What to know about the local players competing in the NCAA men’s lacrosse Final Four
Princeton, Notre Dame, Syracuse, and Duke each have an area player competing in this weekend's men's lacrosse Final Four. The Blue Devils lead the way with nine locals on their roster.
The stage is set for the NCAA men’s lacrosse Final Four and championship during Memorial Day weekend in Scott Stadium on the University of Virginia’s campus in Charlottesville, Va.
Top-seeded Princeton (15-2), which knocked off Penn State in the quarterfinals, will face Duke (11-4) at noon on Saturday, followed by No. 2 Notre Dame (12-2) facing No. 6 Syracuse (13-5) at 2:30 p.m.
Monday’s national championship game is slated for 1 p.m. on ESPN. Here’s a reason to tune in: There are a number of locals playing for these programs.
Each school has at least one area player; the Blue Devils might as well be called the Suburban Devils, with nine locals from Chester, Montgomery, and Delaware Counties.
Let’s get to know those athletes.
Princeton
Andrew McMeekin, a senior who graduated from Episcopal Academy, has been Princeton’s faceoff man for the last three years — and he’s pretty good at it.
He’s the Tigers’ career record holder for faceoff wins (670) and ground balls (426). This season, McMeekin is ranked No. 18 in faceoff winning percentage (.590), winning 210 of 356.
The Newtown Square native has been referred to as a “game-changing player” by Princeton coach Matt Madalon. In high school, he was rated a five-star recruit by Inside Lacrosse and National Lacrosse Federation. He specialized as the “X” man and had a 66.5% faceoff win percentage as a varsity starter.
Russ Fitzgerald, a freshman faceoff man from Flourtown, might be looking to follow in McMeekin’s footsteps. Fitzgerald has appeared in 16 games. Radnor alum Cooper Mueller, a junior defensive midfielder, has four goals and three assists this season.
» READ MORE: Delco’s Andrew McMeekin, one of the NCAA’s best in faceoffs, is Princeton’s ‘game-changing player’
Notre Dame
Max Busenkell, a senior midfielder from Garnet Valley, was part of the Fighting Irish’s national-title teams in 2023 and 2024 — their first in program history.
He played in his first national championship game in 2024, where he scored a goal and had two assists against Maryland in front of his family and friends at Lincoln Financial Field, about 30 minutes from his hometown.
This season, the former Jaguar played in all 14 games, scoring three goals and tallying eight assists. Will Gallagher, also a senior, is a Bryn Mawr native who played at Radnor and has been a key piece to the team’s defense. He’s started every game and has snagged 24 ground (loose) balls.
Other locals include sophomore Kyle Bergen and Ardmore native Kellen Gardner.
Bergen, a midfielder from Newtown Square, has played in 13 games, while Gardner hasn’t seen much playing time. The freshman was a three-time Inter Ac champion with the Haverford School.
Duke
Devon’s Patrick Jameison is having a standout year in net. The junior has 76 saves this season in 12 games. He ranks second in the NCAA in goals against average (7.82) and has allowed 73 goals this season, which is tied for the fewest nationally. Jameison played his first three years of high school lacrosse at Conestoga before transferring to Episcopal Academy.
Henry Bard, a senior from Wynnewood who played at Lower Merion, is tied for the team’s lead in caused turnovers with 17. The defenseman has started in all 15 games and has grabbed 23 ground balls.
Sophomore midfielder Connor Nolen of Newtown Square has made more of an impact this season than last, playing in every game. Petey Malitas, a senior attacker from Jenkintown, has appeared in five games. Ben McCarthy, a Haverford School graduate, is a sophomore faceoff man who could take on a larger role next season.
The Blue Devils also welcomed a trio of freshmen from Malvern Prep: attacker Michael Ortlieb (from Drexel Hill), midfielder Will Tantillo (Drexel Hill), and Owen Mears (West Chester). Cam Taylor, of Landenberg, is a freshman goalkeeper who graduated from Salesianum School.
Ortlieb has been the most dominant player of the bunch. He’s fourth on the team in scoring (24 goals) and is tied for first in assists (17). A starter, he is considered one of the best rookies in the nation.
Syracuse
Charlie Kraftson, an Episcopal Academy graduate, is the only local competing for the Orange. The attacker/midfielder from Newtown Square didn’t see the field during his sophomore season, but he has appeared in nine games as a junior.
