(Photo Courtesy of UMBC Athletics)

Welcome to the Fall Snapshot series. Throughout the fall I will be taking an early look at all 75 DI men’s college lacrosse teams and giving a snapshot of where each is heading into the 2023 season.

Head Coach: Ryan Moran (Seventh season, 2017-Current)

UMBC 2022 Record: 6-7 (3-3 America East)

Key Departures: Colin Kasner (D), Corey Gaines (D), Tommy Linger (G)

Key Returners: Mike Doughty (A), Brian Tregoning (A), Brett Baucia (A), Taylor Bohanan (M), Jordan Galloway (M), Zach Dudley (FO), Colby Weishaar (D), Ricky Fedorchak (D)

Transfer Additions: N/A

The Retrievers’ 2022 season is one that could be defined by a fairly strong start and fairly strong end with a middle that was a bit more bumpy. UMBC beat a then No. 19 ranked Drexel 12-8 to open the year, and after two one-goal losses to Mount St. Mary’s and Towson beat a ranked Utah team 13-10.

UMBC’s win over Utah came on March 11th. The Retrievers would have to wait almost a whole month to get in the win column once again with losses to Richmond as well as conference foes Binghamton and Vermont ending the month for UMBC. Wins over UAlbany, UMass Lowell, and NJIT would help put the Retrievers in the postseason, where they got revenge against Binghamton in a 7-6 defensive battle in the America East semifinals before falling 13-11 to Vermont in the America East semifinals.

Heading into the 2023 season, UMBC returns a good chunk of its talent from a year ago and with that will be looking to push forward even more in the conference, which now has no Stony Brook and added Bryant and Merrimack. Things look like they could be set up to the benefit of the Retrievers this season.

Burning Questions

What’s The Goalie Situation?

After being the primary starter in between the pipes for five years, Tommy Lingner has exhausted his eligibility. He played and started in all 11 of the Retrievers’ regular season games last season and in that time made 116 saves with a 51.6% save percentage. He leaves Catonsville with his name in the record books, being fifth in program history in career saves (486).

Junior Jayson Tingue is the lone returner at the position who saw any action last season. And it was significant action, as well. Tingue played in just four games on the year but took over as the Retrievers’ starter for the postseason. That included himself anchoring a valiant defensive effort in the America East semifinals to help edge Binghamton 7-6. He made nine saves with a 60% save percentage in the game. He then made 10 saves with a 43.5% save percentage in the conference title game against Vermont.

In addition to Tingue, UMBC will also see sophomore Gerry Caltagirone return. He has yet to see any game action. Freshmen Connor McMahon and Keith LaPierre are also on the roster. Whether that goalie spot is locked up for Tingue or if one of those other three can earn that nod will be interesting to see.

Does the Defense Stay Elite?

If there has been one defining characteristic of this UMBC program in recent years it has been its defense. Since Moran’s arrival as head coach ahead of the 2017 season, the Retrievers have only had one in which its average goals allowed exceeded 10 (2019). That included a season last spring in which UMBC ended the year with the nation’s ninth-ranked scoring defense in college lacrosse, allowing 10.08 goals per game. Against conference opponents, the Retrievers held the opposition to an average of 9.8 goals per game.

Defensive coordinator Craig Chick loses some key pieces from his unit a year ago with three-year starter Corey Gaines (17GB/6CT) gone, as well as program great Colin Kasner (29GB/7CT). Kasner ended his college career third all-time in career caused turnovers (69) in UMBC history. However, the cupboard is far from bare on that back end.

Colby Weishaar (4GB/13CT) started six of the first seven games of the year at close before bumping up to the LSM spot. He had a breakout redshirt freshman season in 2022 after not seeing any action as a true freshman in 2021. Seniors Ricky Fedorchak (23GB/9CT) and Tony Diallo (18GB/7CT) also return. Fedorchak started at close in eight of the 12 games he played. Diallo each of the final six games at close. In addition, UMBC also returns two of its top defensive midfielders in junior Kyle Hoff (19GB/8CT) and senior Mason Edwards (36GB/7CT).

How Does The Young Offensive Talent Develop?

Among its top 10 scorers last season, three were freshmen and one was a sophomore. All three of them return in 2023. The most notable of the bunch is Jordan Galloway, who netted 13 goals and three assists for 16 points en route to taking home America East Freshman of The Year honors last spring.

Kevin Doughty (11G/1A) was an America East All-Rookie selection while Josh Tang (9G/4A) was a key reserve and made the conference’s All-Tournament team after a three-goal (two vs Vermont) postseason. Brian Tregoning put up 22 goals and 10 assists as a sophomore, ending the year as UMBC’s leading goal-scorer and second leading overall point-getter.

UMBC brings in new offensive coordinator Mikey Herring from VMI, where he improved the offense year to year, and returns all five of its leading scorers from a year ago, which includes Galloway and Tregoning. Much should be expected from those aforementioned young players from last season and if this offense , which averaged 10.6 goals per game in 2022, is going to improve the depth and talent those players, and others, bring will be needed.

Potential Breakout Player

Josh Tang, Midfield, Sophomore

After a solid freshman campaign in which he served as a reserve midfielder and put up 13 points on nine goals and four assists, Tang could very well make a jump in 2023. That is especially true with one of the holes on offense being a starting midfield spot.

Freshman Class

UMBC brings in an 11-man freshman class with its 2022 recruiting efforts. The class includes three players who were ranked as three-star prospects by Inside Lacrosse: Midfielder Nicholas Gutierrez (Archbishop Spalding, Md.), faceoff man Alexander Steers (Westminster, Md.), and Defenseman Dylan Hendrix (Dematha, Md.).