VESTAL, N.Y. – Having reached the America East Men's Lacrosse Championship three of the last four seasons, the Binghamton men's lacrosse team is set to return to the field for the 2026 season Tuesday when the Bearcats play at Lafayette at 7 p.m., on Tuesday at Fisher Stadium in Easton, Pa.
 
Binghamton, who went 5-9 overall and 3-3 in America East play in 2025, aims to not only return to the postseason, but to also capture its first America East tournament championship in program history.
 
"As always, we're excited to get going," said Binghamton Head Men's Lacrosse Coach Kevin McKeown, who enters his 10th full season at the helm of the program in 2026. "It's a really fun group of guys to work with."
 
The Bearcats' roster this season consists of 29 returners and 13 newcomers. Both veterans and first year players are expected to contribute towards Binghamton's push for a conference championship. McKeown understands that for the Bearcats to accomplish all of their goals, each phase needs to contribute.
 
"We really are trying to focus on putting full games together," said McKeown. "Offensively, defensively, ride, clear, goalie play. I think that will be the key for us in being able to get over the hump is just making sure our less-efficient areas aren't too deficient and making sure that we're working on the things we struggle with early on."
 
The Offense
Binghamton brings a new-look offense into 2026 with first-year offensive coordinator Nik Clinton joining the coaching staff. Clinton previously coached at Virginia Military Institute, where he developed the Keydets into one of the top-performing offenses in all of college lacrosse. In 2025. VMI ranked second in the country in scoring offense at 14.64 goals per game and third in shot percentage at .325. The Keydets also set the school record for goals in a season (205) en route to winning a program-record 10 games, the most victories VMI had in 37 years.
 
Clinton now gets to work with a lot of talented players on Binghamton's offense. Of all the returners on this year's team, Andrew Girolamo scored the most goals for Binghamton in 2025. The midfielder posted a career-high 17 goals en route to receiving First Team All-Conference honors from the America East. Girolamo enters this year having been named to the America East Preseason All-Conference Team.
 
Both Colin DeLay and Gavin Jacobsen, meanwhile, look to take a step forward in 2026 after each player posted seven goals in 2025. Other Bearcats expected to contribute to the team offensively in 2026 are Drew Filanowski (four goals, three assists in 2025), Tyler Martini (three goals in 2025) and Will Feldmann (two goals and eight assists in 2025).
 
On Defense
The other Bearcat to be named to the America East Preseason All-Conference Team is Matthew Rincon. The midfielder, who is projected to be a key contributor to Binghamton's defense in 2026, set new career highs with 31 ground balls and eight caused turnovers. He also was named the Defensive Player of the Week by the America East on March 10, 2025, after he collected eight ground balls, caused two turnovers and scored one goal in the Bearcats' 12-10 win at Stony Brook on March 8.
 
Helping Rincon on the defensive side of the field is long stick midfielder Nolan Sharkey. The junior led the Bearcats in both ground balls (36) and caused turnovers (19) in 2025. Additionally, he was selected to the America East All-Tournament Team after he collected two ground balls and scored one goal in the semifinals of the America East Men's Lacrosse Championship against No. 1 seed Bryant on May 1.
 
Eoin Mackay was voted by his teammates to serve as a team captain in 2026. Aside from bringing his leadership to the team, the senior has his sights set on building off his performance the prior season, when he collected six ground balls and caused three turnovers.
 
Both Riley Jenkins and Jojo Provenzano also return to aid the defense. In his first year with the Bearcats after transferring from Canisius in 2025, Jenkins registered nine ground balls, two goals and one caused turnover. Provenzano, meanwhile, put up eight ground balls and two caused turnovers in nine games during his sophomore season last year.
 
Between the Pipes
It is hard to talk about Binghamton men's lacrosse without mentioning goalie Connor Winters. The graduate student has already broken multiple program records, setting the mark for both career saves (530) and saves in a game (22 against Vermont on April 26) in 2025. Winters, who was also voted to serve as a team captain in 2026, earned Second Team All-Conference honors from the America East in 2025, making it the second time he has received all-conference recognition in his career (First Team in 2023). He also enters 2026 trailing McKeown by four wins for the most career victories in program history at 24.
 
"Connor has been fantastic," said McKeown. "I think he's the best goalie we've ever had here in the program. He's got the ability to win games and really tilt games for us. He really seems to come up big in big moments. I just can't wait to see what he does here in his fifth year."
 
The Bearcats do have additional depth at the goalie position. Senior goalie Garrett Taylor has appeared in relief for Winters in two games over the course of the prior two seasons. The remainder of the goalie room this season consists of sophomore Zacc McDonald and freshman Connor Kowalewski.
 
At the X
Flynn Wilson was chosen for the America East All-Rookie Team in 2025 after emerging as the Bearcats' primary faceoff specialist. Wilson led the team with 79 faceoff wins that year while also collecting 20 ground balls. 11 of his faceoff victories came against No. 12 Harvard on March 29.
 
CJ Mangio is also expected to get appearances at the X this season. The junior won a career-high 56 attempts in 2025 while collecting 19 ground balls.
 
The Schedule
Binghamton's schedule includes seven home games at the Bearcats Sports Complex. This season, the Bearcats host St. Bonaventure, Marist, Mercyhurst and Stony Brook as part of its non-conference slate. When America East play begins, Binghamton welcomes league foes UMass Lowell, UMBC and Bryant to the Southern Tier.
 
Binghamton University Athletics has announced that complimentary admission to men's lacrosse home games will be provided thanks to the sponsorship of Station 45 American Chop House. This partnership, along with the, "Experience the Bearcat," initiative, allows fans across the region to attend Division I men's lacrosse contests free of charge, strengthening community engagement and expanding access to high-level college lacrosse.
 
"We are grateful for Station 45's partnership in making Bearcats lacrosse accessible to all," said Binghamton Associate Athletic Director Brian Jester. "Their sponsorship helps create unforgettable game-day experiences for fans and student-athletes alike."
 
Tuesday's season opener at Lafayette is one six road games Binghamton has schedule for 2026. The Bearcats will also play at 2025 NCAA tournament qualifiers UAlbany and Siena, as well as NJIT, Delaware and Vermont.
 
"One thing that we try to look at a little bit with those non-conference games is just balance in terms of style of play," said McKeown. "Trying to play teams that play a full-field game, maybe play some teams that play more of a half-field game, so we get to see different styles. We will see different styles when we get into the America East."
 
If Binghamton qualifies for the America East Men's Lacrosse Championship by finishing in the top four of the America East standings, the Bearcats will first play in the semifinals at the site of the league's regular season champion on Thursday, April 30. The finals follow that round on Saturday, May 2.
 
The First Game
For the second season in a row, Binghamton begins its campaign at Lafayette. In 2025, the Leopards defeated the Bearcats 16-9.
 
Lafayette is 0-1 this season after falling to Air Force 13-12 on Feb. 1. Benjamin DiBattista led the Leopards with three goals, while Patrick Roelke made six saves in goal.
 
Nick Faccone was named the Patriot League's Faceoff Specialist of the Week on Feb. 2 after he won 19 faceoff attempts and collected 10 ground balls, both career highs, against Air Force.
 
Lafayette went 10-6 in 2025, winning its first Patriot League playoff game when the Leopards defeated Navy 9-5 in the Patriot League Tournament quarterfinals on April 29.
 
Station 45 American Chop House is the presenting sponsor of Bearcats Men's Lacrosse.