We’re coming up to the end of 2021, and we’ll soon have a fresh year of lax in front of us. But you can’t wait to watch what will happen, you need to know now. So, we have some 2022 lacrosse predictions for you – 22 to be exact.
New NCAA champions, the first full NLL season in seemingly forever, another PLL campaign, and so much more will come in 2022. Let’s take a look at the crystal ball for all the answers, or at least 22 of them.
22 Lacrosse Predictions for 2022
1: syracuse Returns to Glory
With the addition of Gary Gait and Dave Pietramala, the Orange are poised to return to glory this upcoming season. Syracuse has had the talent over the years to be a complete team in the ACC but has fallen short every time it mattered most. But they’ve built a coaching staff unlike many others in NCAA history, so don’t be surprised if Syracuse makes some noise in the ACC.
2: Johns Hopkins Becomes a big ten contender
Peter Milliman was the perfect coaching hire for the Blue Jays last season. Milliman has proven that he can build a program, and Hopkins certainly needs some help. The Blue Jays showed signs towards the end of the season of what this team is made of when they made a run to the Big Ten Championship Game. This team has all of the tools to become a contender in the Big Ten in 2022.
3: The Ivy League returns with a vengance
The lacrosse world has certainly missed the Ivy League after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. The Ivy League will make its return this upcoming season, and there is no doubt that these players are eager to touch the field. Most Ivy League teams schedule difficult out-of-conference slates, and teams like Penn and Yale are in control of how high they want to climb in the national rankings.
4: Chris GRay wins the Tewaaraton
Chris Gray is returning for his fifth year in hopes of winning a national title as a Tar Heel. Gray finished as a Tewaaraton finalist last year and has all the opportunity in the world to bring home the award in 2022.
5: Colin Kirst Makes a splash
Rutgers goalie Colin Kirst had a phenomenal 2021 season, and that success will carry over to the 2022 season as well. Kirst has the potential to be the best goalie in college lacrosse this year and be a hot prospect in the 2022 PLL Draft.
6: Boston College wins the NCAA Championship…Again
With Charlotte North returning and a dominant recruiting class stepping on campus, the Golden Eagles are slated to repeat their championship run in 2022. While it won’t be a cake walk to the national championship game, there is no real reason why Boston College can’t win it all for a second year in a row.
7: Charlotte North Wins the Tewaaraton…Again
Charlotte North has proven that she is one of the best NCAA lacrosse players to ever play the game. With Izzy Scane out of the Tewaaraton running due to an ACL injury, North should have no issue securing the Tewaaraton for a second-consecutive season.
8: Buffalo Bandits are crowned nll champions
It has been a long time coming, but the Buffalo Bandits have all of the tools at their disposable to win the NLL Championship. The additions of Connor Fields and Tehoka Nanticoke have elevated this team to a level it has not been at in the past.
9: JEff Teat Wins nll rookie of the year
Jeff Teat had a dominant performance during his first NLL game, tallying up three goals and four assists. There is no question that he’s already playing at an All-Star caliber level and is the face of the Riptide organization. The only road bump in his way is how well Nanticoke performs on a team competing for a title, which is a position the Riptide are not currently in.
10: Ryan Lee Wins NLL MVP
Ryan Lee has all of the qualities you look for in an MVP-caliber player. The NLL is filled with guys who could potentially win this postseason award, but Lee’s performance to start the 2021-22 season shows why he appears to be the clear frontrunner.
11: Matt Vinc cements his legacy
The 39-year-old Buffalo legend Matt Vinc will finish his career following this season. Vinc has a solid defense in front of him, which certainly helps the low-quality shots that he will face all year. Vinc is the best NLL goalie of all time and will finish the year with a plethora of awards and accolades.
12: The Archers get over the playoff hump
The Archers have no excuse to not win a title this during the 2022 season. The team is full of weapons at every position but has not been able to climb over the playoff hump. This year will be different, and my prediction is Archers Lacrosse Club will obtain its first PLL Championship.
13: Grant Ament wins pll mvp
Grant Ament will enter his third season as a professional in 2022 and has already become an elite player in this league. His presence on the field is felt even when he doesn’t have the ball, and his IQ improved drastically from his first season to his second. Ament is on pace to become the face of the league, and I think this is the year earns the recognition he deserves.
14: Chrome finish as the PLL’s worst team
I love many of the players on the Chrome’s roster, but I don’t think the team fundamentally clicks. Team chemistry is arguably one of the most important factors required to be a competitive lacrosse team and the Chrome appear to have none, and that’s the basis of my prediction. Chrome will need a drastic rebuild similar to what Ben Rubeor did with the Atlas if it wants to compete in this league.
15: Chaos finish the regular season with a losing record
The 2021 Chaos team was certainly a team of destiny ,and I don’t see that level of success rolling into the 2022 season. For one reason or another, the playoffs bring a different beast out of this team, so it’s hard to say what will happen once the postseason hits. But the Chaos will certainly fall into a slump during the regular season in 2022.
16: Redwoods enter a rebuild following 2022 season
Redwoods have too many weapons on its roster to explain for the team’s lack of success. I can see the Redwoods trading away one or two All-Star players on their roster to improve the team’s depth. I’m pretty sure Redwoods fans are tired of seeing this team fall flat in big games year after year.
17: More PLL Expansion
With the PLL’s rumored deal with ESPN, the league is in a position to have a very successful 2022 season. The league will certainly look to expand, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it added two teams instead of just one.
18: nfhs and usa lacrosse delay new chest pad rule
NFHS and USA Lacrosse recently come out and announced there won’t be any delay with retailers getting their hands on the newly-required ND200 chest protectors before the 2022 season. Players across the country have struggled to get their hands on the new chest protectors, and I see the NFHS delaying the rule to the 2023 season.
19: USA Women’s Team Bring Homes Gold
USA Lacrosse is hosting the 2022 World Lacrosse Women’s World Championship this upcoming summer. The USA Women’s Lacrosse team has lost in the gold medal game the previous two times the World Championship was held on United States soil since the event started back in 1982. The Americans will wear gold.
20: USA men’s u21 Team also Bring Homes Gold
The 2022 World Lacrosse U21 World Championship is being held in Ireland this year with more than 23 international teams participating. The USA team is led by Ohio State head coach Nick Meyers and will bring home U21 gold once again.
21: the IBLA Continues to gain recognition
The concept of the IBLA is extremely fascinating, and the league keeps improving in quality year after year. More teams continue to emerge, and more highly-skilled players are spending their offseason in the IBLA. My prediction is the IBLA will remain on its positive path and keep laying the groundwork for semi-professional box lacrosse in America.
22: the game will continue to grow
Lacrosse has been growing at an exponential rate with no signs of slowing down. With new NLL and PLL TV partnerships with ESPN, the game has never been more accessible. Programs of every skill level continue to grow across the globe, and it’s exciting to see where the sport of lacrosse is headed.
Like ever year, my prediction is lacrosse will grow in 2022.