The Army men’s lacrosse team will open the 2026 season with its first January contest, and face the likes of Yale, Michigan and North Carolina.
Army finished 12-2 in 2025, posting a 7-1 record (beating all but Boston University) and earning its 16th Patriot League regular-season title. Army lost to eventual champion Colgate in the semifinal round. Army finished 10th in the final USILA poll.
Army and Massachusetts have played the traditional opener the past four seasons and 14 of the last 15 years – the teams will square off at Michie Stadium on Saturday, January 31.
The Black Knights will also host Yale (Feb. 14), Holy Cross (Feb. 28), Lehigh (March 28), Navy (April 11) and Colgate (April 24). Army will travel to Rutgers (Feb. 7), Mercer (Feb. 23), Lafayette (March 6), Boston Univ. (March 14), North Carolina (March 21), Bucknell (April 4) and Loyola, Md. (April 18). A Feb. 21 contest against Michigan will be played in Atlanta, Ga.
“I am excited for this year’s group to have the opportunity to play another demanding schedule,” said coach Joe Alberici. “Beginning with the first ever Army men’s lacrosse game played in January, the non-conference schedule will challenge us every weekend. This will prepare us for the rigors of playing the talented and balanced Patriot League teams.”
Last season, Army beat all of its 2026 non-conference foes: UMass (16-9); Rutgers (9-3); Yale (14-3); Mercer (17-4); and, North Carolina (13-12). North Carolina finished No. 12 in the USILA poll, Colgate No. 14, Boston Univ. No. 16 and Rutgers No. 20; UMass No. 29; Lafayette No. 31 and Yale No. 33. The 2026 preseason poll will likely be released in the final week of January.
Season tickets may be purchased for $65, allowing admission to all Army men’s and women’s lacrosse home games. The Army-Navy tickets are sold on a reserved seating basis.
Last season Army earned seven selections to the USILA All-American team: Jackson Eicher, Christian Mazur, Christian Fournier and A.J. Pilate were first-team picks; Evan Plunkett was second team; Sean Byrne was third team; and, Will Coletti was honorable mention. Byrne and Plunkett are rising seniors; the rest graduated with a class of 22 members.
kmcmillan@th-record.com
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Army men’s lacrosse
2026 schedule
(2025: Army 12-2, 7-1 Patriot, first place)
January
Sat. 31 – vs. Massachusetts (9-5, 2-3 Atlantic 10, T-third), noon
February
Sat. 7 – at Rutgers (7-8, 2-3 Big Ten, fifth), 1 p.m.; Sat. 14 – Yale (5-8, 3-3 Ivy, fourth), noon; Sat. 21 – vs. Michigan (7-7, 3-2 Big Ten, T-second), at Atlanta, Ga., noon; Mon. 23 – at Mercer (2-11, 1-4 Atlantic Sun, fifth), 11 a.m.; Sat. 28 – Holy Cross* (4-11, 1-7 Patriot, ninth), noon
March
Fri. 6 – at Lafayette* (10-6, 5-3 Patriot, third), 7:30 p.m.; Sat. 14 – Boston Univ.* (11-5, 6-2 Patriot, second), noon; Sat. 21 – at North Carolina (10-5, 3-1 Atlantic Coast, T-first), 2 p.m.; Sat. 28 – Lehigh* (5-10, 4-4 Patriot, T-fourth), noon
April
Sat. 4 – at Bucknell* (5-9, 2-6 Patriot, eighth), noon; Sat. 11 – Navy* (8-7, 4-4 Patriot, T-fourth), 2:30 p.m.; Sat. 18 – at Loyola, Md.* (3-11, 3-5 Patriot, seventh), noon; Fri. 24 – Colgate* (10-8, 4-4 Patriot, T-fourth), 6 p.m.
Home matches played at West Point’s Michie Stadium; asterisk marks Patriot League match; home and league contests streamed on ESPN Plus (subsciption)
This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Army men’s lacrosse schedules earliest opener ever, to host six games
Reporting by Ken McMillan, Middletown Times Herald- Record / Times Herald-Record
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
