# Villanova Wildcats men's lacrosse

The Villanova Wildcats men's lacrosse team represents Villanova University in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's lacrosse. The Wildcats were elevated to the varsity level in 1981 after competing as a club sport since 1961.

## History

Villanova currently competes as a member of the Big East Conference and plays their home games at Villanova Stadium in Villanova, Pennsylvania.
Villanova competed as an independent until joining the Colonial Athletic Association in 2002; winning the CAA tournament for their first title in 2009. The fourth-seeded Wildcats were the lowest-seeded champions in conference tournament history but had qualified for conference tournament for the fifth year in a row. Villanova also made their first NCAA tournament appearance in 2009 but lost in the first round to the top-seeded Virginia, 18–6.
A pivotal point for the program occurred in 2009 under head coach Mike Corrado. The Wildcats secured their first NCAA Tournament appearance after earning an at-large bid, marking a milestone in the program's history. That season also featured Villanova's first win over a top-10 opponent, solidifying their place on the national stage.

## Notable players

Several standout players have made significant contributions to the Villanova Wildcats Men's Lacrosse program:
* Brian Karalunas: A defensive midfielder known for his unmatched work ethic and on-field intelligence. He earned USILA First-Team All-American honors in 2011 and was awarded the Senior CLASS Award for excellence in athletics, academics, and community service.
* Kevin Cunningham: A versatile attackman and team leader, Cunningham was instrumental in the Wildcats' success during the 2011 season, earning All-Big East honors. Kevin Cunningham, Attack, Villanova
* Jack Rice: One of the program's all-time leading scorers, Rice was known for his clutch performances and finishing ability, particularly during the Wildcats' NCAA Tournament runs.
* Chris Ficke: A reliable defenseman, Ficke played a crucial role in anchoring the Wildcats' defensive unit during their successful 2009 and 2011 campaigns.
* T.J. O'Donnell: A midfielder whose consistent performances and leadership helped guide the team through some of its most successful seasons.

## 2011 Roster

The 2011 Villanova Wildcats Men's Lacrosse roster was as follows:
| No. | Name | Position | Year | Height | Hometown | High School |
| 1 | Joe Payne | Midfield | Junior | – | Birmingham, Mich. | Brother Rice |
| 2 | Jack Rice | Attack | Sophomore | 5'11" | Baltimore, Md. | Boys' Latin |
| 3 | Paul Mita | Attack | Sophomore | 6'5" | Berwyn, Pa. | Conestoga |
| 4 | Billy Hurley | Goalkeeper | Sophomore | 6'2" | Morristown, N.J. | Delbarton |
| 5 | Nolan Vihlen | Midfield | Junior | 5'10" | Germantown, Tenn. | Christian Brother |
| 6 | Chris Aitken | Midfield | Redshirt Junior | 6'1" | Haverford, Pa. | Haverford School |
| 7 | Will Casertano | Attack | Sophomore | 5'9" | Millbrook, N.Y. | Salisbury School |
| 8 | Max Hart | Midfield | Sophomore | 5'10" | Bethesda, Md. | Georgetown Prep |
| 9 | Peter Metcalf | Goalkeeper | Sophomore | 6'4" | Sea Girt, N.J. | The Governor's Academy |
| 10 | Hunter Broome | Defense | Sophomore | 6'2" | Richmond, Va. | Collegiate School |
| 11 | Dan Gutierrez | Goalkeeper | Junior | 6'1" | Chevy Chase, Md. | Georgetown Prep |
| 12 | Matt Bell | Attack | Junior | 5'10" | Severna Park, Md. | St. Mary's |
| 13 | Mike Brennan | Midfield | Senior | 5'11" | Manhasset, N.Y. | Chaminade |
| 14 | T.J. O'Donnell | Midfield | Senior | – | Randolph, N.J. | Delbarton |
| 15 | Chris Ficke | Defense | Senior | 6'1" | Madison, N.J. | Delbarton |
| 16 | Kevin O'Neil | Attack | Freshman | 6'2" | Cockeysville, Md. | Boys' Latin |
| 17 | Andrew Henrich | Midfield | Senior | 6'3" | Wyndmoor, Pa. | La Salle |
| 18 | Troy Higgins | Defense | Senior | 6'3" | Wayne, N.J. | Seton Hall Prep |
| 19 | Chris Creighton | Defense | Junior | 6'1" | West Chester, Pa. | Malvern Prep |
| 20 | Harte Thompson | Midfield | Sophomore | 6'3" | Chester Springs, Pa. | Malvern Prep |
| 21 | John LoCascio | Defense | Freshman | 5'11" | Fairfield, N.J. | West Essex Regional |
| 22 | Nick LoBiondo | Midfield | Sophomore | 5'9" | Mountain Lakes, N.J. | Mountain Lakes |
| 23 | Jimmy Wyatt | Midfield | Freshman | 5'9" | Whitehouse Station, N.J. | Hunterdon Central Regional |
| 24 | Remington Pope | Defense | Freshman | 6'1" | Boston, Mass. | The Governor's Academy |
| 25 | Brian Karalunas | Defense | Senior | 5'11" | Dewitt, N.Y. | Jamesville-Dewitt |
| 26 | Chris Piccirilli | Defense | Freshman | 6'5" | Davidsonville, Md. | Archbishop Spalding |
| 27 | Christopher Conroy | Defense | Freshman | 6'1" | Chatham, N.J. | Chatham |
| 28 | CJ Burke | Midfield | Junior | 5'9" | Pittsburgh, Pa. | Central Catholic |
| 29 | Kevin Cunningham | Attack | Junior | 5'11" | Garden City, N.Y. | Kellenberg |
| 30 | C.J. Small | Midfield | Junior | 5'11" | San Diego, Calif. | La Costa Canyon |
| 32 | Alex Garrison | Midfield | Freshman | 6'2" | New Canaan, Conn. | The Taft School |
| 33 | Nick Doherty | Attack | Sophomore | 5'10" | Bernardsville, N.J. | Delbarton |
| 36 | Mark Jackson | Midfield | Freshman | 5'10" | West Chester, Pa. | Malvern Prep |
| 37 | Alex Westcott | Attack | Senior | 5'10" | Millerton, N.Y. | The Hotchkiss School |
| 40 | Michael Vigilante | Midfield | Junior | 6'2" | Massapequa, N.Y. | Massapequa |
| 41 | Tyler Brennan | Defense | Sophomore | 6'2" | East Setauket, N.Y. | Ward Melville |
| 42 | Ryan McDonagh | Defense | Junior | 6'1" | Huntington, N.Y. | St. Anthony's |
| 45 | Thomas Croonquist | Midfield | Freshman | 5'11" | North Caldwell, N.J. | Seton Hall |
Virginia crushes Villanova, 18–6, faces Hopkins in next round, The Baltimore Sun, May 11, 2009.</ref>

## Season results

The following is a list of Villanova's results by season as an NCAA Division I program:
| Season | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason |
| Lee Stevens (Independent) (1981–1982) ||||||
| 1981 | Lee Stevens | 4–8 | | | |
| 1982 | Lee Stevens | 4–8 | | | |
| Lee Stevens: | Lee Stevens: | 8–16 (.333) | | | |
| Randy Marks (Independent) (1983–2001) ||||||
| 1983 | Randy Marks | 7–4 | | | |
| 1984 | Randy Marks | 11–1 | | | |
| 1985 | Randy Marks | 4–8 | | | |
| 1986 | Randy Marks | 8–6 | | | |
| 1987 | Randy Marks | 7–6 | | | |
| 1988 | Randy Marks | 5–8 | | | |
| 1989 | Randy Marks | 9–5 | | | |
| 1990 | Randy Marks | 9–5 | | | |
| 1991 | Randy Marks | 9–5 | | | |
| 1992 | Randy Marks | 7–7 | | | |
| 1993 | Randy Marks | 6–7 | | | |
| 1994 | Randy Marks | 5–8 | | | |
| 1995 | Randy Marks | 6–9 | | | |
| 1996 | Randy Marks | 8–7 | | | |
| 1997 | Randy Marks | 7–7 | | | |
| 1998 | Randy Marks | 6–8 | | | |
| 1999 | Randy Marks | 8–6 | | | |
| 2000 | Randy Marks | 9–5 | | | |
| 2001 | Randy Marks | 8–6 | | | |
| Randy Marks (Colonial Athletic Association) (2002–2006) ||||||
| 2002 | Randy Marks | 6–8 | 2–4 | 5th | |
| 2003 | Randy Marks | 10–5 | 3–2 | 3rd | |
| 2004 | Randy Marks | 12–3 | 4–1 | 2nd | |
| 2005 | Randy Marks | 7–8 | 3–2 | T–3rd | |
| 2006 | Randy Marks | 5–10 | 3–3 | T–3rd | |
| Randy Marks: | Randy Marks: | 179–152 (.541) | 15–12 (.556) | | |
| Mike Corrado (Colonial Athletic Association) (2007–2009) ||||||
| 2007 | Mike Corrado | 7–7 | 2–4 | T–4th | |
| 2008 | Mike Corrado | 5–10 | 3–3 | T–3rd | |
| 2009 | Mike Corrado | 11–6 | 3–3 | T–3rd | NCAA Division I First Round |
| Mike Corrado (Big East Conference) (2010–Present) ||||||
| 2010 | Mike Corrado | 10–5 | 4–2 | 3rd | |
| 2011 | Mike Corrado | 11–5 | 3–3 | 4th | NCAA Division I First Round |
| 2012 | Mike Corrado | 8–7 | 4–2 | 2nd | |
| 2013 | Mike Corrado | 7–8 | 5–1 | T–1st | |
| 2014 | Mike Corrado | 6–10 | 3–3 | T–3rd | |
| 2015 | Mike Corrado | 6–8 | 1–4 | T–4th | |
| 2016 | Mike Corrado | 9–5 | 3–2 | 3rd | |
| 2017 | Mike Corrado | 9–6 | 4–1 | 2nd | |
| 2018 | Mike Corrado | 10–6 | 3–2 | T–2nd | NCAA Division I First Round |
| 2019 | Mike Corrado | 8–7 | 3–2 | T–2nd | |
| 2020 | Mike Corrado | 4–3 | 0–0 | † | † |
| 2021 | Mike Corrado | 7–5 | 6–4 | 3rd | |
| 2022 | Mike Corrado | 9–6 | 3–2 | 3rd | |
| 2023 | Mike Corrado | 10–5 | 3–2 | 3rd | |
| 2024 | Mike Corrado | 9–7 | 2–3 | 4th | |
| Mike Corrado: | Mike Corrado: | 154–118 (.566) | 77–47 (.621) | | |
| Total: | Total: | 332–280 (.542) | | | |
| National champion   Postseason invitational champion   Conference regular season champion   Conference regular season and conference tournament champion  Division regular season champion  Division regular season and conference tournament champion  Conference tournament champion ||||||
†NCAA canceled 2020 collegiate activities due to the COVID-19 virus.