Penn State men’s lacrosse will play against top-seeded Princeton in the NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Tournament quarterfinals on May 17. The match, held at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware, is set for noon and will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU.
The game features two programs with a combined history of 218 years. Penn State advanced to the quarterfinals for the second consecutive season after defeating Army 10-6. This marks the first time Penn State has reached back-to-back quarterfinals in program history.
Princeton enters Sunday’s contest as one of the highest-scoring teams in the country, averaging nearly 24 points per game and ranking among national leaders in assists and shooting accuracy. Their offense is led by Tewaaraton Award finalist Nate Kabiri and Chad Pulumbo, who combined for 15 points in their last outing. Meanwhile, Penn State relies on a balanced attack with contributions from several players; sophomore Hunter Aquino said, “We don’t have one guy, we have ten.”
Freshman Jack Iannantuono has been recognized by Inside Lacrosse as one of the nation’s most impactful rookies this season: “A steady performer, Iannantuono has been a consistent contributor for a Penn State offense that likes to spread the wealth.” Freshman goalkeeper Preston Hawkins was also noted by Inside Lacrosse: “Hawkins has been one of the more high-profile rookie contributors this season just by the nature of the Nittany Lions’ roller coaster of a season so far.”
Defensively, senior Alex Ross leads Penn State with 21 caused turnovers this year and was selected eighth overall in this year’s Premier Lacrosse League Draft. He earned first-team All-American honors from Inside Lacrosse alongside teammates Jon King (second team) and Reid Gills (honorable mention). Head coach Jeff Tambroni is among Division I’s most successful active coaches with 249 career victories.
A win would move Penn State to an 11-5 record this season and mark its second straight trip to the NCAA semifinals—a feat achieved only three times previously (2019, 2023, and 2025). The Nittany Lions have relied on depth throughout their roster; their second midfield unit is one of only three nationally to score at least thirty goals this season.
