Previewing Robert Morris’ 2020 men’s college lacrosse schedule

The Robert Morris Colonials are the 48th team in our 2020 men’s college lacrosse schedule preview series and the seventh team from the NEC. Robert Morris finished 9-8 overall in 2019 and 4-2 in NEC play. The Colonials defeated Hobart for their second straight NEC Championship but lost to Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Here’s their entire 2020 schedule:

Who’s In?

• Jacksonville Dolphins (2/23)
• Drexel Dragons (2/25)
• Detroit-Mercy Titans (3/4)
• NJIT Highlanders (3/21)
• LIU Sharks (3/28)

Who’s Out?

• Penn State Nittany Lions (27-10 L)
• Georgetown Hoyas (14-11 L)
• Bellarmine Knights (15-7 W)
• Sacred Heart Pioneers (18-16 L)
• Lehigh Mountain Hawks (13-12 W)

Circle These Dates

• 2/23 vs. Jacksonville (in Sparks, MD): This will be the first time the two teams have met since 2015, which was Jacksonville’s only win over Robert Morris in five tries. Whereas the Colonials lose a lot of contributors from a season ago, the Dolphins do not and look to be serious contenders in the SoCon.
• 2/29 vs. High Point: Robert Morris’ home opener is against one of the best mid-major teams a season ago in High Point. Last year’s matchup in North Carolina was a tightly contested game, with the largest lead being a Colonial three-goal margin midway through the first quarter. But the Panthers managed to get the win in overtime on a Hunter Vines goal, his third of the game.
• 3/7 at Marquette: The Golden Eagles had a lot of turnover from the previous season, and it wasn’t just players alone. Along with 47.9% of their senior starts and 58.1% of their senior points lost, Joe Amplo left to become Navy’s head coach and Stephen Brundage left for Hobart. Enter former Yale assistant Andrew Stimmel for his second stint with Marquette, this time as their head coach, along with former Hobart assistant Peet Poillon as the new offensive coordinator. Similar to the Colonials, underclassmen will have to step up on all sides of the ball.
• 3/14 vs. Hobart: Robert Morris won both meetings last year in a span of a week. First, they overcame a four-goal fourth quarter deficit and ended up beating the Statesmen in overtime in the regular season finale. Then in the NEC Championship, the Colonials used a game-changing 5-0 run in the second half to take the lead and held off Hobart’s comeback efforts for a one-goal victory. The Statesmen should also be a contender for the NEC crown in 2020.
• 4/25 at Mount St. Mary’s: The surprise team from the conference was Mount St. Mary’s, who ended up hosting the NEC Tournament in 2019. The Mountaineers won in the regular season on a 6-0 fourth quarter run for the three-goal victory. But in the NEC semifinals, it was Robert Morris who came back, and forced overtime before Tyson Gibson scored the game-winner. Expect the Mountaineers to keep putting pressure on the Colonials in the conference, especially with Dylan Furnback in goal and other young players on both sides of the ball.