Syracuse seniors reflect on career, set goals for season

Syracuse’s 2025 season ended with a 14-8 loss to Maryland in the national semifinals. The Orange reached the Final Four for the first time since 2013 and they did it with a core group that included juniors Joey Spallina, Billy Dwan III, Riley Figueiras and Finn Thomson.

That group of four all arrived at Syracuse ranked within the top 11 players in the country in the class of 2022, according to Inside Lacrosse. Spallina ranked as the No. 1 player in the nation to lead the group of five star prospects.

Now, that group has reached their senior year and they have all been named captains at SU.

Here’s a look at how some of the senior captains and SU head coach Gary Gait have reflected on their Syracuse careers and how they are looking ahead to the 2026 season:

Championship mindset

Spallina, who led Syracuse in points last season, has his mind set on one goal this season.

“Putting a 2026 championship banner up in the dome is the only thing I really care about,” Spallina said.

Gait, who is entering fifth season as the head coach of the Orange, sees this attitude shared throughout the group of seniors.

“These guys want [a national championship] bad,” Gait said. "They came here with the mindset they want to win a national championship."

Gait said this mindset is leading to the players putting in extra work. He said they are in a position to play well once the season begins Feb. 1 against Boston University.

After falling in the Final Four last season, and with it being potentially the last season of many of the seniors' careers, Gait says they are not looking at it as pressure. Rather, this season's more of an opportunity.

Development as players

Spallina said his teammate Figueiras and him have developed through matchups at practice over the years. Spallina, who plays attack, has received many honors ahead of the season including being named the USAL Division I Men’s Preseason Player of the Year. He said Figueiras play as a defenseman has gone unnoticed.

“I don't think [Figueiras] gets enough credit for just how good that he is,” Spallina said. “They have all these rankings and preseason stuff, and for him not to be on any of it is ridiculous.”

Fellow defenseman Dwan has been named a member of the USA Lacrosse Division I Preseason All-American honorable mention list. Spallina had high praise for what he’s seen from Dwan, too.

“Billy is gonna be a great pro," Spallina said. "We're pretty tight off the field, which I think you can see on."

As for Spallina, he’s been a centerpiece of SU’s offense since his freshman season in 2023. Gait said Spallina is taking the next step growing as an on-field leader.

“[His] trust in the system and letting the game come to him," Gait said. "I think those are areas where he's really matured, and you're going to see some tremendous games from this year."

Growing off the field

Dwan said he’s developed several relationships off the field during his Syracuse career with past and present teammates.

“I've developed a lot as a lacrosse player, but also as a person and a man. So the tools I feel like this program has given me, it's kind of helped me in a lot of tools I’ll carry through life.”

Since last season, Spallina said he played box lacrosse games, giving him the opportunity to be surrounded by older, more experienced players. That’s something he can take with him as he enters his senior season.

“For our group it's really just four years and we're out, so that’s why we’re enjoying the time together,” Dwan said. “Enjoying every day like it’s our last, taking advantage of the time we got left here and giving back to the younger guys.”

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