PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania men's lacrosse team faces a daunting challenge this weekend, hosting a pair of highly ranked teams as North Carolina (Friday) and then Syracuse (Sunday) visit Franklin Field. The Quakers share hosting duties for this ACC/Ivy challenge with Princeton, which hosts the Orange and Tar Heels on Friday and Sunday, respectively.
 
Penn cracked the USILA national poll for the first time this season, a pair of wins last week pushing the Quakers to 19th in the poll. UNC comes to Franklin Field on Friday ranked second in the USILA poll—the Tar Heels are first in the Inside Lacrosse media poll—while the 'Cuse arrives Sunday with the No. 7 USILA ranking.
 
In addition to its usual national audience via the ESPN+ streaming platform, Sunday's game with Syracuse will air in the Philadelphia region on NBC Sports Philadelphia+.
 
GAME 4 – #19 PENN (2-1) vs. #2 NORTH CAROLINA (4-0)
Friday, Feb. 27, 2026 | 5 p.m. | Philadelphia
Watch on ESPN+ ($) | Live Stats | Program (PDF)

GAME 5 – #19 PENN vs. #7 SYRACUSE (3-1)
Sunday, March 1, 2026 | Noon | Philadelphia
Watch on ESPN+ ($) | Live Stats | Program (PDF)

Ivy League on ESPN+
A reminder that the Ivy League is paired with ESPN+ and you will be able to find all Penn home games, as well as road Ivy games and select non-conference road games, on ESPN+ this spring with the same high broadcast quality you've come to expect. ESPN+ is a subscription-based service that offers monthly and yearly packages. Click here to subscribe to ESPN+!
 
The Series with Carolina
*16th meeting in a series that started in 1970; the Tar Heels lead the series, 10-5, and have won the last four meetings dating back to 2011.
 
*Penn and UNC are playing each other for the third straight season, the Heels taking a 16-8 victory last year and a 13-9 win two years ago. Both of those games took place in Chapel Hill.
 
*UNC is making its first visit to Franklin Field since 2012 and its fourth overall (the others coming in 1986, 1988, and 1991). The Heels won all four of those matchups.
 
*Penn's last win over the Heels came on March 7, 2006, a 13-4 victory in Chapel Hill.
 
The Series with Syracuse
*25th meeting in a series that started in 1921; the Orange lead the series, 24-0.
 
*After playing every year from 1985 to 2002—including twice in both 1985 and 1988—Penn and Syracuse are meeting for the first time since April 19, 2002 (a 12-7 Orange victory at Franklin Field).
 
*The Quakers and Orange have played three times in the NCAA Championship, in quarterfinal games in 1983 and 1985 and in the semifinal round in 1988 (a game that remains the Quakers' only appearance in the semifinals).
 
Strong Schedule…Again!
Although it's a new head coach (Taylor Wray), Penn's tradition of strong scheduling continues. Coach Wray and his staff have set up a 13-game slate that features seven games against teams that were in the Inside Lacrosse Preseason Top 20 poll—including five of the top six teams—and four more against teams in the "also receiving votes" section. (The Red and Blue also was listed among IL's teams receiving votes.) On the 2026 Penn men's lacrosse ledger…
  #2 Princeton (4/11)
  #3 Syracuse (3/1)
  #4 Cornell (4/4)
  #5 Georgetown (2/14)
  #6 North Carolina (2/27)
  #13 Harvard (3/14)
  #19 UAlbany (2/17)
  RV Dartmouth (3/28)
  RV Delaware (2/21)
  RV Villanova (3/8)
  RV Yale (3/21)
 
Home Cooking
*Penn is closing out a stretch that saw the Quakers play four of their first five games at home. Following the Harvard game on March 14, the Red and Blue are home just one more time—that comes April 4 against defending NCAA champion Cornell, which will also be Alumni Day for the Penn lacrosse programs.
 
*In addition, Penn has more home games in February (4) than in March and April combined (2). We're taking some liberties here; the fourth home game, on Sunday, is really March 1 but we're counting it as February since it happens on a weekend that also includes February dates.
 
USILA Team of the Week Honors For Eldridge
Senior Mac Eldridge was named to the USILA's National Team of the Week on Wednesday, based on his 17-of-19 performance at the faceoff X in Penn's 14-6 win over Delaware last Saturday.
 
Preseason All-America Recognitions
Senior middie Griffin Scane received honorable mention recognition by both USA Lacrosse Magazine and Inside Lacrosse when they announced their Preseason All-America teams.
 
Junior SSDM Anthony McMullan received Preseason All-America honorable mention recognition from Inside Lacrosse for the second straight year.
 
2026 Quaker Notemeal
*Junior Davis Provost leads the Quakers in goals (10) and points (13) as well as shots (28) and shots on goal (18); he has scored at least three goals and four points in all three games so far this season.
 
*Scane has nine goals this season and has hit for multiple goals in all three games so far (2 vs. Georgetown, 4 at UAlbany, 3 vs. Delaware).
 
*After scoring a goal in his collegiate debut, freshman attackman Jackson Maher has nine points across the last two games (2g/3a at UAlbany, 2g/2a vs. Delaware).
 
*Junior Ben Beacham has recorded three points in all three games so far this season, going for two goals and an assist against the Hoyas and Great Danes and then potting a goal and dishing out two helpers last Saturday vs. the Blue Hens.
 
*Junior Leo Hoffman is tied with Maher for the team lead in assists, with five; four of them came last Saturday vs. Delaware.
 
*Eldridge is just part of Penn's strong face-off group; collectively, they are winning draws at .679 rate this season (53-25). Eldridge is 23-10 (.697) while fellow senior Ethan Costanzo is 19-9 (.679) and freshman Quinn Ball is 9-3 (.750) including 8-1 at UAlbany.
 
*Sophomore Jack Pelot made 16 saves while allowing just six goals last Saturday against Delaware, and has played every minute between the pipes with a .569 save percentage for the season.
 
Preseason Notemeal
*Scane is Penn's leading returning scorer, both in goals (25) and points (30). That included a team-high five EMO goals in 2025.
 
*Provost finished third on the team in goals (17) and points (24) last year.
 
*Hoffman was Penn's leading assist man last year, with 11, and added four goals for 15 points in total.
 
*Sophomore Nate Lucchesi was the Quakers' other double-digit scorer in 2025, with 10 points (4g/6a).
 
*Among the returning defenders, Ryan McLaughlin had eight caused turnovers and 18 ground balls while Dante Vardaro had six CTs and eight GBs. Ryan Sullivan started every game last season on close D and had five caused turnovers and nine ground balls.
 
*Matthew Till was mostly an LSM last year but finished the campaign with 12 caused turnovers and 13 ground balls. Expect to see him back at LSM or on close D.
 
*Among the SSDMs, McMullan leads the brigade but others who saw time last year include Jacob Pacheco and Paul vanBastelaar.
 
*Among the freshmen, Maher (23rd) and Ball (26th) were listed on the Nike/Inside Lacrosse Power 100 Freshman Rankings back in August.
 
*Eldridge, McLaughlin, Pacheco and Scane will serve as this year's captains.
 
For the latest on Penn men's lacrosse, follow @PennMensLax on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, and on the web at PennAthletics.com.