UMBC men’s lacrosse eyes postseason amid coach upheaval: ‘They’ve fought back’

Earning a berth in the America East Conference men’s lacrosse tournament might normally be cause for celebration. For UMBC interim coach Craig Chick, it was business as usual.

“The job’s not done just yet,” he said after the Retrievers polished off a 16-11 victory over visiting NJIT on Saturday afternoon at UMBC Stadium in Catonsville. “We’ve got more to do, and our goal is to fight and compete for the America East championship. So we’ll keep on battling.”

Junior attackman Ryan Demato scored UMBC’s first three goals and finished with five goals and one assist to spark the team to its fourth consecutive win. At 5-6 overall and 4-2 in the conference, the Retrievers will play in the four-team postseason hosted by two-time defending champion UAlbany on April 30-May 2. Seeding is still to be determined.

The Retrievers’ success is even more remarkable considering what they have had to endure. Since Sept. 24, they have played without coach Ryan Moran, who was placed on administrative leave by athletic director Tiffany D. Tucker after a player lodged hazing and “sexual misconduct” allegations against a teammate, according to lawyers for the accuser.

On April 2, Moran said he had completed the terms for reinstatement. A week later, he said he was told by Tucker to resign or be fired. He refused to resign, and Tucker fired him that same day.

“I love this program, the staff, the players, the parents and all the alumni,” Moran said Saturday in a statement to The Baltimore Sun. “All I want, and have worked hard the last decade for, is for this program to be successful and have young men grow and have a great experience.”

Chick, who did not make players available to talk, declined to delve into what transpired with Moran. He did acknowledge how difficult the campaign has been.

“You just face adversity head on,” he said. “That’s all we’ve been preaching, and that’s all we’ve been trying to do.”

The team’s emergence delighted parents and former players who watched Saturday’s victory.

“At 1-6, it would have been very easy — especially under the circumstances — to write the season off,” said Scott Steers, father of senior faceoff specialist Alex, a Westminster native and graduate who won 18 of 23 draws, collected a game-best 11 ground balls, and scored a goal. “But these kids aren’t like that. They’ve fought back.”

Ryan Frawley, who played for the Retrievers from 2017 to 2021, said that the current group reminds him of the 2019 squad that also opened 1-6 but won six of its last eight games, captured the America East Tournament, and advanced to the NCAA postseason for the first time since 2009.