- Chris Jastrzembski
Previewing Johns Hopkins' 2022 men's lacrosse schedule
The Johns Hopkins Blue Jays are the 20th team in our 2022 men’s college lacrosse schedule preview series and the first team from the Big Ten. Johns Hopkins went 4-9 overall in 2021 and 2-8 in Big Ten play, with all of their games being played against Big Ten opponents. The Blue Jays went all the way to the conference title game but fell to Maryland by a pair of goals.
Here's their entire 2022 spring schedule:
WHO'S IN?
Jacksonville Dolphins (2/5)
Georgetown Hoyas (2/13)
Virginia Cavaliers (3/5)
Navy Midshipmen (3/18)
Delaware Blue Hens (3/20)
WHO'S OUT?
Princeton Tigers (18-11 L in 2020)
Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers (13-12 W/OT in 2020)
Johns Hopkins and Princeton were supposed to play each other, as the Blue Jays announced the Tigers as one of their nonconference opponents in late July. However, both programs could not come to an agreement for a date to play and are "hoping" (or "working on") a date for 2023. Besides 2021, Johns Hopkins and Princeton played each other every year since 1937 except 1944 due to World War II.
CIRCLE THESE DATES
2/13 at Georgetown: Johns Hopkins plays twice in a weekend on two separate occasions this year. The first is a Friday date at Towson before a Sunday date at Georgetown. Both opponents will give the Blue Jays challenges, especially the Georgetown contest. Those jam-packed weekend could be a big positive as the season gets into April and May.
3/12 vs. Syracuse: Syracuse-Hopkins is always a great rivalry in college lacrosse and it'll feel a bit more personal this year. On the Syracuse sideline is former Hopkins defenseman and head coach Dave Pietramala. He also recruited many of the current Blue Jays. On the opposite end is former Syracuse LSM Jared Fernandez, who didn't play for Hopkins last year due to an injury. Should be plenty of emotions on both sidelines.
3/18 vs. Navy: Finally, the Hopkins-Navy rivalry returns (and so does the Virginia rivalry)! The last time they met was in 2017 and the teams were supposed to renew their rivalry in March 2020. However, that's when the COVID pandemic begun and the season was canceled shortly prior. The Midshipmen will be a good top 20 or top 25 team yet again. Joe Amplo continues to build in Annapolis.
4/9 at Ohio State: With every team making the Big Ten Tournament for the second straight year, conference regular season play takes somewhat less importance. It'd be nice to finish in the top two, that means a bye week before the conference semifinals. After Maryland and Rutgers, third through sixth is up for grabs yet again. Hopkins-Ohio State feels like a game that could decide the third and fourth seeds, even though Penn State and Michigan would both like to have a word.
4/23 vs. Maryland: The Rivalry stays at Homewood for the 2022 year. After Maryland took care of Hopkins in their first meeting in College Park, the Blue Jays made things interesting with the Terps in the rematch at Homewood and eventually in the Big Ten title game. Maryland won those meetings as well and just like that are on a three-game winning streak after Hopkins had a three-game streak of their own. It's a cliche but records literally do not matter in this series.