Consider this a huge victory for the Syracuse Orange men’s lacrosse program.
According to Inside Lacrosse’s Ty Xanders, former Loyola Greyhounds midfielder Chase Scanlan will reportedly transfer to Syracuse. Xanders also reported that Scanlan will wear the No. 22 jersey, which has not been worn since Jordan Evans last donned it in the 2017 season.
Syracuse edged ACC rival Virginia as the other finalist, along with Cornell, Johns Hopkins, and Maryland. Scanlan identified Virginia as the early favorite a couple weeks ago. One source told me it was going to be Virginia, which was his preferred destination, if the Cavaliers were able to shell out enough scholarship money. Syracuse’s Haudenosaunee Promise Scholarship for Native Americans covers tuition, housing, meals, and mandatory fees.
On the lacrosse field, Scanlan registered 43 goals and 15 assists as a starting midfielder, including two goals and one assist against the Orange in the NCAA Tournament this past May. He was named a Second-Team USILA and Inside Lacrosse Media All-American, the Patriot League Rookie of the Year, and a First-Team College Crosse All-Freshman selection.
The second biggest part of Scanlan’s commitment back to Syracuse is that he will wear the No. 22 jersey. According to a source, head coach John Desko also offered the No. 22 jersey to Chris Gray when he was looking to transfer out of Boston University before landing with the North Carolina Tar Heels.
Where Scanlan could play we don’t know, but he told Xanders he’ll likely play at attack. He does have the ability to play both attack and midfield. The midfield is getting crowded with Jamie Trimboli, Brendan Curry, David Lipka, Jacob Buttermore, Lucas Quinn, Matt Magnan, and Griffin Cook returning as well as Tucker Dordevic, who missed all of last season and will see some time at attack in the fall. An attack unit of Scanlan, Dordevic, and Stephen Rehfuss is very probable, but don’t count out Cook or Owen Seebold.
Either way, Syracuse just got that much better for 2020. And the pressure to return to Championship Weekend for the first time since 2013 is even higher.
2020 should have been a big year for @CuseMLAX regardless....they have the pieces. Now they added Scanlan. 2nd trip to Champ Weekend in a decade on the horizon?
— Paul Carcaterra (@paulcarcaterra) July 2, 2019
Assistant coach Lelan Rogers is obviously happy.
Yes! pic.twitter.com/UKrGPTrcMv
— Lelan Rogers (@LelanRogers) July 2, 2019