Meet the local men’s lacrosse standouts headed to Philly to chase an NCAA title

It’s championship weekend in college lacrosse.

Philadelphia is again the site of the men’s Division I semifinals and championship game, beginning Saturday. According to the Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors Bureau, nearly 70,000 people will descend upon Lincoln Financial Field for three full days of lacrosse action. On Saturday, top-seeded Notre Dame, which enters as the defending champion, will take on No. 5 Denver (noon, ESPN2).

In the other semifinal, No. 6 Virginia will face No. 7 Maryland (2:30 p.m., ESPN2). The winners will head to Monday’s championship game (1 p.m., ESPN).

Between those four teams, 13 players hail from this area, with Denver being the only program without a local athlete. Maryland tops the list with eight, including graduate faceoff specialist Luke Wierman, regarded as one of the best at his position in the nation.

Sunday’s action will feature the Division III championship at 1 p.m. and the Division II final at 4 p.m.

Here’s a look at the list of local players ahead of what’s expected to be another full weekend of lacrosse in South Philly this Memorial Day weekend.

Eric Spanos, junior attack-midfield

Pottstown, Malvern Prep

Spanos enters as an All-Big Ten player and was a two-time offensive player of the week during the regular season. He matched a career best with four goals and five points against Ohio State on April 6.

Gabe Goforth, senior midfield

Chester Springs, Bishop Shanahan H.S.

Goforth is the latest in the family tree to pick up a lacrosse stick. Gabe’s brother Sam played at Bryant and his sister Hannah kept it local, playing her college years at Villanova.

Mitchell Lloyd, sophomore faceoff

Moorestown, St. Joseph’s Prep

Lloyd returns to Philly, where he made quite a name for himself. A 2021 U.S. Lacrosse high school All-American, he was a first-team All-Catholic League and Eastern Pennsylvania selection at the Prep. He saw his first game action this year for the Terps against Penn State on May 2.

James Waddell, freshman midfielder

Mount Laurel, St. Augustine Prep

Waddell, a former ice hockey player, quit the sport in high school to pursue lacrosse. He left high school as an all-South Jersey selection by All-Philly Lacrosse and was a key part of St. Augustine’s run to the 2022 New Jersey Non-Public A state championship.

Luke Wierman, graduate faceoff

West Chester, West Chester Henderson

At Maryland, Wierman set program records in faceoffs won (298) and faceoffs taken (451) and had the nation’s second-best faceoff percentage (66.1%) this season. Not bad for a player who didn’t make the roster in his freshman season.

» READ MORE: West Chester’s Luke Wierman, Maryland’s all-time faceoff ace, chases another national title

Geordy Holmes, junior midfielder

West Chester, Haverford School

Holmes was a major part of the Fords’ dominant run in the Inter-Ac, as the team went 46-15 in his four years of high school. He was named first-team all-Inter Ac, all-state, and team MVP in his senior season.

Nick Redd, senior midfielder

Wilmington, Wilmington Friends School

Redd, a major part of Wilmington Friends’ run to the 2017 and 2018 league championships, was a 2019 all-state selection. Redd will have played in 50 total games for the Terps if they make it to the championship on Monday.

Scott Pfeiffer, junior goalie

Blue Bell, Wissahickon

Pfeiffer, an All-Suburban One first-team player and state quarterfinalist, played Maryland club lacrosse until this season. Now he could become a national champion if the Terps can go all the way.

Max Busenkell, sophomore midfield

Garnet Valley, Garnet Valley H.S.

Busenkell will return to the area where his lacrosse career started after being a part of the Notre Dame team that captured the national championship last season. An Under Armour high school All-American, he was also named scholar-athlete of the Year in 2022 by the Delco Sports Hall of Fame.

Mick Lee, senior goalie

Wayne, Conestoga

Lee is a reserve goalkeeper who came to the Fighting Irish with quite the pedigree. In his junior season, he was a two-time All-Main Line and All-Central League selection who led Conestoga to the PIAA state title game behind a 21-4 record.

Will Gallagher, sophomore defense

Bryn Mawr, Radnor

Gallagher led Radnor to consecutive state titles in 2021 and 2022 as a top-10 defenseman in the country coming out of high school.

Wills Burt, freshman midfield

Newtown Square, Haverford School

Burt saw action in every game this season, and was lauded by Virginia coach Lars Tiffany as someone who “attacks the field and the weight room with a beast mentality.” Ranked as the No. 6 midfielder out of high school by Inside Lacrosse, Burt was also an all-Inter-Ac first-team selection in football.

Mike Prestipino, senior defense

Berwyn, Conestoga H.S.

A four-year defenseman with the Cavaliers, this two-time U.S. Lacrosse high school All-American is part of a lacrosse family. His brother Nick, an Army service member, played at West Point from 2013-15.