Our Crimson Knights

Salisbury Lacrosse Gears Up for Redemption Tour

Salisbury Lacrosse has been a top-tier program for multiple decades. Since former Head Coach Bobby Wynne took over the varsity squad in 2006, Salisbury has had ample success and is considered a national powerhouse. The team boasts five NEPSAC (New England Preparatory School Athletic Council) championships (most recently in 2021) and has produced a plethora of five- and four-star recruits who have played at the next level. 

Salisbury looks to add another ring this season. Although the ring will not come easily, and the Knights are not necessarily this year's favorites to win it, they’re ready. 

After being ranked eighth by Inside Lacrosse in last year’s preseason rankings and ending with a disappointing record of 7-9, the Knights slide in at No. 22 in this year’s preseason poll. The lower expectations should take some pressure off the Knights but may also light a spark to prove people wrong this season. 

This year’s team is highlighted by key returning pieces like five-stars Cam Kelley ’25 (Notre Dame) and Dashiell Lamitie ’25 (Johns Hopkins), and four-stars Jayden Kittelberger ’25 (Syracuse), Parker Reynolds ’25 (Princeton), and Chris Alexis ’25 (Maryland). 

No matter how much talent each Salisbury team produces, there are two goals the team has: to win a NEPSAC championship and to be the best at the Prep Nationals tournament. The latter consists of four teams every year: Brunswick, Lawrenceville, Deerfield, and Salisbury. 

The returning core of guys has given Head Coach Tom Spinella a lot to be excited about. “I think the difference this year is we have a really large group of seniors that are super dedicated and want it bad.” 

Postgraduate Colby Wood, a midfield St. Joseph’s commit, gave his expectations for the season, saying, “We are all very excited. I mean, we have an insane senior class with a very strong junior and sophomore class to go on top of that. We want to make this lacrosse season one to remember and bring the trophy back to Salisbury at the end of the year.” 

Wood is one of the many skilled recruits brought in for the 2025 season, along with four-stars Jackson Allen ’26 (Maryland) and James Whitehorse ’26 (Virginia). Joining the team are three-stars Luke Christmas ’25 (Duke) and Nicholas Snyder ’25 (Brown), as well as plenty more talent. 

Salisbury has many bright spots going into this season, but one trait stands out: depth. Coach Spinella echoed this, saying, “Depth is the difference because every team we play is really good, and the league keeps getting stronger and stronger, and the teams we play keep getting better. Our depth will give us the ability to play more guys.” Having more than 20 capable players will give the Knights' stars an opportunity to stay fresh during the season. 

There are few years when the Knights have high-end Division I talent on the bench. Having depth like the Knights do this season will create more opportunities for different lineups for Spinella and the rest of his staff. 

The dedication and leadership of this team can be the shift in energy Salisbury needs this season. Jayden Kittelberger, a Syracuse commit and member of last year’s team, is excited for the leadership opportunities that await him. “It is cool to be a leader. All the seniors are on the same page, and it is cool to see... We want to win, we all want to win, we want to lead this team to a championship.” The Knights are determined to be great this year, but they need everyone on board to do so. 

The Knights have a tough schedule this season, facing many solid teams, and will be the underdogs going into multiple games against Brunswick, Lawrenceville, Loomis, and Deerfield. 

Kittelberger and Wood are focused on two of those opponents, giving a quick and concise answer: “Lawrenceville and Brunswick.” The Knights need to create an identity that they did not have last season. They need an energy shift; they need to be feared like they once were. 

The Knights have leadership, skill, depth, coaching, star talent, and an opportunity to do something special. They are determined to flip the script and bring the championship trophy back to the Hilltop. The pieces of the puzzle are there—now it’s on them to solve it.

This preview was written by Finn Boyd ‘25 and Steven Luciano ‘25. It was originally printed in the March issue of The Cupola.