An eight-game home slate, including rivalry games against Johns Hopkins and Army, highlights the 2023 Navy men's lacrosse schedule released Thursday by fourth-year head coach Joe Amplo. The Midshipmen will play a 15-game regular-season schedule for the first time in the program's 116-year history and includes a pair of games against 2022 NCAA Tournament qualifiers.

The Mids will scrimmage 2021 National Champion Virginia at a neutral site on Jan. 28 before officially opening the 2023 campaign at home against Mount St. Mary's on Friday, Feb. 3. This will mark the third-consecutive year Navy will face The Mount in its season opener (W, 8-5 in 2021 / L, 11-9 in 2022). Navy owns an 8-1 all-time mark against Mount St. Mary's, including a 5-1 record in games contested in Annapolis.

It will be a short turnaround for the Mids, as two days later (Feb. 5) they will welcome Div. I newcomer Queens University of Charlotte to Annapolis. Previously a Div. II program, Queens is a relatively young program. Since launching the program in 2004, the Royals have made two NCAA Div. II appearances, including 2019, the first year under head coach Chris Panos' direction. Panos had led Queens to a 37-16 record in four seasons, including a 12-5 mark last season.

After a strong showing on Long Island a year ago, Navy will make a return trip to Hofstra on Feb. 11. Dane Swanson (4) and Henry Tolker (3) combined to score half of Navy's goals, while the defense held the Pride to a single goal over the first 30 minutes en route to a 13-6 victory last spring. Navy owns a 14-6 series advantage against Hofstra, including an 8-3 mark in games played on Long Island.

The Mids return home to play host to Manhattan on Feb. 18. The Jaspers finished the 2022 campaign receiving votes in the Inside Lacrosse Top 20 Media Poll after winning the MAAC title and earning the program's first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 20 years. Navy has won both previous meetings with Manhattan, a 9-4 decision in what was Amplo's debut as the Mids' head coach in 2020 and a 9-6 victory over the Jaspers last year in Hempstead, N.Y.

After meeting for the first tme in series history a year ago in Annapolis, Navy will make its first trip to High Point, N.C. to battle the Panthers on Feb. 25. Head coach Jon Torpey led High Point to a 14-13 victory over the Mids in the inaugural game that saw All-American attackman Asher Nolting produce 8 points on 3 goals and 5 assists. While Nolting has graduated, Torpey returns the other two starting attackmen (Brayden Mayea 40-9=49, Jack Vanoverbeke 19-10=29), along with the starting midfield unit (Michael Ippolito 17-2=19, Jack Sawyer 13-10=23, Hunter Vines 16-6=22).

The Midshipmen will begin their quest for a ninth Patriot League crown when they open conference play on March 4 at home against Lehigh. It will be just the fifth time in the program's 20 years as a member of the Patriot League that Navy will open conference action against the Mountain Hawks and the third time in the last four seasons. It's just the third time since 2011 that Navy has not opened its conference slate against either Boston University or Bucknell. Meanwhile, it will be just the sixth time Navy begins league play at home (Home 2-3 / Road 5-8 / Neutral 1-0). Navy leads the all-time series against the Mountain Hawks, 32-12, however Lehigh has won six in a row against the Mids.

Navy will make the trek to Hamilton, N.Y. to battle Colgate on March 11. Navy extended its winning streak to four in a row against the Raiders last year after outscoring Colgate 5-2 in the fourth quarter to take an 11-10 victory. Navy owns a 17-7 series advantage against Colgate, including a 5-2 mark in games played in Hamilton.

Navy will take a step away from conference action to play its final nonconference games of the regular season. The much-anticipated return of the Navy-Johns Hopkins series last year lived up to its billing, as Navy scored an 11-10 victory over the 18th-ranked Blue Jays at Homewood Field. Max Hewitt scored Navy's final three goals, including the game-tying and game-winning goals to give Navy its first win over the Blue Jays at Homewood Field since May 10, 1969. It was also just the third win by Navy in the series since 1975 (9-8 OT in 2010 / 8-2 in 2012). Navy will play host to Johns Hopkins on March 17, marking the first time the game has been contested in Annapolis since 2016.

Four days later, Navy will make the bus ride to Pennsylvania to face Villanova in what will be the inaugural meeting between the two programs. The Wildcats finished the 2022 season with a 9-6 record, including a 3-2 mark in the Big East. Villanova will be led by 2022 All-American midfielders Matt Campbell, the team's leading scorer with 67 points on 45 goals and 22 assists, and Chet Comizio.

The Mids return to conference action and will also be back on the road later that week (March 25) when they travel to Worcester, Mass. to face Holy Cross. Navy handled the Crusaders in last year's contest played in Annapolis, winning 14-8. The Mids lead the series 15-3, including a 5-1 mark in games played at Holy Cross.

Navy will close out the month of March at home when Boston University arrives for another Friday Night Lights contest at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (March 31). The Terriers had a breakout year in 2022, posting a 12-5 record and winning the Patriot League Regular Season and Tournament titles for the first time in program history. Top-seeded BU defeated Lehigh in overtime (13-12) in the semis before winning the tournament crown behind a 14-10 victory over Army. The Terriers earned their first NCAA Tournament berth, bowing out against Princeton in the first round. Navy leads the series 4-3, including a 2-1 mark in games played in Annapolis.

The Mids will make the short drive to Baltimore the following Friday to face Loyola on April 7 at Ridley Athletic Complex. The Greyhounds own an 11-5 series advantage against Navy, including a 5-1 advantage in games play on their home field.

Leading the all-time series 21-2 (12-0 in Annapolis), Navy will play host to Lafayette for the first time since 2018. The two programs, who have played each of the last three contests in the series in Easton, Pa., will square off in Annapolis on April 15. Navy jumped out to a 4-0 lead in last year's game and never trailed, as the Mids captured a 9-5 win over the Leopards.

Navy will play host to one of the sport's longest and most cherished rivalries, the Army-Navy game, on April 22. This year's contest will mark the 103rd meeting in a series that began in 1924. Navy leads the series 63-36-3 and has won six of the last nine in the series, including last year's thriller at West Point where Jack Sweeney punched in an extra-man goal 58 seconds into overtime to lead the Mids to a 12-11 victory.

Navy will play its regular-season finale on April 28 when it plays Bucknell at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium in Lewisburg, Pa. Winners of each of the last six meetings, the Mids own a 13-8 series advantage over the Bison. Bucknell, however, holds a 5-4 lead in games played on its home field. Nick Cole's goal in the third quarter broke a 5-5 tie and sparked an 8-1 run by the Mids as they captured a 13-6 victory over Bucknell in last year's regular-season finale.

The Patriot League Tournament will again feature six teams with the top two seeds receiving a bye, while quarterfinal contests will be played between the 3-6 and 4-5 seeds on Tuesday, May 2. The Patriot League semifinals will be played on Friday, May 5 at the site of the top seed with the championship slated for Sunday, May 7.

Navy's television, streaming and radio schedules will be announced at a later date.

### Go Navy ###