Lacrosse Announces 2022 Schedule

TEMPE, Ariz. - Sun Devil Lacrosse Head Coach Tim McCormack and his coaching staff have solidified the 2022 schedule, making it official on Wednesday.

"Our program is excited to face a challenging schedule that will have us prepared for any situation," Coach McCormack remarked. "Not only will we be facing talented Pac-12 Conference foes, but also taking on some highly-ranked teams in the non-conference."

Arizona State nearly earned a NCAA tournament berth last year and will face a 2022 slate filled with opportunities to build their postseason resume. The schedule consists of 16 regular season games and the Pac-12 Lacrosse Tournament, hosted by Arizona State in Tempe. Of those 16 games, nine of them are against teams ranked in the Top-20 of at least one major preseason poll. The Sun Devils have arguably the toughest non-conference schedule in the nation, featuring matchups filled with connections to the ASU coaching staff.

"We approach building a schedule the same way our team approaches a game; with a fearless mentality and a belief in ourselves," Coach McCormack added. "I am excited to see how much we grow as a team over these next few months."

The Maroon & Gold will be featured on Pac-12 Networks up to four times throughout the year, receiving unprecedented exposure following the best year in program history. A majority of the remaining Arizona State home games will be available via the ASU Live Stream. Here is a closer look at the 2022 Sun Devil Lacrosse schedule (times are TBD and dates subject to change): 

FEBRUARY
The squad will not have to wait long for their first test, as they open the season by traveling to Michigan on Friday, Feb. 18. The Wolverines are a NCAA Tournament regular and come in at No. 9 in the Inside Lacrosse Preseason Top-20. It will represent the first meeting between the two programs.

Coach McCormack returns to Evanston for the second time since leaving his post as Northwestern Assistant Coach to take over at Arizona State. His team will attempt to win in one of the nation's toughest environments when they take on Northwestern on Sunday, Feb. 20. In the only previous meeting, ASU fell to No. 3 Northwestern 28-12 back in 2020. This year's Northwestern team is loaded once again, slotted at No. 4 in both Inside Lacrosse and U.S. Lacrosse Magazine's preseason rankings.  

Arizona State opens their 2022 home slate with a familiar foe, hosting San Diego State on Friday, Feb. 25. It is the sixth time the two teams have faced off, with the Sun Devils holding a 3-2 advantage in the series. ASU swept the season series a year ago, winning the two games by a 43-21 margin. This will be the first chance for Sun Devil fans to check out the 2022 team in person, coming off a year in which they went 6-2 at Sun Devil Lacrosse/Soccer Stadium. 

MARCH
After a bye weekend, Pac-12 play kicks off in the month of March, with the Sun Devils hosting a pair of conference foes. First up, Arizona State hosts Oregon on Friday, Mar. 11. Thanks to a dominant home victory over the Ducks last year, ASU has now won three straight in the series. Next, the Sun Devils will make their Pac-12 Networks debut on Sunday, Mar. 13 when they host Colorado. The game will be broadcasted on the Pac-12 National Network feed, one of only a handful of Pac-12 Lacrosse games to receive that distinction. The Buffaloes were the Pac-12 Tournament runner-ups in 2021, falling to Stanford in the finals.

The Sun Devils hit the road for a three-game stretch, continuing Pac-12 Conference play. A huge test awaits on Friday, Mar. 18, when ASU travels to defending Pac-12 Regular Season and Tournament Champions Stanford. The Cardinal are No. 14 in U.S. Lacrosse Magazine's and No. 19 in Inside Lacrosse's preseason polls. Stanford is the lone remaining Pac-12 team that Arizona State has not beaten under Coach McCormack. The Bay Area trip continues with a Sunday, Mar. 20 matchup with California, a team the Sun Devils defeated twice last season. The game will be broadcasted on Pac-12 Regional Bay Area Network and the Pac-12 Now App. 

Rounding out the road trip is a showdown with USC on Friday, Mar. 25, revisiting a site where history was made. The Trojans were tabbed as the No. 20 team in the Inside Lacrosse Preseason Top-20. In 2021, the Sun Devils snapped USC's eight-game home winning streak with a 20-11 win. The 11-goal victory USC's largest margin of defeat to a Pac-12 opponent. The 20 goals matched the most that USC had allowed in a game ever, a total reached by No. 2-ranked Boston College in the 2017 NCAA Quarterfinals.
 
It was the first time USC lost to an unranked opponent since an 18-11 loss to Oregon (April 8, 2018) but that was on the road – it was the first time USC fell to an unranked foe at home since April 18, 2014 (a 10-8 loss to Oregon) when USC was also unranked. Meaning the Maroon & Gold became the first unranked team to beat a ranked Trojans' squad at home.
 
The Sun Devils forced a running clock midway through the second half in the two sides first meeting of 2021, only the second time that an opponent had accomplished that feat against the Trojans at McAlister Field. The only other team to achieve a double-digit lead in a road matchup with USC was Northwestern way back in the Trojans' first game as a program in 2013. USC has had running clock on it only two other times in the history of the program: Apr. 8, 2018 – at Oregon and Feb. 23, 2021 – at Stony Brook.

Finishing off the month in style, Arizona State will host national power Florida for the first time on Sunday, Mar. 27 at Sun Devil Lacrosse Stadium. In the preseason polls, the Gators are ranked No. 7 by Inside Lacrosse and No. 10 by U.S. Lacrosse Magazine. By far the most prestigious program to travel to Tempe for a non-conference matchup, Florida has a long tradition of success. Part of that tradition was current Sun Devil Assistant Coach Nicole Graziano, as she faces off with her alma mater for the first time. While at Florida from 2012-16, Graziano was a Tewaaraton Award finalist, IWLCA All-American, and among the top players in the nation during her five-year career. She was twice named All-Conference as well as being named the 2016 Big East Midfielder of the Year.

A model of consistency, Graziano tallied at least 21 points in all four seasons played at Florida. She saved her best season for last, as she finished with 44 goals and 17 assists (61 points), 31 ground balls, 22 caused turnovers, and 45 draw controls during a productive senior campaign in 2016. Her all-around dominance allowed her to become one of five finalists for the 2016 Tewaaraton Award, handed out to the best overall player in collegiate women's lacrosse. Considered a team leader, Graziano was a two-time captain at Florida playing under current Head Coach Amanda O'Leary.

APRIL
Familiarity remains the theme as ASU navigates one of the most competitive stretches the program has faced. The other Assistant Coach on the Sun Devil Lacrosse staff, Dorrien Van Dyke, leads the squad back home to her alma mater. On Friday, April 1 Arizona State travels to Stony Brook, entering one of the nation's toughest environments for the first time. The Seawolves are a perinnial National Championship contender, ranked in the preseason No. 5 by U.S. Lacrosse Magazine and No. 6 by Inside Lacrosse. 

It will represent a homecoming for Van Dyke, who was an All-American midfielder at Stony Brook. She finished her illustrious career near the top of the program record book, sitting second in goals (197), sixth in assists (71), third in points (268), and fourth in draw controls (179). The 2017 Tewaaraton Award Nominee enjoyed a breakout senior season that saw her earn IWLCA All-American recognition and a spot on the Division I Senior All-Star team after her second-consecutive 70-point season. The Seawolves won the America East Conference Championship and earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament all four season that Van Dyke was a part of the program.

She made her impact felt the minute she stepped on campus, as the four-time First Team All-Conference member was the only freshman selected to the 2014 American East All-Conference squad after leading all Division I freshman with 68 points. She came up big when her team needed her the most, earning a spot on the America East All-Championship Team in both 2016 & 2017. She still holds the Seawolves' program record for goals in an NCAA Tournament game, coming through with seven goals in a first-round victory over Bryant. Her performance sparked a postseason run, with Stony Brook falling to eventual national champion Maryland by one goal in a back-and-forth quarterfinal matchup. Known as a tremendous leader, Van Dyke earned the trust of her teammates and coaches resulting in her twice being named a team captain. 

The second leg of an East Coast road trip sees the Sun Devils take on Rutgers on Sunday, Apr. 3 in the first meeting between the two programs. The third Big Ten foe of the season is one on the rise, ranked No. 16 in the U.S. Lacrosse Magazine preseason poll. The Bay Area schools return the two-game trip, coming to Tempe for a pair of matchups as ASU resumes Pac-12 Conference play. On Friday, Apr. 8 the Sun Devils will host on No. 14/19 Stanford before taking on California on Sunday, Apr. 10.

A busy month continues with a return trip to Oregon and Colorado, the final road games of the season. On Friday, Apr. 15 the Sun Devils take on Oregon before traveling to Colorado on Sunday, Apr. 17. The matchup with the Buffaloes will once again be broadcasted live on the Pac-12 Networks National feed, ASU's third appearance on television. A season ago, the Sun Devils earned the first win over Colorado in program history. 

For the second consecutive year, the Maroon & Gold wrap up their season with a home game against USC. On Friday, Apr. 22 ASU will once again celebrate a decorated senior class prior to the game against the Trojans. In a detour from a typical senior day, it will not be the last time a special group of Sun Devils plays in front of the home crowd at Sun Devil Lacrosse/Soccer Stadium.

PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE DESERT
Arizona State earned the chance to host the 2022 Pac-12 Lacrosse Championships, running May 4-7 in Tempe. Two first round matchups will take place on Wednesday, May 4 with the two semifinal showdowns following on Thursday, May 5. The Pac-12 Championship comes after an off day, hosted at Sun Devil Lacrosse/Soccer Stadium on Saturday, May 7. 

"Getting to host the Pac-12 Lacrosse Championships is a huge opportunity for our program," Coach McCormack mentioned. "It offers exposure to our University as well as to the sport of lacrosse in the state of Arizona. We are extremely thankful for the hard work that is being put in by the administration to make sure this event is a memorable one."

NCAA TOURNAMENT
The NCAA Tournament Selection show will take place May 8, with the postseason fate of the Sun Devils revealed. The first round takes place May 13, with the second round following on May 15. The quarterfinal round is schedule for either May 21 or 22, with the Final Four participants determined. The National Championship is hosted by Johns Hopkins at Homewood Field in Baltimore. The semifinals on May 27 will determine the two teams in the title game on May 29.

ON THE NETWORK
A total of 18 women's lacrosse contests, including five games at the Pac-12 Women's Lacrosse Championships, will be showcased this spring. The Sun Devils will be featured up to four times, including a National Network appearance for both games against Colorado. Arizona State will broadcast a majority of the remaining home games on the ASU Live Stream. 

GET PAC-12 NETWORKS
All Pac-12 Networks coverage can be seen on Pac-12 Network, the Pac-12 Now app (for iOS, Android, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV) or the appropriate regional channel. Pac-12 Networks subscribers have access to all seven HD channels via the Pac-12 Now app. More information on the multiple options to access and receive Pac-12 Networks anywhere in the United States is available at GetPac12Networks.com.

2021 SEASON RECAP
Sun Devil Lacrosse set program records in wins (10), conference wins (5), and earned their first Pac-12 Conference Tournament victory during a historic 2021 campaign. Tim McCormack was selected as the Pac-12 Coach of the Year, while attacker Carley Adams became the first player in program history to earn IWLCA All-Region honors. Adams was also a First Team Pac-12 All-Conference selection, one of three Sun Devils to accomplish the feat. The program accomplished many firsts in only McCormack's second season in charge, including its first victory over a Top-20 team, first ranking in a major national Top-25 poll, and the first 10-win season.

A couple of legends wrapped up their career in style, as attacker Kerri Clayton and goalkeeper Berkeley Bonneau had their best seasons yet. The duo were leaders of their units, helping the Sun Devils finish in the Top-10 in several major statistical categories. ASU led the nation with 9.75 assists/game, finished third with 22.06 ground balls/game, boasted the sixth-best scoring offense (16.4 goals/game), and ranked in the Top-10 with 16.69 draw controls/game.

HOW TO FOLLOW
Follow our Twitter and Instagram accounts (@SunDevilWLax) and like our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/sundevilwlax/) for offseason content. Visit our website, TheSunDevils.com, for the latest updates and information on the program.