The Terps open Big Ten play Saturday.
With their nonconference slate complete, Maryland enters Big Ten play Saturday.
In the nine full seasons since leaving the ACC, Maryland has won or shared six regular season conference titles and won four of six appearances in the Big Ten Tournament title game.
Maryland’s failure to win the last two conference championships — by the standards set under head coach John Tillman, a drought — opened the door for another challenger.
And yet few people would have expected Michigan to take up the mantle — the Wolverines came from nowhere to win their first-ever trophy in the 2023 Big Ten Tournament before defending it again last year.
When late April rolls around, Maryland will try to steal the crown off Michigan’s head — for now, the Terps have an excellent opportunity to size themselves up.
Fresh off their 900th win, Maryland hosts Michigan at SECU Stadium at noon. The game will broadcast on Big Ten Plus.
Michigan Wolverines (4-4, 0-0 Big Ten)
2024 record : 10-7, 2-3 Big Ten
During head coach Kevin Conry’s eight-year tenure, the Wolverines have grown their fledgling lacrosse program, which was established in 2012. Michigan had a 10-win season, won the Big Ten Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament — all for the first time — in 2023. The very next year, the Wolverines accomplished all those same feats again in a near-carbon copy performance.
The Wolverines can still be optimistic about making it three in a row in 2025, but it’s been a Jekyll-and-Hyde start to the season. They have won four games, averaging 16 goals for and 4.3 goals against per game in those matchups. However, in their four losses, those numbers invert — 7.8 goals per game and 14 goals against.
Those losses have come in all of their games against ranked opponents: No. 4 North Carolina, No. 7 Duke, No. 12 Harvard and No. 8 Notre Dame. With four of their five conference foes ranked, Michigan needs to buck that trend as soon as possible.
Players to know
Ryan Cohen, senior attacker, No. 40 — Cohen is well-respected across college lacrosse, with the attacker earning spots on the Tewaaraton Watch List, the Preseason All-American Team and the Big Ten Players to Watch list. Cohen’s stats speak for themselves — his 18 assists tie for the sixth-highest figure in Division I, and he has a 56-game point streak, having scored or assisted in every game he’s played in.
Hunter Taylor, junior goalkeeper, No. 52 — Taylor is the definition of a clutch goalkeeper. The Rockville, Maryland, native has been named to two consecutive Big Ten All-Tournament teams after posting a save percentage above 73% in each final. And yet, while he seems to have taken a step forward this year, Taylor’s career save percentage excluding Big Ten Tournament games comes in just below 48%.
Pace Billings, graduate defender, No. 12 — Billings has the second-most ground balls of any outfield player in the Big Ten this year. The Princeton transfer and Preseason All-American Honorable Mention has been one of Michigan’s best defenders this season and will need to perform well against the Terps if Michigan is to win.
Strength
Team offense. The Wolverines lost some offensive stars this past offseason — their transition to attack by committee has been expected but effective. Thirteen Wolverines have scored multiple goals in 2025, and their 63 assists tie for 10th in the country.
Weakness
Faceoffs. Michigan’s 46.9% faceoff win percentage ranks 50th in the nation and is the lowest in the Big Ten by a significant margin. The Wolverines have sorely missed former faceoff specialist Justin Wietfeldt, who won the same number of faceoffs as Luke Wierman (244) last season. They’ve rotated between Jack Rideout, Nick Lauderback, and Jackie Weller, with only Weller winning more than half of his faceoffs (22-of-40).
Three things to know
1. Maryland gone missing against Michigan? The Terps and the Wolverines have faced off 13 times in their history, with Maryland winning 10 of the matchups. However, Michigan has won each of the last three games, putting 12 or more goals past the Terps every time.
2. Braden Erksa ready to work. Maryland’s junior attacker has faced Michigan three times in his career. And while he has not beaten them yet, Erksa has certainly done his part, scoring multiple goals in each game and totaling nine career points against the Wolverines.
3. Logan McNaney nearing Maryland record. McNaney has 678 career saves following his 13-save effort against Virginia, moving into second place all-time for Maryland goalkeepers — Kevin O’Leary had 705. With McNaney averaging over 13 saves a game, the sixth-year netminder could break O’Leary’s 40-year-old record next weekend — he could even do it Saturday with a particularly impressive afternoon, but those chances are slim.