Cornell and Albany Open Men's Lacrosse Season in Top Matchup

Defending national champion Cornell faces off against back-to-back America East title winner Albany in season opener.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The Cornell Big Red, ranked No. 4 nationally and the defending NCAA men's lacrosse champions, will open their 2026 season on Saturday against the Albany Great Danes at Bob Ford Field in Albany, New York. Albany is the back-to-back America East Conference champion, though they lost to Cornell in the second round of last year's NCAA Tournament. Both teams return key players from last season, setting up an intriguing early-season matchup between two of the top programs in college lacrosse.

Why it matters

This game features two of the top men's lacrosse programs in the country, with Cornell looking to defend its national title and Albany aiming to take the next step after winning consecutive conference championships. The outcome could have major implications for the rest of the season and NCAA Tournament seeding.

The details

Cornell returns a pair of All-Americans in Ryan Goldstein and Willem Firth, who combined for 142 points last season. The team's success will likely hinge on the play of new starting goalie Matthew Tully. Albany is led by 2025 America East Offensive Player of the Year Silas Richmond, who will look to power the Great Danes to an upset victory over the defending champions.

  • The game will be played on Saturday, February 14, 2026 at 1:00 PM ET.
  • Last season, Cornell defeated Albany 15-6 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The players

Ryan Goldstein

All-American attackman for the Cornell Big Red.

Willem Firth

All-American midfielder for the Cornell Big Red.

Matthew Tully

New starting goaltender for the Cornell Big Red.

Silas Richmond

2025 America East Offensive Player of the Year for the Albany Great Danes.

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What they’re saying

“We must be ready to face the defending champions on their home field. It will be a tough challenge, but we're confident in our ability to compete with anyone in the country.”

— Silas Richmond, Senior Attackman, Albany Great Danes (Albany Times Union)

What’s next

The winner of this game will gain an early advantage in the race for top seeding in the 2026 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Tournament.

The takeaway

This matchup between two of the nation's premier men's lacrosse programs should provide an exciting start to the 2026 season and set the tone for the rest of the year. Both Cornell and Albany have high expectations and will be looking to make a statement with a win in this early-season clash.