For the first time in nearly 18 years, men’s lacrosse is No. 1.
On Monday, the team achieved the top ranking in both the Inside Lacrosse poll and the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Coaches poll. It is the first No. 1 ranking Cornell has earned since the conclusion of the 2007 regular season.
While the Red (6-1, 2-0 Ivy) took a 19-14 victory over Yale on Saturday, each of the three teams polled above Cornell last week were upset. Previously No. 1 Maryland, now ousted to second, fell to No. 19 Michigan in triple overtime. No. 6/7 Penn State, which followed Maryland, lost to No. 3 Ohio State, and previously No. 3 Army was handed its first loss of the year by No. 17/16 Boston University in overtime.
The last time Cornell topped the men’s lacrosse rankings was in 2007, following an undefeated regular season, and the team’s only loss that year came against Duke in the NCAA Tournament semifinal. The Red have not secured a national title since 1977, though it has had five runner-up finishes since then, the most recent being in 2022.
Hard-hitting offense has been the team’s signature this season, with senior attackman CJ Kirst already at 37 goals after his nine-goal outburst against Yale. Kirst earned his fourth Ivy League Player of the Week recognition for his efforts.
The Red will look to hold its No. 1 ranking as it enters a two-game week, facing the University of Pennsylvania on Saturday, March 29 and Albany on Tuesday, April 1. Although both opponents are unranked, Penn gave Cornell plenty of trouble last year, defeating the Red twice, including in a stinging upset in the Ivy League Tournament semifinals.
Jane McNally is a senior editor on the 143rd editorial board and was the sports editor on the 142nd editorial board. She is a member of the class of 2026 in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. You can follow her on X @JaneMcNally_ and reach her at jmcnally@cornellsun.com.
