Loyola's Journey from Unranked to National Champion

Loyola's Eric Lusby lifts the Greyhounds' first NCAA national
championship trophy ever. (Winslow Townson)

Loyola University of Maryland doesn't have a storied athletic history. Their one and only national championship was a 1976 Division II men's soccer title. The last and only time the Greyhounds were in the national championship in men's lacrosse before was in 1990. They were demolished in that game 21-9 by lacrosse powerhouse Syracuse. The Loyola goalie who let in all of those goals back then was Charley Toomey, who is now the head coach of the Greyhounds.

Expectations for Toomey's boys this year were hopeful, but not exceedingly high. Coming off an 8-5 season last year, it came as no surprise that the Greyhounds were unranked to begin the season. However, this year's team was different. They played with a sense of cohesiveness and unity. From the onset, the Greyhounds kept scoring goals and playing good defense. They rode a 12-0 record into a home match against Baltimore-rival Johns Hopkins. Hopkins ended Loyola's perfect season in overtime. But the Greyhounds showed resiliency, putting the loss behind them, by winning the ECAC championship.

Entering the National Championship tournament, Loyola was awarded the #1 seed. There were many doubters though. People pointed out their easy schedule and inexperience. The Greyhounds didn't listen. They simply set out to prove their worth. Loyola's first game against Canisius wasn't much of a challange, as they won 17-5. Coming off a hat trick performance, fifth-year senior Eric Lusby led the attack with five goals in their 10-9 quarterfinal win over conference rival Denver. In the semifinals against Notre Dame, Lusby scored five goals again, and the Greyhound defense locked down to seal a 7-5 win.

This meant a return to the national championship for Loyola, looking for redemption for Coach Toomey. Their opponent was one they knew all too well, lacrosse heavyweight University of Maryland. The stage was a set for a classic David vs. Goliath in-state battle. Loyola is a small Jesuit school of less than 3,900 students, while the University of Maryland boasts an enrollment of over 37,000 students. It didn't matter that the Greyhounds were #1. They were commonly perceived as the underdogs going into this matchup.

Maryland took the lead 3-2 with 10:20 left in the second quarter. From that point on, it was all Loyola. The Greyhounds scored seven unanswered. Their defense completely shutdown the Terrapins offense, who were shutout the final 40 minutes and 40 seconds of the match. Lusby led the Greyhound attack once again, netting four goals. His 17 goals in the tournament are a new NCAA record. When all was said and done, Loyola was the victors 9-3.

It was the perfect conclusion to an unexpectedly incredible season for Loyola's men's lacrosse program. Coach Toomey brought redemption to his alma mater. His players believed in his approach and came together as a team on-and-off the field. After tearing his ACL during his senior year, Lusby decided to return for a fifth year. His historic tournament will be remembered for years to come. For small lacrosse programs around the country, today's game was inspirational. They too can compete for a championship. The Greyhounds race is complete, from unranked to National Champions.