Cornell men’s lacrosse ended nearly five decades of waiting by defeating Maryland 13-10 to capture the 202 NCAA Championship at Gillette Stadium. The top-seeded Big Red, led by head coach Connor Buczek, clinched their fourth national title and their first since 197, outlasting a resilient Maryland squad in a tense Memorial Day showdown.
The game’s turning point came in the third quarter, when Cornell’s CJ Kirst erupted for six goals in just over half an hour, breaking open a tight contest and finishing the season with goals—just shy of the NCAA single-season record Sophomore Michael Goldstein added four goals, while goalie Wyatt Knust anchored a defense that held the Terrapins to just three goals in the second half.
Maryland, who entered the final with a 14-4 record, struggled to find offensive rhythm late and was unable to recover from Cornell’s scoring surge. The Terrapins were led by Daniel Kelly and Braden Erksa, but turnovers and missed opportunities proved costly as the Big Red maintained control down the stretch.
With the win, Cornell and Buczek—himself a former Big Red star—usher in a new era for the program, celebrating a long-awaited championship and a season to remember.
