Johns Hopkins men’s lacrosse began the 2024 season on Feb. 3 with big goals in mind.
One goal has the team looking to win its first Big Ten tournament championship since 2018. Another is the hunt for the 10th NCAA Tournament title in school history.
Senior defenseman Scott Smith was on last season’s team, which went 12-6 and appeared in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019. While the Blue Jays defeated Bryant, 22-8, in the first round, they lost to Notre Dame in the following round, falling short of his and the team’s goal.
The 2023 season marked Smith’s best in three years with the program. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound defenseman picked up 32 ground balls and caused 23 caused turnovers, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors. But simply appearing in the NCAA Tournament is unacceptable to the Berwyn, Pa., native. This season, he hopes to help his teammates realize their loftier ambitions.
“To be honest, it wasn’t too enjoyable for me because you come to Hopkins to win a national championship and to win a Big Ten championship,” Smith said. “That’s our goal year in and year out. For us to just make it to the NCAA playoffs is not really a big goal of ours. I think that’s just been fuel for this year.”
Hopkins has nonconference tests against North Carolina (Feb. 24), Virginia (March 2), Syracuse (March 9) and Navy (March 15) before beginning Big Ten play. Leading the way will be Smith, whose motor is “second to none,” according to defensive coordinator Jamison Koesterer. Koesterer understands what it takes to be a successful Blue Jay, having won national championships during the 2005 and 2007 campaigns.
Smith’s intensity and consistency are among the traits that Koesterer appreciates the most about his defensive anchor. It doesn’t matter if it’s a Tuesday in the middle of October or a tournament game in May, Koesterer knows he can rely on Smith to lead in the weight room, in film room, on the field, in practice and at team dinners.
Smith’s approach to the game shined through last season when he was matched up against 2023 Tewaaraton finalist Pat Kavanaugh. The Notre Dame attackman entered the May 21 contest with 23 goals in 14 games. While Notre Dame defeated Johns Hopkins, 12-9, Kavanaugh’s goal-scoring onslaught was halted. He only managed one assist on the day and had one shot, which came nowhere close to the goal.
“The other team’s best players are going to test him every now and then and he gets attacked a lot because there’s so much pick play in the two-man game,” Koesterer said. “Teams want to free up their best player, who he’s usually covering. His ability to adapt to getting through picks and when guys don’t dodge him and when teams don’t attack him, he’s become a lot better at those other parts of our defense [away from the ball].”
Johns Hopkins head coach Peter Milliman is impressed with Smith’s demeanor on and off the field. Smith will be the first player to ask questions and the first to answer them for his teammates. His quest for knowledge and approachable nature has made him a valued resource for the team.
“He’s as competitive as they get,” Milliman said. “He’s the kind of kid everybody loves the chance to coach because he’s hungry. He’s got some natural charisma and leadership ability. He wants to help his team win with anything he can do so that guys respect him. They appreciate him. They love playing with him. He’s great. He’s a really tough competitor.”
Smith grew up in an athletic family. His father, Mark, played football at Villanova. His mother, Lori, swam at Penn State. He battled back and forth with his brother, Andrew, in the back yard of their house. It didn’t matter if it was basketball, football or wrestling, Andrew got the better of Scott, who is six years younger.
While his older brother went on to play baseball at Long Island University, Scott honed his skills as a defenseman. Often in the back of Scott’s mind were the battles he once had with his brother, which allowed him to develop into the hard-nosed stopper who coaches and teammates respect.
“He was a really undersized recruit growing up and had to take a post grad year at IMG [Academy]. He’s the one who paved the way for my work ethic and dedication,” Smith said of older brother Andrew. “Growing up and going to his games and seeing how he interacted with his teammates and how hard he worked, I’ll always remember seeing that and that feeling. He’s the coolest and I’ll always look up to him.”
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Johns Hopkins Athletics
Issue 285: February/March 2024
Originally published Feb. 21, 2024