The Game
• Johns Hopkins opens the season against Ohio State as the Big Ten kicks off its conference-only 2021 schedule this weekend.
The Facts
• This is the 134th season of Johns Hopkins men's lacrosse. JHU first fielded a team in 1883.
• Johns Hopkins enters this week's game with an all-time record of 993-346-15.
• JHU owns 44 national championships with nine NCAA titles, 29 USILA titles and six ILA crowns to its credit.
Poll Position
• Johns Hopkins is ranked 20th in this week's USILA Coaches Poll and 19th in the Inside Lacrosse Media Poll.
• Ohio State is ranked in the top 10 in both the USILA Coaches Poll (10th) and the Inside Lacrosse Media Poll (8th).
Series History
• This week's game will be the 14th all-time meeting between Johns Hopkins and Ohio State.
• The series dates to a 17-8 Johns Hopkins victory in 1999 and JHU has won 9-of-13 against the Buckeyes.
On This Date
• This week's game against Ohio State will be just the third all-time on February 20 for the Blue Jays.
• Johns Hopkins is 1-1 all-time in games played on February 20 as the Blue Jays topped Siena 11-3, on this date in 2009 and dropped a 9-8 decision at Loyola in 2016.
For Openers
• The Blue Jays are 17-3 in their last 20 season openers.
• Johns Hopkins has won 12 of its last 13 season openers, including a 15-7 win against Towson in 2020.
• Johns Hopkins has scored at least 10 goals in its season opener in 12 of the last 13 years and at least 12 goals in seven of the last nine.
In February
• This week's game against Ohio State will be the 45th all-time for Johns Hopkins in the month of February.
• JHU is 29-15 (.659) all-time in games played in the month of February.
• Johns Hopkins played its first game in the month of February in 1998, didn't play again in February until 2004 and has now played at least one game in the opening month of the season every year since 2006.
Milliman's Debut
• Peter Milliman will make his Johns Hopkins coaching debut when the Blue Jays host Ohio State on Saturday.
• Milliman spent three seasons as the head coach at Cornell from 2018-20 and compiled a record of 28-10 while guiding the Big Red.
• Cornell was ranked number two in the nation when the 2020 season came to an end in mid-March.
Roster Breakdown
• The Blue Jays' 57-man roster includes 21 newcomers, including 17 freshmen, three transfers and one senior who has played on the men's basketball team at JHU for three seasons.
More Than 75% of Offense Returns
• In the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Johns Hopkins scored 65 goals and added 36 assists for 101 points in six games. The Blue Jays return 78.5% of their goals (51), 77.8% of their assists (28) and a total of 78.3% of their points (79) from a year ago.
You Look Familiar - Part I
• Johns Hopkins defensive coordinator Jamison Koesterer spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Ohio State from 2013-16.
• While at OSU, Koesterer helped the Buckeyes to a pair of trips to the NCAA Quarterfinals (2013, 2015).
You Look Familiar - Part II
• One of the three transfers on the 2021 Johns Hopkins men's lacrosse team is goalie Josh Kirson, who is a graduate student at the Carey Business School at JHU.
• Kirson transferred to Johns Hopkins from ... Ohio State, where he started 25 games between 2018-20 and posted a 9.95 goals against average and a .523 save percentage.
Williams, Lyne Using Extra Year
• When the 2020 season was halted in mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCAA granted all spring athletes an extra year of eligibility. At Johns Hopkins, Cole Williams and Jack Lyne opted to return for an extra year (Lyne could have anyway due to injuries earlier in his career). The two, along with junior Joey Epstein, are serving as co-captains in 2021.
• Williams is Johns Hopkins' career active leader in goals (79), assists (43) and points (122) and paced the Blue Jays with 11 goals and six assists for 17 points in six games a year ago.
• Lyne appeared in just two games prior to 2020, but emerged as a starter on close defense a year ago as he started all six games there.
32 is Back ... and Healthy
• Junior Joey Epstein is in his second year as a co-captain. He was limited by injuries a year ago, but managed five goals and five assists for 10 points in five games played (four starts).
• Epstein burst on the scene as a freshman with 48 goals and 25 assists for 73 points en route to earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year, First Team All-Big Ten and Third Team USILA All-America honors.
• When he scored his 50th career goal last season, Epstein became just the sixth player in Johns Hopkins history to reach the 50-goal mark in less than 20 games.
In Case We Get The
• Johns Hopkins is 36-27 (.565) all-time in overtime. The Blue Jays topped Mount St. Mary's, 13-12, in overtime in their last game of the 2020 season.
• Johns Hopkins has won eight of its last 12 overtime games.
One-Goal Wonders
• Johns Hopkins is 132-85 (.608) all-time in one-goal games. The Blue Jays won their last one-goal game, 13-12 (OT) against Mount St. Mary's in what turned out to be the 2020 season finale.
• The Blue Jays are 7-3 in their last nine one-goal games.
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