Lacrosse returns to Vert Stadium as the High Point University men's lacrosse team plays host to Detroit Mercy for its home opener. The Panthers are looking for their third-straight home-opener win after defeating Colgate a season ago and Robert Morris in 2021.
 

Still time to get your season tickets ??? before our home opener on Saturday vs. Detroit Mercy! Tickets can be purchased at https://t.co/8aypY0B18a ??#GoHPU pic.twitter.com/Fkc3n6jsFb

— High Point Lacrosse (@HPUMensLax) February 9, 2023

 
GAME INFORMATION
High Point at Detroit Mercy | Saturday, February 11^th | 11:00 AM
Vert Stadium | High Point, N.C.
Watch | Live Stats | Game Notes
 
Last Time Out
Michael Ippolito recorded the first hat trick of the season at No. 7 Duke on Tuesday night. Colin Cooke also posted two goals, a career-high, with an assist for three points. Brayden Mayea tallied three caused turnovers, two ground balls, and a goal as well. Parker Green made 14 saves in goal.
 

This was a WICKED backhand shot from Michael Ippolito ??

(via @HPUMensLax) pic.twitter.com/e3JIv1LKej

— TLN ?? (@LacrosseNetwork) February 8, 2023

 
ACROSS THE BENCH
High Point vs. Detroit Mercy

• High Point is 1-0 all-time against Detroit Mercy after taking an 18-8 contest from the Titans a season ago.
• Brayden Mayea tallied four goals in the victor while Jack VanOverbeke, Nick Murphy, and Michael Ippolito each added two goals. Mayea and VanOverbeke were both credited with an assist as well.
• Each of the first two matchups between the Panthers and Titans will be played in Vert Stadium.
• Then-freshman Aidan Bishop was the only Titan to post two goals for Detroit Mercy.

 
About the Titans

• Detroit Mercy is 0-1 after dropping a 14-11 contest to VMI on Saturday.
• Ryan Birney scored five goals for the Titans while Zach Snider and Drew Kessenich added two apiece.
• Joe Janda and David Beacom each picked up four ground balls and posted a caused turnover.
• The Titans were 2-9 in 2022 and 0-7 in games played on the road.
• Chris Kolon, a Titan alum, is in his ninth season as head coach of the Titans.

 

???????? ?????? ??????????????… ?#GoHPU pic.twitter.com/V3IpbuAj5U

— High Point Lacrosse (@HPUMensLax) February 6, 2023

 
Panthers Trending Up in Home Openers
Over the past four years, High Point has claimed victory in three of its first home games of the season. HPU is 6-4 all-time in home openers through its first 10 seasons as an NCAA Division I program. The Panthers have faced two ranked opponents to open the season at home in the last five years and have only hosted the same opponent for a home opener once (Delaware; 2013, 2015).
HPU All-Time Home Openers
W, 11-10 vs. Colgate – Saturday, February 11, 2022
W, 21-15 vs. Robert Morris – Saturday, February 13, 2021
L, 8-17 vs. #7 Duke – Saturday, February 8, 2020
W, 13-0 vs. St. Bonaventure – Saturday, February 2, 2019
L, 14-16 vs. #2 Maryland – Saturday, February 17, 2018
W, 9-3 vs. Georgetown – Tuesday, February 14, 2017
L, 10-13 vs. Boston – Tuesday, February 16, 2016
W, 15-10 vs. Delaware – Sunday, February 1, 2015
W, 9-7 vs. St. Joseph's – Sunday, February 16, 2014
L, 10-12 vs. Delaware – Saturday, February 2, 2013
 
Cooke Posts Career-Highs in Season Opener
Prior to Tuesday night's game at Duke, junior Colin Cooke had recorded two goals total, both in the 2022 season. Cooke scored against North Carolina before he tallied his second goal against Richmond in the SoCon semifinal. He also posted a career-high in points (3) as he tallied an assist on Tuedsay as well.
 
High Point Joins Atlantic 10 in 2023
After spending eight seasons as a SoCon affiliate member, High Point University joined the Atlantic 10, announced at the end of last May as the conference added men's lacrosse to its list of sponsored sports. High Point and Hobart joined A-10 institutions UMass, Richmond, St. Bonaventure, and Saint Joseph's to make up the six-team league and fulfill the NCAA requirement for an automatic bid for postseason eligibility. The Atlantic 10 will be the third conference (Atlantic Sun, Southern Conference) HPU has played in for men's lacrosse as the program continues to reach new heights.
 
Mayea Named Preseason All-Conference Member
Junior attackman Brayden Mayea finished the 2022 season as a First Team All-SoCon honoree while claiming a pair of Player of the Week awards from the conference throughout the season. Mayea led HPU with 40 goals to go along with nine assists while tallying 35 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers. Ahead of the inaugural season of A-10 men's lacrosse, Mayea was listed as a Preseason All-Conference attackman.
 

?????????????????? ??????-??????

He finished 2022 with 4??0?? goals, was a First Team All-Conference member and an All-Tournament Team member. Excited what Mayo does in 2023!!!! ??#GoHPU pic.twitter.com/Iocnr220gp

— High Point Lacrosse (@HPUMensLax) February 1, 2023

 
High Point Picked Fourth in Inaugural A-10 Preseason Poll
In the Preseason Atlantic 10 Coaches Poll, High Point was slated to finish fourth among the six conference members as announced by the conference office on February 1^st. Richmond got the nod as the preseason favorite after winning the SoCon Tournament a season ago over Jacksonville.
 
1.Richmond – 33 (4)
2.Saint Joseph's – 29 (2)
3.Massachusetts – 20
4.High Point – 19
5.Hobart – 18
6.St. Bonaventure – 7
 
Panthers Receive Votes in Preseason USILA Poll
High Point was receiving votes in the USILA preseason poll, released on February 1^st. The Panthers tallied nine total votes behind seven other teams (Army, Johns Hopkins, Loyola Maryland, Navy, Villanova, Lehigh, and Syracuse). Maryland carried the most votes (490) to go along with 17 first-place votes while North Carolina rounded out the top-20 with 60 total votes.
 
Pair of Panthers Selected in 2022 NLL Draft
Two current members of the High Point University men's lacrosse team were selected in the 2022 National Lacrosse League (NLL) Draft on Saturday, September 10^th. Hunter Vines was selected by the Vancouver Warriors while Michael Ippolito was selected by the Panther City Lacrosse Club, both selected in the sixth round. In four years for HPU, Vines started 31 games for the Purple & White while making 53 appearances. In 2022, he scored 16 goals and dished out six assists while starting all 15 games. Ippolito enters as a fifth-year senior and started 14 games in 2022, scoring 17 goals and tallying two assists. In High Point's 11 seasons of NCAA Division I lacrosse, 17 Panthers have been drafted in either the MLL, NLL, or PLL.
 
Torpey Leads Panthers into Second Decade of Lacrosse
As the first head coach in High Point University men's lacrosse history, Jon Torpey has seen the program through its first decade of NCAA Division I lacrosse while compiling a 71-73 record with two NCAA Tournament appearances (2015, 2021).
 

Defense ?? Offense ??

FIRST GOAL OF THE SEASON TO VAN O!!!! ??@vano13_ x #GoHPU pic.twitter.com/dAOZC7Qt9D

— High Point Lacrosse (@HPUMensLax) February 8, 2023

 
Every Panther Who Scored the First Goal of the Season
Jack VanOverbeke at #7 Duke – Feb. 7, 2023
Nick Rizzo at #2 Maryland – Feb. 5, 2022
Kevin Rogers vs. Robert Morris – Feb. 13, 2021
Hunter Vines at #4 Maryland – Feb. 1, 2020
Chris Young vs. St. Bonaventure – Feb. 2, 2019
Chris Young at #1 Duke – Feb. 8, 2018
Jason Ashwood at #7 Duke – Feb. 10, 2017
Dan Lomas at #3 Duke – Feb. 12, 2016
Cole Carns vs. Delaware – Feb. 1, 2015
Brad James at Delaware – Feb. 1, 2014
Brendan Montrello vs. Delaware – Feb. 2, 2013