saturday at Jordan Field, 13-12. It was the Crimson's first victory over a team ranked No. 1 in the national polls in program history.
• The Crimson is 3-0 for the second time under Byrne and his staff. The team's best start under Byrne was a 6-0 run at the start of the 2024 season.
• The group had previously defeated RV Providence (10-4) and RV Colgate (17-8) to start the season.
• Already halfway through its home schedule of games Harvard improved to 24-7 at home under Coach Byrne with the three results.
•  The game on Long Island begins a three-game road stretch that takes the Crimson to Long Island to battle Marquette, to Houston where it takes on Michigan and to Philadelphia to open Ivy League play against the Penn Quakers.
• John Aurandt IV and Graham Stevens earned the Ivy League Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week awards, respectively, this week. The duo also landed on the NEILA Team of the Week. Stevens was one of four players nominated for National Player of the Week by Inside Lacrosse.
• With a scoring margin of +5.33, Harvard ranks ninth in the NCAA.
• The Crimson offense has scored 40 goals this season and has allowed just 24 to its opponents.
• The offense has collected 24 assists on the 40 goals scored to average 8.00 assists per game, the best clip in the Ivy League.
• Harvard also ranks first in the Ivy League with 36.67 ground balls per game.
• Teddy Malone ranks seventh nationally with 3.67 goals per game.
• Graham Stevens owns a GAA of 8.00 to rank eighth in the nation.
• Harvard is 1-1 in neutral site matchups under Gerry Byrne.

 

By the Numbers

2 – Athletes on the Preseason Tewaaraton Award Watch List: Jack Speidell and Logan Ip
2 – Assists per game by Jack Speidell, the second-best mark in the Ivy League
4 – Defensive Efficiency ranking for Harvard according to Lacrosse Reference.
6 – Players with 5 points or more this season: Teddy Malone (14), Jack Speidell (10), Nathan Cobery (9), Logan Ip (7), Andrew Perry (6) and John Aurandt IV (5).
6 – Goals for Teddy Malone against Colgate, a new career high.
7 – Goal comeback in the Crimson's last neutral site matchup against Bucknell in 2024.
8 – Goals per game allowed by Harvard this season, the 11th-best mark nationally.
10 – Strength of Schedule ranking for Harvard.
14 - Saves Made by Goalie Graham Stevens against Colgate.
14 – Matchups against teams ranked No. 1 in the USILA Coaches Poll in Harvard history.
20 – Goals for the Crimson in the 2025 matchup against Marquette.
24 – Goals allowed for Harvard. The lowest total through three games since 2012 (20).
110 – Ground Balls for the Crimson this season.
 

In the National Rankings

• Harvard was ranked No. 4 in the KANE Footwear Inside Lacrosse poll, its highest ranking in the media poll in program history.
• The Crimson is ranked No. 4 in the USA Lacrosse Magazine Rankings, its highest mark in the rankings in program history.
• The USILA Coaches voted Harvard as the No. 6 team in the nation this week, tying its third highest ranking in program history and highest since 1990 (No. 3).
• In the NEILA Poll, Harvard took over the No. 1 spot this week after spending the previous two weeks at No. 2 and No. 4, respectively.

 

Quick Check on Marquette

• Marquette comes into the meeting with a 2-2 record after posting wins over Cleveland State (Feb. 21) and Detroit Mercy (Feb. 23).
• The Golden Eagles suffered losses to No. 20 Michigan (Feb. 7) and No. 6 Notre Dame (Feb. 14) to begin its season.
• Marquette is slightly outscoring its opponents, 42-41, through four games played and owns 23 assists on the year. The Golden Eagles average 39.8 shots per game and put 65-percent of its chances on cage.
• The man-up unit has connected on 3-of-12 chances this season for a 25-percent success rate. The man-down has converted on 5-of-11 chances for a 45.5-perecnt stop rate.
• One of the most disciplined teams in the nation, Marquette has only surrendered 52 turnovers and owns the seventh-lowest turnover rate in the nation.
• Carsen Brandt and Nolan Rappis lead the team with 13 points each.
• Lucas Lawas has won the starting goalkeeper job for the Golden Eagles and has posted a .531 save percentage and a 11.29 GAA through four starts.
• Marquette likes to start games fast, logging 31-percent of its shots in the opening quarter this season.

 

Player History vs. Marquette

• Harvard put up 20 goals against Marquette last season with six current players logging points in the matchup.
• Teddy Malone paces the team with six points, three goals and three assists against the Golden Eagles.
• Logan Ip tallied five points with four goals and an assist in the meeting last year.
• John Aurandt (3 points), Jack Speidell (2 points), Jackson Henehan (2 points) and Andrew Perry (2 points) all posted multi-point games.
• Charlie Muller caused three turnovers in the matchup a year ago while Wyatt Wiggins chipped in with two. Perry, Owen Guest and Owen Umansky each logged one CTO in the contest.
• Graham Stevens started in cage for the Crimson against Marquette last season and made 14 saves on 30 shots faced.
• The Crimson defense was relentless in last years meeting, forcing 10 failed clears and 21 Golden Eagle turnovers.

 

Against the BIG EAST

• Harvard is 4-0 against BIG EAST member schools under Gerry Byrne.
• Overall, Harvard is 18-9-1 against current BIG EAST programs.

 

Lacrosse Reference Metrics

• Harvard is currently No. 13 in Lacrosse Reference's LaxElo rankings.
• The Crimson ranks ninth in time-of-possession (54.8-percent).
• Offensively, Lacrosse Reference has Harvard as the 11^th most efficient team in the nation at a 33.9-percent clip.
• Defensively, the Crimson ranks 12^th in the nation with a 22.6-percent defensive efficiency.
• Harvard ranks 10^th in cumulative efficiency with a 39.8-percent mark in three games played.
• The Crimson ranks 10^th with a 38.0-percent cumulative shooting percentage.
• According to Lacrosse Reference, Harvard owns the best strength-of-record (+.97 Expected Wins) in the nation.
• Harvard ranks sixth in game control – a cumulative metric that shows how often a team in in control of a game – with a .755 clip.

 

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 36-24 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. Most recently, Coach Byrne made history, becoming the first head coach to lead his team to a win over a No. 1 ranked team in program history.
 

Down Goes No. 1

The Crimson made history this past Saturday at Jordan Field, posting a 13-12 win over No. 1 Syracuse that represented the first victory over a No. 1 team in program history. Harvard went toe-to-toe with one of the nation's best for 60 minutes, eventually using a three-goal run late in the fourth quarter to earn the win. Sophomore attack Nathan Cobery capped off the run – that featured a pole goal by Sean Jordan – by providing the game-winning goal with under a minute left in regulation. Graham Stevens made a massive save on the ensuing Syracuse possession to seal win for Harvard.
 
The win represented the fourth top-10 victory for Harvard under Coach Byrne.
 

Harvard Sweeps the Ivy League Weekly Awards

For their heroics in the win over No. 1 Syracuse, John Aurandt IV and Graham Stevens earned the Ivy League Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week awards, respectively. The duo each earned their first career Ivy weekly honor.
 
Aurandt IV was key against the Orange, leading the team with four points and three goals in the upset. The senior midfielder started the fourth quarter scoring run with a goal with 5:03 left on the clock and assisted on Nathan Cobery's game-winning goal at the 0:50 mark. Aurandt's four points tied a career high and the three goals went down as a new career best for the senior.
 
Graham Stevens locked down the net in two games last week, making 25 saves and allowing only 20 goals to post a save percentage of .556 on the week. Stevens' performance against No. 1 Syracuse featured 14 saves and a "game-winning" save on the Orange's last shot in the fourth quarter, which sealed the win for the Crimson. The sophomore added seven ground balls in the two matchups combined.
 

The Crimson Shield

Through two games, Harvard has allowed just 24 goals to its opposition which represents the lowest total through three contests for the Crimson since 2012 (20 GA). The team has forced 55 turnovers and caused 24 turnovers this season in a trio of relentless defensive efforts. Harvard has hit the ground often as well, grabbing 110 ground balls compared to only 78 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 currently ranks third in the Ivy League with 8.00 caused turnovers per game.
 
Harvard led the nation in the category a year ago with 11.67 caused turnovers per game.
 

Teddy Malone: 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 against Providence.  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 10 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 three games. His 2.0 assists per game ranks second 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 2026. Umansky owns a .500 faceoff percentage after going 34-for-68 in the first three games of the season. The New Hampshire native also leads the team with 19 ground balls on the year and has caused two turnovers for the Crimson. Last week against Syracuse, Umansky went toe-to-toe with 2025 All-American John Mullen, and won eight faceoffs in the battle at the X.
 

Stevens Locking Down the Cage

Sophomore goalkeeper, Graham Stevens, had one of the best games of his young career against Syracuse last weekend, making 14 saves and allowing 12 goals to the former No. 1 team in the nation. Stevens currently ranks in the top 15 nationally in GAA (8.00, eighth) and save percentage (.579, 12^th).
 
The creaseminder previously posted an 11-save performance against Colgate (Feb. 17) and an eight-save, four goals allowed effort against Providence (Feb. 14). The goals allowed mark against Providence was a career-best for the sophomore.
 

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

Harvard will continue its three-game road stretch next weekend with another neutral site contest against the University of Michigan. The teams will renew their budding rivalry in Houston, Texas at the Kinkaid School at 3:00 PM (EST)/2:00 PM (CST). The game will be streamed live on Corrigan Sports Network.