College Crosse 2017 Scouting Report: Boston University Terriers.

Profile: After just three seasons, the Terriers already have a foundation that sees them just on the verge of being a top conference team. In a conference like the Patriot League, that says a lot. With program-defining victories over Navy and Harvard last season, BU has burst onto the scene as a better-than-average new program in a hurry.

An offensive-minded team that saw a surprising leap in defense in 2016, BU at times looked like a top 20 team, and they were ranked as high as 16th at one point. Yet at other times, the Terriers looked like a first-year program struggling with turnovers and clearing the ball, especially late in games.

This is the last year for program staples such as Sam Talkow, Cal Dearth, and Christian Carson-Banister, so BU should go all-in in making the 2017 season count. With an underrated local recruiting class, the Terriers are in a positioon to finally make that conference tournament.

2016 Record: 8-7 and 3-5 in conference play. The Patriot League really beat BU up last season, with four straight losses in conference, including to Holy Cross for the second straight year. The Terriers will have to be able to win against some tough teams, but they have proven to be able to handle it. BU did beat a #16 ranked Navy team, defeated an out-of-conference Harvard, and held tough and led in the fourth quarter against Loyola.

Roster: As such a young program, the Terriers retain almost the entire roster. Sam Tenney and Elliott Burr are the biggest losses, as a second line midfielder and backup FOGO, respectively. However, several key players are headed into their senior seasons.

Offense has been the Terriers' strength since day one, and the unit is another year older. James Burr goes into his second season after starting off his career with a bang, and should be another year better and a leader on the attack. Jack Wilson goes into his junior year looking to make another leap as an offensive leader. Ryan Hillburn is healthy after suffering an injury in the first game of the season against Providence, and late in the year he looked reminiscent of his freshman season. Rising sophomore Michael Laviano showed flashes at points as well during the season, and could have a bigger role next year.

Cal Dearth is the midfield leader once again, and is now a senior. Brendan Homire became a key feeder during the season, and picked up the scoring pace late. He suffered a mild injury at the end of the year but returned, and is going to be relied upon heavily again.

In net, Christian Carson-Banister has been the man between the pipes for the entirety of the BU program, and has been arguably the backbone of their success. His double overtime five-save performance against Navy was one of the most defining performances in the history of the program for any player.

Quintin Germain was a starter right away in his freshman season, and the defense was mostly stable for the entire year with Greg Wozniak, Dominick Calisto, and later on, freshman Drew Lukacs. The defense is an area that also needs to take another step, especially late in games stopping teams when they have to.

Conference: It can be argued that the Patriot League is the most difficult conference to play in in all of lacrosse. Loyola was a final four team, Navy in the tournament, while Army and Bucknell were also ranked during the season. Despite this, in just three years BU has become a conference contender.

For the last two straight seasons it was a last-game-of-the-season loss to Holy Cross to miss out on the conference tournament, and six and four game losing streaks to end their seasons, respectively. This is a difficult conference for a growing program, but it is also an opportunity to break in as the teams beat each other up.

What are they doing this summer: Not much going on as the team begins to prepare for next season. John MacLean, a recruit heading into his freshman year, won a state championship with Medfield on Nickerson Field, where he will be playing his home contests this coming February.

BU attackman Ryan Johnston is playing with the Six Nations Arrows in the Ontario Lacrosse Association, where he's picked up two points in three games.

2017 outlook: Once again, BU is going to contend to make the conference tournament. This will be their first real season with a senior core, and that should make a difference late in the season. BU's biggest issue has always been closing out, games and the season.

Non-Sequitor: Jim Craig, Mike Eruzione, Jack O'Callahan, and Dave Silk, all of whom were on the 1980 U.S. Men's Hockey team that won the gold medal in Lake Placid, are alums.