Three Events, One Dome, One Day: Syracuse Hosts Top-10 Lacrosse and the First Look at 2026 Football

The JMA Wireless Dome is hosting a tripleheader on Saturday, April 11, starting at noon and running past 9 PM. Two top-10 lacrosse matchups and the spring football game make it the biggest single-day sports draw of the spring. Tickets for the football game are free.

Fans with lacrosse tickets can stay for all three events, the Dome will not be cleared between games.

Noon: No. 3 Women’s Lacrosse vs. No. 19 Notre Dame (Senior Day)

Syracuse (11-3, 6-2 ACC) hosts Notre Dame (11-3, 5-3 ACC) in a Senior Day matchup. Seven seniors will be honored before the game: Ryann Banks, Gracie Britton, Dan Guyette, Courtney Maclay, Emma Muchnick, Mackenzie Salentre, and Coco Vandiver. Their cumulative record at Syracuse: 55-21, with three NCAA Tournament appearances and two national semifinal games.

Sophomore Molly Guzik leads the offense with 36 goals and 10 assists across 14 games. The Syracuse defense ranks fourth nationally at 7.2 goals allowed per game, the best in the ACC. Notre Dame counters with Kate Timarky, who has 68 points including 52 goals and ranks third in ACC scoring.

Syracuse leads the all-time series 24-8 and has won five consecutive against Notre Dame, going 13-2 at home in the matchup. Broadcast on ACC Network Extra and WJPZ 89.1 FM.

4 PM: No. 5 Men’s Lacrosse vs. No. 13 Virginia + John Desko Ring of Honor

Syracuse (9-3, 1-1 ACC) takes on Virginia (7-4, 2-0 ACC) in the 44th meeting between the programs. Syracuse leads the all-time series 22-21 dating to 1938.

The headline player is Joey Spallina, who has 23 goals and 55 points this season and sits at 301 career points, just seven shy of Mikey Powell’s all-time Syracuse record of 307. Spallina is a former National Player of the Year and was named to Inside Lacrosse’s First Team Midseason All-American list. Syracuse runs a pass-first offense: 60 percent of goals this season have been assisted.

Virginia arrives on a four-game winning streak that includes a 14-10 victory over No. 7 Duke. Syracuse is coming off a 14-9 loss at No. 2 North Carolina. Broadcast on ESPNU.

John Desko Joins the Ring of Honor

At halftime, John Desko becomes the 10th member of the Syracuse Ring of Honor, joining Roy Simmons Jr., Dave Bing, Jim Boeheim, Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, Floyd Little, Dick MacPherson, Ben Schwartzwalder, and Dwayne Pearl Washington.

Desko spent 46 years at Syracuse from 1975 to 2021 as a player, assistant coach, and head coach. His head coaching record: 265 wins with a .742 winning percentage, 34 NCAA Tournament victories, and involvement in all 11 Syracuse NCAA Division I lacrosse championships, six as an assistant and five as head coach. He mentored 271 All-Americans and three Tewaaraton Award winners. He was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2020.

Desko started as a midfielder at West Genesee High School.

7:30 PM: AmeriCU Spring Football Game (Free Tickets)

Head coach Fran Brown gives fans their first look at the 2026 roster in a scrimmage between Team Ernie (Orange) and Team Jim (Blue). Brown will be on the mic interacting with the crowd during the game. Free tickets must be claimed in advance through Ticketmaster.

The quarterback room includes returners Steve Angeli, Rich Belin, and Joseph Filardi, plus transfers Amari Odom and Zaid Lott. Angeli will not be active for the spring game.

The roster has turned over significantly. Top receivers Darrell Gill Jr. and Johntay Cook both transferred out. Running backs Yasin Willis, Jaden Hart, and Malachi James also departed. The highest-profile newcomer, five-star receiver Calvin Russell III, the highest-rated recruit in 25 years, tore his Achilles and will miss significant time.

Players to watch: rising sophomore wide receiver Darien Williams, who Brown says has been making a big play every day in practice, plus receivers Tyshawn Russell and Darius Johnson. The defense added Georgia State DL Jartavius Flounoy, Maryland DL Dillan Fontus, and UNLV edge Tunmise Adelye.

Brown signed the highest-ranked recruiting class in Syracuse history in December 2025. Saturday is the first chance for fans to see who earned playing time.

Broadcast on ACCNX and Syracuse Sports Network from Learfield. A student afterparty runs from 9:30 PM to 1:30 AM at Miron Victory Court with a live DJ and food.