The Davenport men's lacrosse program will be looking to continue their climb in the ranks of NCAA Division II entering the 2022 season. The tenure in the NCAA is still in its infancy after moving from a club (non-varsity) level prior to the 2020 season. Of course little momentum could be established in that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Panthers went 1-5 before the season was shut down in mid-March.

Fast forward to the 2021 season as the team was limited to just conference games. The Panthers joined the Great Lakes Valley Conference for the first time and learned why it is considered one of the best conferences in the NCAA Division II landscape. Davenport finished last season with a 1-8 record but lost their last three games due to COVID-19 protocols. In all, six of their nine games came against nationally-ranked programs the likes of Rockhurst, Lindenwood, Maryville, and Indianapolis.

The 2022 season will be looked upon as an opportunity to hopefully have a full schedule and gain more valuable experience at a high level. The team is scheduled to play 13 games including six GLVC contests and seven non-conference matchups. In the preseason, three of those opponents received top 20 votes in the national poll. The first six games will be on the road which provides challenges, but also allows the team to bond with road trips to Missouri, West Virginia, Florida, Illinois, and Ohio.

If you need a position to build around you can't ask much more than what Davenport did in the goalkeeping department last season. Daniel Milano logged every minute and shined as one of the top goalkeepers in the country. Milano led NCAA DII in saves per game (16.8) and was named GLVC Goalkeeper of the Year and First Team All-GLVC. It might be hard for an encore this season and Milano hopes that with a more experience defense in front of him that he doesn't face as many shots to save.

The Panthers are fortunate enough to have 18 letter winners back including the top seven points leaders from 2021. Jordan Caskenette and Stephen Ochsenkhel led the team with 14 goals and Caskenette added seven assists to lead the team with 21 points. James Johnston compiled 18 points to rank second on the team and his 13 assists led the squad. Trent Eichbauer and Kaden Seelye were selected as Honorable Mention All-GLVC a year ago and also bolster the lineup. Eichbauer started in all nine games and had five assists and 13 groundballs. Seelye led the GLVC in caused turnovers per game and finished with a total of 24.