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The Vermont Catamounts are the 7th team in our 2020 men’s college lacrosse schedule preview series and the second team from the America East. Vermont finished 8-7 overall in 2019 and 4-2 in America East play. Vermont made it back to the America East Championship game, but lost to No. 4 seed UMBC by a goal.
Here’s their entire 2020 schedule:
Vermont’s 2020 Schedule
| Date | Road Team | Home Team | Special Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Road Team | Home Team | Special Notes |
| 1/18 | Vermont | Maryland | Scrimmage |
| 1/25 | Vermont | Syracuse | Scrimmage |
| 2/1 | Vermont | Bryant | Scrimmage |
| 2/8 | Vermont | Jacksonville | First meeting since 2018 |
| 2/15 | Vermont | Holy Cross | |
| 2/22 | Vermont | Quinnipiac | |
| 2/29 | Merrimack | Vermont | First ever meeting |
| 3/7 | Dartmouth | Vermont | First meeting since 2017 |
| 3/14 | UMBC | Vermont | America East |
| 3/21 | Vermont | Hartford | America East |
| 3/28 | UMass Lowell | Vermont | America East |
| 4/5 | Vermont | Albany | America East |
| 4/11 | Binghamton | Vermont | America East |
| 4/18 | Vermont | Stony Brook | America East |
| 4/24 | Penn | Vermont | At New Canaan HS (In New Canaan, CT) |
Who’s In?
- Jacksonville Dolphins (2/8)
- Merrimack Warriors (2/29)
- Dartmouth Big Green (3/7)
Who’s Out?
- Utah Utes (21-6 W)
- Navy Midshipmen (13-8 L)
- Boston University Terriers (12-4 L)
- Hobart Statesmen (17-11 L)
Vermont’s Opponent’s 2019 Average Win Percentage & RPI
| Avg. overall win pct. | Avg. nonconference win pct. | Avg. conference win pct. | Avg. overall RPI | Avg. nonconference RPI | Avg. conference RPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. overall win pct. | Avg. nonconference win pct. | Avg. conference win pct. | Avg. overall RPI | Avg. nonconference RPI | Avg. conference RPI |
| .449 | .536 | .362 | 48 | 40.4 | 54.33 |
Circle These Dates
- 2/8 at Jacksonville: These two teams have met only twice all-time, and both of those games were decided by a goal. Vermont took the last meeting in Maryland back in 2018 in overtime, while the Dolphins won in 2016. Neither team loses a lot, but Jacksonville only loses one key senior contributor. Yet both teams will look to begin their hunt toward a conference championship right off the bat.
- 3/14 vs. UMBC: Both meetings last year were one-goal contests, with Vermont taking the regular season meeting in double overtime. The Catamounts were poised to reach their first ever NCAA Tournament, but UMBC stuck around for all 60 minutes of the America East title game and pulled out a one-goal win. The Retrievers still have a solid defense that Vermont will have to deal with.
- 3/28 vs. UMass Lowell: One of the more eyebrow raising results from the entire season was Vermont’s loss to UMass Lowell in a low-scoring 8-4 affair. After scoring the first two goals of the game, the Catamounts gave up six straight to the River Hawks and didn’t score again until the 7:34 mark of the third quarter. UMass Lowell has plenty of threats in Jake Lining, Liam McDonough, and goalie Hunter Braun.
- 4/5 at Albany: After a down year in 2019, is Albany ready to return to the top of the conference? Vermont defeated the Great Danes twice last year, recording their first win against their conference rival since 2011. Albany does lose a few notable players on defense, which could favor the Catamounts.
- 4/18 at Stony Brook: The two teams met only once last season after the Seawolves were bounced by UMBC in the America East semifinals. But their lone meeting came on Vermont’s Senior Day, with the Catamounts jumping out to a quick 6-1 lead after the opening quarter. But Stony Brook got hot in the second half and managed to edge Vermont by a goal and would eventually take the top spot in the America East Tournament.
- 4/24 vs. Penn (at New Canaan High School): Both teams will meet again at a Connecticut high school, this time at New Canaan. For the majority of last year’s meeting at Wilton, it felt like Penn was in control of things. But the Catamounts quietly snuck back in and managed to tie the game at 10 with 6:45 left. But the Quakers had an answer with the final two goals for the win. That was a great test for Vermont as they entered their conference tournament fresh off of a tough contest against what would be a national quarterfinalist.