Air Force Takes on No. 2 Maryland in the First Round of NCAA Tournament, Sunday

NCAA Championship - First Round
AIR FORCE FALCONS (9-7, 4-1 ASUN)
at (2) MARYLAND TERRAPINS (11-3, 3-2 B1G)
2:30 p.m. ET, Sunday, May 11
SECU Stadium – College Park, Md.

Air Force travels East to College Park, Maryland, to take on the No. 2 seed Maryland Terrapins on Sunday, May 11. Action at SECU Stadium is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Fans can watch the game live on ESPNU with Drew Carter and Matt Ward on the call. Live stats will be provided at umterps.com.

The History
The last meeting between the Falcons and Terps over 16 years ago in 2009, in Jacksonville, where UM took down AF, 15-4. The Falcons averaged just 3.5 goals per game in those six meetings. Despite the disparity of the past, the Falcons have proven to be a different program since 2009, winning four conference tournaments, six regular season titles, and three NCAA Tournament bids since the last meeting.

Common Opponents
The Falcons and Terps only share one common opponent in Ohio State. AF dropped a 17-11 contest in Columbus. UM played the Buckeyes twice, winning the regular season meeting in Columbus, 13-8, but dropping the Big Ten Conference Championship game, 14-10.

Dynamic Duo
Josh Yago (70) and Caelan Driggs (68) combine for 138 points this season, marking the first time AF has had two 65-plus point scorers in a single season and the first time ever having a duo with as many combined points. The last great effort was a pair of 50-point-plus in 2022 where Brandon Dodd (70) and Brenden Crouse (52) combined for 122 points.

All-Time Greats
Yago tallied his 34th assist this season against Robert Morris in the play-in game, making him the all-time single-season leading helper. Yago overtook previous record holder Keither Dreyer (2014) who had 31 assists. In 2024, Yago dished 30 assists. Yago's single season point count ties former teammate Brandon Dodd (2022) for the program record (70). Driggs' 58 goals this season is a new single season record for the program, overtaking Mike Crampton's previous record of 48 in 2014.

Josh Yago Tabbed USA Lacrosse All-America Honorable Mention
Team captain Josh Yago was tabbed NCAA Division I men's All-America Honorable Mention attack by USA Lacrosse, recognizing the top players in the country in 2025. Yago became the 17th Air Force All-American in program history.
Bill Markham - 1967 (HM), Attack
Russ Voris - 1967 (HM), Attack
Rick Taylor - 1970 (First Team), Attack
Ray Niemiec - 1970 (HM), 1971 (First Team), Defense
Dan Ulmer - 1971 (Third Team), Midfield
Mike McDonald - 1978 (HM), Attack
Bart Jackson - 1979 (HM), Goal Keeper
Joe Vasta - 1986 (HM), Attack
John DiMento - 1990 (HM), Attack
Dennis Baniewicz - 1997 (HM), Midfield
Mike Crampton - 2014 (HM), Attack
Erik Smith - 2014 (HM), Midfield
Alex Warden - 2016 (HM), Defense
Chris Walsch - 2016 (HM), 2017(HM), Attack
Brandon Jones - 2019 (HM), Defense
Chris Bardak - 2024 (HM) Defense
Josh Yago – 2025 (HM) Attack

A Look at Air Force
Heading into the NCAA Tournament, here is how the Falcons stack up against the 18 teams in the dance:
-Shot percentage: .336 (2nd in the NCAA)
-Man-up offense: .500 (7th in the NCAA)
-Man-down defense: .700 (15th in the NCAA)
-Scoring Offense: 12.53 (18th in the NCAA)
-Caelan Driggs: 3.53 goals per game (4th in the NCAA), .442 shot percentage (18th)
-Ryan Stadelmaier: .457 shot percentage (13th in NCAA)
-Josh Yago: 2.07 assists per game (15th in the NCAA)

A Glance at the Terrapins
Maryland will take the field under the command of John Tillman in his 18th season as a head coach and 15th with the Terps, with a 211-73 career record for a .743 winning percentage. Highlighted by an undefeated 2022 campaign, Tillman is 191-54 (.780) as Maryland's head coach.

Will Schaller was named the 2025 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, headlining a group of several Maryland men's lacrosse players who earned postseason honors from the conference. Schaller was also named First Team All-Big Ten, joined by graduate goalie Logan McNaney and senior attackman Eric Spanos. Graduate long stick midfielder Jack McDonald was named to the Second Team, while three freshmen, attackman Jack Schultz, faceoff specialist Jonah Carrier, and defender Peter Laake, earned spots on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team.

Schaller has anchored a Maryland defense that leads the Big Ten in scoring defense, allowing just 7.54 goals per game. A three-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, Schaller has collected 23 ground balls and caused 19 turnovers. This marks Maryland's fifth consecutive Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honor and the seventh in program history.

McNaney has been a steady presence in the cage, posting double-digit saves in 10 of 12 games this season and breaking. He leads the Big Ten in goals-against average (7.56) and ranks second in save percentage (.603). McNaney was also named a Top-25 Tewaaraton Award finalist.

Spanos has powered Maryland's offense with multiple goals in eight games this season. He leads the team in points (31) and ranks second in goals (21), placing top five in the Big Ten in both categories. He has been named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week four times and is also a Tewaaraton Top-25 finalist.

McDonald has been a consistent defensive force, recording a team-high 35 ground balls and causing 10 turnovers. He has also scored once this season and earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors twice.

Climbing the Ladder
-Josh Yago's 154 career points is fifth most in the record book. His 76 career assists are third highest overtaking former teammate Brandon Dodd (2020-23) who is now fifth with 70, and Chris Walch (2015-17) who is fourth with 75.
-Calean Driggs' 95 career goals is fifth most in the record book. Mike Crampton (2011-14) leads the all-timers with 127. His 68 points this season are third most behind Yago and Brandon Dodd (2025)
-Wes Peene has played 63 career games, the fourth most by any Falcon.
-Jake Marek's 22 saves against Utah are the second-most single-game saves in the record book. Tim Morris (1996) holds the record (26). Marek's 164 saves this season are fourth most in single season saves while his 228 career saves are eighth most all-time. His nine wins this season are third most for a single campaign.
-Cole Cunningham's 83 ground balls this season is seventh most in single-season pick-ups.

Gone Streaking
-The Falcons are on a seven-game winning streak heading into the tournament.
-Calelan Driggs has scored a goal in every game this season. He is on an eight-game hat trick-plus goal streak and has 13 hat tricks this season. He's scored three-or-more goals in every conference and post season game this season.
-Josh Yago has scored a goal in every game this season and dished at least one assist in all but two game this year.
-Cole Cunningham has led the Falcons in ground balls in every conference game this season and a total of seven-straight games.

Job Assignments Upon Graduation
Jake Marek – University of Virginia School of Nursing
Matt Rubino – Space Force officer
Alexander Stepney – Acquisitions officer
Josh Yago – Space Force officer
Jake Knapp – Space Force officer
Ethan Howell – Contracting officer
Cody Gross – Pilot
Ollie Lovell – Space Force officer
Kyle Griffith – Space Force officer
Daniel Haimes – Pilot
Wes Peene – Operations Research Analyst
Gabe Swanser – Intelligence Officer

Coming Up
The winner of Sunday's first-round matchup will travel to Annapolis, Maryland, to take on the winner of seven-seed Duke (12-5) and Big East Conference champs Georgetown (11-4) at Navy-Marine Corp Stadium.

Last Time Out
Air Force led Robert Morris from wire-to-wire, winning 14-9 in the opening round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, Wednesday evening at Joe Walton Stadium. The Falcons, now 9-7 overall, have guaranteed a winning season despite a 2-7 start.

Caelan Driggs put up five goals in the effort, marking his eighth game straight with a hat trick-plus performance. Josh Yago impressed with two goals and three assists, upping his career assists count to 76 which is third most in the record book despite missing his freshman season to injury. The Falcons picked up 36 ground balls to equal their season high mark for the third time. Seven Falcons pick up three ground balls apiece, including AF ground balls leader Cole Cunningham who now has 83. Freshman LSM Hee-Cheol Shin led the defensive stand with three caused turnovers and three ground balls to his credit, while Driggs caused three from the offensive third.

Air Force Takes on No. 2 Maryland in the First Round of NCAA Tournament, Sunday

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Players Mentioned

Chris Bardak

Cole Cunningham

Caelan Driggs

Kyle Griffith

Cody Gross

Daniel Haimes

Ethan Howell

Jake Knapp

Ollie Lovell

Jake Marek

Wes Peene

Matt Rubino

Hee-Cheol Shin

Ryan Stadelmaier

Alexander Stepney

Josh Yago

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