Analyzing the Quarterfinalists' Incoming Classes: Syracuse

Although 'Cuse took a massive step forward as a program by making its first trip to the quarterfinals since 2017, the Orange were ousted in the second round at the hands of Denver in a narrow 10-8 defeat. As Gary Gait's program looks to make its first Final Four appearance since 2013, let's look at Syracuse's incoming class, their biggest needs, and who could fill those roles as freshmen. Among the ACC programs that qualified for the postseason, 'Cuse graduates the least. Up the middle, the losses of a pair of All-Americans, face-off specialist Mason Kohn and goalie Will Mark, will certainly be felt. The Orange also lose two more former transfers in lefty attackman Christian Mule and do-it-all middie Jake Stevens, an All-American in his own right, along with LSMs Matt Wright and Saam Olexo. Otherwise, things stay mostly intact, assuming nobody else enters the transfer portal in the next two weeks. The Orange will also welcome a tremendous addition with RIT first-team All-American Michael Grace set to head to 'Cuse after being named the William C. Stiles Memorial Outstanding Defenseman in Division III. Grace, a 6-foot-5 Ontario native who played with Team Canada this past summer, will likely line up at LSM after the Orange graduated Wright and Olexo. An argument could be made that the longpoles are the most talented positional group from top to bottom in this incoming class, even if their collective impact may not be felt until after their freshman year. At LSM, Vincent Bolognino was recently selected as a Wave III New Balance Senior All-American. The Long Island native plays with an incredibly high motor and makes plays from sideline to sideline, hunting ball-carriers and impressing with his ability to get the ball off the ground and upfield. Down low at close, Cam Ryan and Dillon Stephens have been lights out in 2024. Ryan, a lefty who missed the 2023 season while rehabbing a torn ACL, is excellent 1-on-1 and strong off-ball, demonstrating the basketball influence in both areas of his game. Stephens, meanwhile, was recently <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/05/immovable-objects-new-canaans-poles-are-the-toughest-in-ct/">highlighted (and raved about) in Dan Arestia's piece</a> on New Canaan's defense. He's capable of shutting down No. 1 attackmen at this level, but to me, he'd be a perfect No. 3 defenseman alongside Billy Dwan and Riley Figueiras. I'll be curious to see if 'Cuse elects to redshirt one or more from the trio. Offensively, Payton Anderson screams 'instant impact' and will be impossible to keep off the field. Quite frankly, it's just a matter of where he plays. <a href="https://preplacrosse.com/2024/04/the-five-most-dangerous-offensive-recruits-in-the-class-of-2024/">As I wrote at length last month</a>, he would give the attack unit an athletic and imposing dodging threat to take pressure off of Owen Hiltz and Joey Spallina, putting even more pressure on the opposition. Anderson would certainly add a lot to the midfield (where evaluators feel he projects), but I'm adamant that has to be given a shot to play attack first since his presence would change the way teams defend the Orange.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoO9bIluoO0&t=59s </div></figure>   <h1 class="wp-block-heading"></h1>   Looking at the rest of the class, I can't help but think that this is very much a developmental type of group that might need some seasoning before hitting the field. That's also a testament to how well Syracuse has recruited in the previous two classes - the Orange put a lot of resources into the '22 and '23 classes, so there isn't as much star power in the Class of 2024 except for Anderson. Matthew McIntee is the next most likely to see minutes early in his career. A highly athletic and intelligent midfield weapon who can impact a game in a variety of ways, McIntee has posted 33 goals and 49 assists so far for the Suffolk County champions. The only thing that could get in his way, however, would be Syracuse's depth chart, as the Orange will be loaded at the midfield in 2025. Elsewhere in the class, Owen O'Farrell is another intriguing name. The Rhode Island native is a natural attackman who gained experience at midfield later in his career, and while it could be tough for him to get minutes off the bat, I could see him as a contributor later in his career. At the face-off dot and in goal, Drew Angelo and Brayden Ferguson are rock-solid and will add talent and depth to their position groups. Angelo is an intriguing one in that he not only faced off at a 72 percent clip as a senior but also chipped in 40 goals and 13 assists. Ferguson, a legacy at Syracuse, had another strong year and was named All-IAC as a senior. After redshirting this season, rising sophomore goalie Michael Ippoliti effectively joins the Class of 2024 as well.   <h1 class="wp-block-heading">Syracuse's Class of 2024</h1>   Attack/middie Payton Anderson of Brunswick (Conn.) / Prime Time    Face-off specialist Drew Angelo of Honeoye Falls-Lima (N.Y.) / SweetLax Upstate   Longstick middie Vincent Bolognino of Harborfields (N.Y.) / Team 91 Long Island    Attackman Brett Bucktooth of Lafayette (N.Y.) / Wilbraham & Monson (Mass.) PG   Goalie Brayden Ferguson of Bullis (Md.) / Madlax    Midfielder Matt McIntee of East Islip (N.Y.) / True Blue, Legacy   Attack/middie Owen O'Farrell of Moses Brown (R.I.) / 3d New England    Defenseman Cam Ryan of Victor (N.Y.) / SweetLax Upstate   Midfielder Jack Schell of Cape Henlopen (Del.) / Annapolis Hawks    Defenseman Dillon Stephens of New Canaan (Conn.) / Eclipse   Midfielder Koby White of New Hampton (N.H.) / SweetLax Florida

Although 'Cuse took a massive step forward as a program by making its first trip to the quarterfinals since 2017, the Orange were ousted in the second round at the hands of Denver in a narrow 10-8 defeat.

As Gary Gait's program looks to make its first Final Four appearance since 2013, let's look at Syracuse's incoming class, their biggest needs, and who could fill those roles as freshmen.

Among the ACC programs that qualified for the postseason, 'Cuse graduates the least. Up the middle, the losses of a pair of All-Americans, face-off specialist Mason Kohn and goalie Will Mark, will certainly be felt. The Orange also lose two more former transfers in lefty attackman Christian Mule and do-it-all middie Jake Stevens, an All-American in his own right, along with LSMs Matt Wright and Saam Olexo. Otherwise, things stay mostly intact, assuming nobody else enters the transfer portal in the next two weeks.

The Orange will also welcome a tremendous addition with RIT first-team All-American Michael Grace set to head to 'Cuse after being named the William C. Stiles Memorial Outstanding Defenseman in Division III. Grace, a 6-foot-5 Ontario native who played with Team Canada this past summer, will likely line up at LSM after the Orange graduated Wright and Olexo.

An argument could be made that the longpoles are the most talented positional group from top to bottom in this incoming class, even if their collective impact may not be felt until after their freshman year. At LSM, Vincent Bolognino was recently selected as a Wave III New Balance Senior All-American. The Long Island native plays with an incredibly high motor and makes plays from sideline to sideline, hunting ball-carriers and impressing with his ability to get the ball off the ground and upfield.

Down low at close, Cam Ryan and Dillon Stephens have been lights out in 2024. Ryan, a lefty who missed the 2023 season while rehabbing a torn ACL, is excellent 1-on-1 and strong off-ball, demonstrating the basketball influence in both areas of his game. Stephens, meanwhile, was recently highlighted (and raved about) in Dan Arestia's piece on New Canaan's defense. He's capable of shutting down No. 1 attackmen at this level, but to me, he'd be a perfect No. 3 defenseman alongside Billy Dwan and Riley Figueiras. I'll be curious to see if 'Cuse elects to redshirt one or more from the trio.

Offensively, Payton Anderson screams 'instant impact' and will be impossible to keep off the field. Quite frankly, it's just a matter of where he plays. As I wrote at length last month, he would give the attack unit an athletic and imposing dodging threat to take pressure off of Owen Hiltz and Joey Spallina, putting even more pressure on the opposition. Anderson would certainly add a lot to the midfield (where evaluators feel he projects), but I'm adamant that has to be given a shot to play attack first since his presence would change the way teams defend the Orange.