Brotherhood serves as secret weapon behind Michigan’s stellar season

U.S. NEWS


Champions at last. 

After weathering season after season of failure, the Michigan men’s lacrosse team finally took the world by storm — winning the Big Ten Championship and leaving a historic season, shattered records and major upsets in its wake. 

The Wolverines’ triumphant season was a ray of sunshine in the face of their turbulent past — a past in which they had never seen championship play, much less the NCAA Tournament. 

But, against all odds, Michigan rose to the challenge and etched its name in lacrosse history. Upsetting Cornell in the first round before they fell to then-No. 1 Duke in the quarterfinals, the Wolverines finished their season ranked eighth overall in the nation.

And so, when looking back on their unprecedented season, one question remains: what was in the eye of Michigan’s 2023 lacrosse storm?

When looking to the center — past the roar of grueling practices, unfortunate losses and pure desire for success —the Wolverines’ veteran players formed the heart and soul of their historic campaign. 

While Michigan’s experience comes from both highs and lows in its young history, the 2022 season was particularly rough for the Wolverines. Plagued by inefficiency, they failed to capitalize on the potential within their roster, going 0-5 in Big Ten play with a season-ending Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal loss against rival Ohio State capping off an 0-8 run.

But instead of letting the grim end to the season stifle their ambition, they used it as fuel. 

“When you go 0-8 down the stretch a year ago, you’re gonna have a chip on your shoulder,” Michigan coach Kevin Conry said. “And these guys came in here with that chip and embraced it, and they believed every second.”

Ambition is a driving force in a quest for success. After all, you don’t just stumble on it by accident, you make it happen — and it was the Wolverines’ veteran members who did just that. 

“I think all of our mindsets were that we didn’t want to have the same failure and same mistakes that we had in the past,” senior midfielder Michael Cosgrove said May 9. “We wanted to change the culture of Michigan lacrosse. …We started showing the younger guys the ropes like, ‘we’re going to lift four times a week, you’re going to work hard and develop yourself on your own, and when it’s practice time, it’s serious — when you step on the field, you put your social life and academic life on the side and don’t worry about anything but lacrosse.’ ” 

While mentoring the younger members of its roster undoubtedly helped Michigan progress faster, it also formed something much more valuable — brotherhood. 

“As soon as I stepped on campus, I felt like I had 55 friends and like I was a part of something,” freshman goalie Hunter Taylor said. “It’s just really special. I feel like I’ve never had such a close bond with my team before.” 

That bond would prove to be just what Michigan needed, already paying dividends on the field. 

Early on in the season, the Wolverines secured a few crucial victories. But Michigan’s first big victory would come from its first-ever win against Harvard — a massive sign of growth for the team. 

As they continued strengthening their bond, the Wolverines also strengthened their performance on the field. Their drive to win — for not only themselves, but also for each other — made them more and more of a threat as the season progressed.  

“I’m very, very proud of this team — very, very proud of the crew,” senior midfielder Jacob Jackson said after Michigan defeated Cornell in the NCAA quarterfinals. “This is a team that has certainly gone through some hardships, and the fact that we all stayed the course and kept putting in the work. … It’s a testament to the camaraderie and relationships that we have on this team and the belief we have in each other.”

And so, following that first big win over the Crimson, the Wolverines would go on to topple then-No. 2 Maryland and Ohio State — two feats they weren’t able to accomplish last season. 

In spite of having already made great strides, Michigan was still hungry for more — it wanted a championship. 

“The guys in our locker room, the guys in our support staff, we all bought in and said, ‘Why not us?’ ” graduate attacker Bryce Clay said after the Big Ten Championship victory over Maryland. “It’s win or go home, so why not come out here and put on a show? You have to play the best to be the best.”

As much as the veteran members of the team wanted that championship, the Wolverines’ younger players wanted it just as much. Having seen the work that the senior members put into this team, they yearned to make their dreams a reality. 

Luckily, they did just that. 

In the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament, Michigan defeated the Buckeyes for the second time on the season, advancing to the semifinals against Penn State.

Many assumed this would end the Wolverines’ run — but they were wrong. 

In a hard-fought and riveting match, Michigan upset the then-fourth-ranked Nittany Lions, earning the Wolverines a spot in the conference championship game for the first time in program history. 

The dark clouds that had once shadowed Michigan’s program were now a clear sky, finally within arm’s reach of a championship. 

Now, only one thing stood in the way — Maryland. 

The then-seventh-ranked Terrapins had far more experience in high-stakes games. Having already won four Big Ten Championships, the odds were stacked against the Wolverines. However, Michigan was battle-tested and ready after being knocked down so many times before. 

“We do a good job of being comfortable in uncomfortable situations,” graduate midfielder Peter Thompson said after facing Cornell. “We just come out and try to win every one-minute game that we play, and if we do that to the best of our ability, we feel like we can compete with anyone.” 

In a powerful display of versatility, teamwork and talent, the Wolverines showed the world what Michigan lacrosse could do. 

In what was a classic underdog tale, the Wolverines came out on top as the buzzer sounded, officially having won the program’s first-ever Big Ten Championship. 

“In 2021, we only won three games,” Conry said after winning the conference title. “The year before that, we only won one game. They believed, they stayed, they battled and they put it on their back — and we’re Big Ten champions. We have a saying back home: ‘Those who stay will be champions,’ and these guys are the epitome of that.” 

While this was already a monumental moment for the program, the win also punched Michigan’s ticket to the NCAA Tournament — again, for the first time in program history. 

There, the Wolverines faced another much more experienced opponent, one they had never played before — then-No. 6 Cornell.

And, in a thrilling overtime win, Michigan upset the East Coast powerhouse, moving on to the quarterfinals. 

It was here that the Wolverines met their match, fighting hard to the end but ultimately falling to  the Blue Devils. 

“I think that if you were to have told me last year that this year we were going to lose in the quarterfinals to Duke, I would have been ecstatic, especially after the year we had,” Jackson said.  

Indeed, while its season was over, the Michigan men’s lacrosse team ended with high spirits. With its historic run, it set a new bar for the lacrosse program — all powered by a brotherhood unlike any other.

Having created a name for themselves, the Wolverines will no longer be underestimated — they showed the world how Michigan plays lacrosse. 

“We don’t sneak up on anybody anymore, you know?” Conry said. “We’re not going to be Cinderella anymore; the ball is over. So we have to get back and understand that to get back to the quarterfinals and do what we did this year, it’s going to be twice as hard. … We have to kick it into another gear.” 

The Wolverines’ road to success was extraordinary, fueled by the bonds that their senior members helped create.

As Michigan looks to the future, the question becomes whether or not the Wolverines can make lightning strike the same spot twice. 

Only time will tell. 

But, there’s a saying in their locker room — “Believe or leave” — and if there’s one thing Michigan fans can believe in, it’s that they’ll be back. 



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