- Chris Jastrzembski
Previewing Vermont's 2022 men's lacrosse schedule
The Vermont Catamounts are the 10th team in our 2022 men’s college lacrosse schedule preview series and the first team from the America East. Vermont finished 9-5 overall in 2021 and 7-2 in America East play. The Catamounts defeated UAlbany in the America East title game for their first ever berth into the NCAA Tournament, but fell to Maryland in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Here's their entire 2022 spring schedule:
WHO'S IN?
Duke Blue Devils (2/6)
Utah Utes (2/12)
Penn State Nittany Lions (2/16)
Brown Bears (2/26)
Dartmouth Big Green (3/8)
Providence Friars (3/12)
UMass Minutemen (3/16)
Canisius Golden Griffins (3/26)
WHO'S OUT?
Syracuse Orange (17-13 L, will scrimmage in Syracuse)
Hartford Hawks (14-9 W, Hawks have opted out of conference play)
CIRCLE THESE DATES
2/16 at Penn State: Vermont has never defeated Penn State in four all-time meetings. Their last meeting was a seven goal loss back in 2015 in Happy Valley. Things have changed, and the Catamounts catch the Nittany Lions at a time where they're still figuring out how their offense will work, now without the NCAA's all-time leading goal scorer in Mac O'Keefe. Some big holes to fill in an early season matchup. Smells like something special for Vermont.
2/26 at Brown: Also a team the Catamounts have never defeated is Brown. Seven all-time meetings with the last coming in 2012. The Bears have had a fall season and I watched them scrimmage Bryant and Providence in October. They had some bright spots, but a big question mark is at the faceoff X. If Tommy Burke can take control on draws, Vermont and their offense will be in this game.
3/16 at UMass: Both of these teams could win their conference this season. Vermont won their conference last year, while UMass last won the CAA back in 2018 but have peeped inside the top 20 in and out of the last few years. The Minutemen had some personnel changes with Doc Schneider and Craig McDonald (now the head coach at Robert Morris) leave, bringing in Kyle Smith from Merrimack and Noah Fossner from Delaware (after a very brief stint as a volunteer assistant with Lehigh). Oh, and Vermont also has never defeated UMass in six all-time meetings, the last coming in 2002.
4/16 at UAlbany: These teams met three times in a season, a rarity in most seasons when there's not a global pandemic still going on. Vermont won the two regular season meetings by a pair of goals before taking home the conference crown with a 15-10 decision. This Great Dane team is a question mark going in without Jakob Patterson on offense, but guys like Corey Yunker, Camden Hay, and Graydon Hogg will still be factors to watch.
4/30 at Stony Brook: Vermont has a very challenging road slate this season. Most of their noncon opponents are on the road as well as UAlbany and Stony Brook, who rose last year to be a serious threat to win the America East. Dylan Pallonetti is the reigning conference Offensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year and gets some aid in Michigan grad transfer Kevin Mack. The Seawolves also return key contributors on defense and in goal and have expectations to make this conference title game this year after losing to the Catamounts in the conference semis back in May.