Calling all Greyhound Men’s Lacrosse fans. The wait is almost over. With the lacrosse season just a couple of months away, Loyola University Maryland is ready to compete at their highest level, and hopefully repeat their successful 2012 season.
Last season, the Greyhounds finished with a record of seven wins and eight losses. The team finished sixth in the Patriot League standings and claimed the last spot in the conference playoffs. Unfortunately, the Greyhounds lost in the first round to the United States Naval Academy. Last season was the first time since 2015 that the team did not finish with a record above .500%.
This year, the team has a fresh new look with 22 new players. 19 of the new players on the team are freshmen, and three are transfers. Head Coach Charley Toomey commented on the uniqueness of this year’s team, with so many new athletes being added to the Greyhounds’ roster.
“The 2025 team is unique in that we have 22 new players to the program. I like the energy that this team plays with and believe we will again be able to compete at a high level,” Toomey said.
The 2025 season will be Toomey’s 20th year as head coach. He has spent over half of his life on the Evergreen campus, graduating from Loyola in 1990. After being both an assistant and head coach for the school, he has spent decades getting to know the Loyola grounds. He enters the 2025 season with a 184-101 career record and is the second on our Men’s Lacrosse program’s All-Time Wins chart.
Toomey has a bit of a challenge this year with having so many new players, but that does not scare him. He is excited and cannot wait to see what his team can do this season. His players have expressed their excitement for the season as well.
“I’m so excited to be a freshman here and start playing on a new team,” attack Mason Cook ’28 said.
Standing at 5 feet 11 inches and 150 pounds, Cook is more than happy to be the newest addition to the Greyhounds roster. The four-star recruit coming out of high school was ranked number 82 in the class of 2024 rankings, according to InsideLacrosse.com. The Loyola Blakefield alum chose to stay close to home because of the coaches. He developed amazing relationships with them and wanted to stay close to home and family. One of Cook’s great abilities that he brings to the team is his right-hand shooting.
In addition to new players, the lacrosse team will also have a new member on their coaching staff this season. Following in his family’s footsteps, Sean Cottle is joining the Greyhounds Men’s Lacrosse team as an assistant coach.
“I am excited to welcome Sean to our staff. He has a passion for developing talent and I’ve enjoyed watching him develop our players on and off the field,” Toomey said.
Sean is the son of Dave Cottle, who coached at Loyola from 1983-2001. Dave Cottle has the second-most wins in program history, with 181, and was Toomey’s coaching mentor. Sean Cottle has coached club and high school lacrosse in the Baltimore area for the last several years. He was previously the offensive coordinator at Archbishop Spalding, and he helped take the team to the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) semifinals. He also helped lead the team’s offense to being one of the highest scoring teams in the MIAA. Cottle looks to bring these types of accomplishments with him to the Loyola team.
“The fall has been about creating our team culture… We have expectations to compete for a Patriot League Championship and advance to the NCAA Tournament,” Toomey said.