Syracuse men’s lacrosse: Attackman Chase Scanlan suspended indefinitely, per report

The Syracuse Orange men’s lacrosse team is limping towards the end of the season by their high standards, and the final stretch isn’t going to get any easier. Inside Lacrosse’s Ty Xanders reported this morning that starting attackman Chase Scanlan was suspended from the team indefinitely following an incident after the North Carolina game on Saturday. Xanders later reported that a team spokesperson confirmed the suspension.

Scanlan has had his ups and downs this season, but the wearer of the fabled No. 22 jersey is still Syracuse’s leading goal scorer with 24 goals. The Loyola (MD) transfer also led the Orange in goals during the shortened 2020 season with 18. Scanlan was Syracuse’s first No. 22 since Jordan Evans left after the 2017 season.

Whatever the reason for the suspension, Syracuse can’t afford to lose starters at this point of the season. The Orange have been struggling as of late, losing their last four ACC games and sitting at a 5-4 overall record. With two games left on the schedule on the road at No. 5 Virginia and No. 2 Notre Dame, Syracuse faces the possibility of finishing below .500, thus failing to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007. Scanlan has scored eight goals in ACC play for the Orange this year.

The Orange now need to find a new attackman to partner up with Stephen Rehfuss and Owen Hiltz. There seem to be two clear options in Griffin Cook and Owen Seebold. Cook was a starting attackman in 2020 and scored five goals that season. However, he struggled in his first start in 2021 and Hiltz took his spot on the starting attack from the second game onward. Cook only has one goal so far this year.

Seebold was Syracuse’s fourth attackman last year, but this year he and Cook rotate with Lucas Quinn and Jacob Buttermore on the second midfield. Seebold is having a good season with eight goals to his name. Both Cook and Seebold are natural attackers, so John Desko and Pat March have an important decision to make heading into the Virginia game this Saturday in Charlottesville.