Johns Hopkins Shows Off Their 2017 Schedule

The Johns Hopkins Blue Jays, aka one half of #TheDuopoly, are the 41st team in our 2017 schedule preview. The Blue Jays went 8-7 overall in 2016, and 3-2 in Big Ten play. Hopkins fell to Rutgers, 14-12, in the Big Ten semifinals, followed by Brown in the NCAA First Round, 17-8. Let’s dive into their schedule.

JOHNS HOPKINS

The Blue Jays have two scrimmages at home in January, first against Denver on the 28th, followed by High Point on the 31st. Hopkins begins the regular season with a three-game homestand against Maryland teams. The season starts on February 7 against Navy, which should be a great early season battle. Last year in Annapolis, the Blue Jays edged out the Midshipmen in double overtime, 12-11. The Blue Jays then host UMBC on February 11, followed by hosting Loyola in the “Battle of Charles Street” on February 18. Loyola is on a three-game winning streak against the Blue Jays, and Dave Pietramala’s crew hopes to stop their losing streak against the Greyhounds. February concludes with a trip to Chapel Hill to take on defending National Champion North Carolina on the 25th. That game begins a three-game road trip for the Jays, their first in 31 years.

Hopkins continues their road swing on March 3 against longtime rival Princeton in New Jersey. They make their way back to Maryland to take on defending CAA champion Towson on March 11 to wrap up their road trip. They return home on March 18 to take on archrival and fellow member of #TheDuopoly, Syracuse. This game was originally scheduled to be played at the Carrier Dome, but a possible scheduling conflict with the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament gave Hopkins the hosting duties. They’ll play in Cuse in 2018 and 2019. Nonconference play wraps up at Homewood Field against rival Virginia on March 25. Big Ten play opens up on March 31 against Rutgers in Baltimore. The Blue Jays lost both games against the Scarlet Knights last year.

Johns Hopkins travels to the Horseshoe to take on Ohio State on April 9, before returning home on April 15 to take on Penn State. Their annual Homecoming game is the home finale against Michigan on April 22. The annual rivalry game against Maryland is in College Park this year on the 29th.

One of the biggest losses anywhere in the college lacrosse world has to be Ryan Brown at Hopkins. The attackman led the team with 41 goals last year. Midfielder Holden Cattoni is also a key contributor gone on offense. But the Jays return a bevy of attackmen and midfielders from last season. Guys such as Shackleford “Shack” Stanwick, Wilkins Dismuke, John Crawley, Cody Radziewicz, Kyle Marr, Patrick Fraser, Kieran Eissler, and Brinton Valis. The team will also get sophomores Drew Supinski and Alex Concannon back after suffering season-ending knee injuries during the season, as well as graduate midfielder Connor Reed after suffering a torn ACL before the season and redshirt-sophomore Joel Tinney after NCAA violations held him out last year. The team also has freshmen Cole Williams and Forry Smith available, as well as sophomore Jake Fox.

On defense, Patrick Foley, Nick Fields, and Austin Spencer all return after starting the majority of the games last year. Spencer is more of an LSM and may return to that position, as Edward Lee of the Baltimore Sun writes. Riley DeSmit may fill in Spencer’s old role. Robert Kuhn is also a great LSM that got time last year. Tal Bruno and Thomas Guida will be some of the main defensive midfielders after Kelton Black and Derrick Kihembo departed. Craig Madarasz and Hunter Moreland will split face-offs once again, while the goaltending battle will be big between the incumbent junior Brock Turnbaugh and Michigan graduate transfer Gerald Logan. Logan recorded a .509 save percentage last year with the Wolverines, while Turnbaugh posted a .471 save percentage in his first year as the starter. If the Blue Jays have a solid season throughout 2017, and avoid the injury bug, they could make their way into Championship Weekend.

To see every team’s schedule and which one’s we’ve highlighted, check our our master schedule list.