Success once again became the standard for SUNY Cortland men’s lacrosse in 2025, and the offseason has been shaped by reaching those heights again.
Coming off a 19–3 season, a dominating 7–0 SUNYAC title run, and an NCAA Division III quarterfinal appearance that ended against third-ranked RIT, the Red Dragons now turn their attention to what comes next.
Building on that level of success will not come without its challenges. Cortland’s historic run also marked the end of an era, as the Red Dragons graduated 22 seniors from last year’s roster, leaving significant holes across the field.
Among the most notable departures is one of the team’s captains, and USILA All-America Honorable Mention midfielder Sam Rothman, who led the team in goals in each of the past two seasons and served as a consistent offensive catalyst as he also led the squad in points.
Also departing is captain Alex Thrasher, a defensive midfielder and the program’s first selection to the USILA’s All-American First Team since 2011. Thrasher anchored Cortland’s midfield defense, excelling at faceoff wings, ground balls, and matchup defense.
Thrasher is confident the team can remain at a high level without him.
“When you play and spend as a team as much as we did, we all rubbed off on each other,” Thrasher said. “Did they lose a lot of great players? Yes, but do they now know what it takes to get into tournament play? Absolutely.”
Additionally, the Red Dragons must replace their USILA Honorable Mention goalkeeper, Travis Wagner, who posted an impressive 58 percent save percentage and provided stability in high-pressure situations throughout the postseason run.
With so much veteran production moving on, the question of what comes next looms large.
Much of Cortland’s offseason focus has centered on strengthening the program’s future, highlighted by a noticeable increase in prospect camps, an effort by the coaching staff, led by Head Coach Lelan Rogers, in order to elevate recruiting efforts and reload a roster that must now redefine itself.
Despite the losses, Cortland does retain a strong foundation. USILA Second Team All-American attacker Sean Kavanagh, who finished second on the team in scoring, is set to return as a focal point of the offense. Rising senior defender Dino Bowen, a USILA Honorable Mention selection, also returns after anchoring a defense that ranked among the SUNYAC’s best.
Kavanagh claims the loss of “big name guys” will have little effect on the team’s ability to succeed.
“As long as we continue to play tough and as a team, then we’re going to be right back in the tournament and go even deeper this spring,” Kavanagh said.
Beyond individual returners, Cortland’s culture remains a key factor in sustaining success. The Red Dragons have consistently emphasized depth, player development, and accountability, traits that have allowed the program to remain competitive regardless of roster turnover. As preseason preparations continue, the focus will be on blending incoming talent with proven contributors while maintaining the high standards established last spring.
Sophomore defensemen and recently named captain of the Red Dragons, James Sullivan claims it will be this combination of attributes that will determine the team’s success.
“We’ve got a lot of studs on the roster, so our team emphasis is to think in the now and go about the season day by day with the guys we have on the roster currently,” Sullivan said.
If that balance is achieved, Cortland will once again position itself as a contender within the SUNYAC and on the national stage, proving that success in 2025 was not a peak, but a foundation.
USA Lacrosse preseason ranks Cortland as the #18 Team in all Division III.
The Red Dragons open their season on Wednesday, traveling to RPI.