There may never be another run quite like this one. On Sunday afternoon at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, the No. 1-ranked Tufts University Jumbos cemented themselves as one of the greatest dynasties in DeeThreeLax history, defeating Rochester Institute of Technology 17-11 to capture their third consecutive NCAA National Championship and sixth title overall.

With the victory, Tufts becomes the first program since Salisbury University from 2003-05 to win three straight national championships. Even more staggering, the Jumbo senior class finishes its four-year run with an 85-5 overall record, ending their careers exactly how they envisioned after falling short in the 2023 title game as freshmen.

“I love this senior class so much,” said head coach Casey D’Annolfo postgame. “It’s been a pretty incredible journey with this group.”

A Championship Game That Changed in 70 Seconds

For nearly the entire first half, RIT looked ready to trade punches with the defending champs. The Tigers answered every early Tufts run, building 2-1 and 3-2 leads in the opening quarter behind goals from David Charney and Erich Acton. Even after Tufts grabbed momentum late in the first, RIT continued to respond.When Acton tied the game at 5-5 midway through the second quarter, it felt like fans were headed toward an instant classic.

Then came the avalanche. Following an RIT timeout with just over two minutes remaining in the half, the Tigers committed a costly turnover. Tufts immediately flipped the switch, ripping off three goals in just over a minute to completely change the complexion of the game. Goals from Peter Kraemer and back-to-back finishes from Garrett Kelly suddenly turned a one-goal game into a four-goal Jumbo lead. Moments later, Brooks Hauser buried a rocket off a loose ball pickup to send Tufts into halftime with an 11-6 advantage. That sequence proved to be the defining stretch of the championship.

“We call it psychological warfare,” D’Annolfo said. “We knew the dam was going to break eventually.” And once it did, Tufts never looked back.

Transition Dominance Powers the Jumbos

What separated Tufts Sunday wasn’t necessarily possession margin or shot volume. In fact, statistically, the two teams were remarkably even. Tufts finished with 41 possessions to RIT’s 42. The Tigers actually won more faceoffs behind an outstanding performance from freshman FOGO Phil Minardo, who went 13-for-19 with 11 ground balls.

The difference came in transition and mistakes. Tufts capitalized repeatedly off turnovers, pushing pace with its athletic short-stick and LSM units. Sophomore LSM Davis Owens was electric in the open field, scoring twice in transition including a highlight-reel backhand twister in the second quarter. Senior defender Cole Friedlander continued his unbelievable postseason surge with a goal, an assist, and three caused turnovers, while junior Jackson Redd delivered multiple momentum-changing plays in transition.

Meanwhile, RIT’s 23 turnovers continuously fueled the Jumbo fast break. “We gave them way too many opportunities in transition,” said RIT head coach Jake Coon afterward. Against a team like Tufts, that margin for error simply disappears.

Jack Old Stands Tall

While Tufts’ offense will grab headlines, sophomore goalie Jack Old delivered arguably the most important performance of the afternoon. Every time it felt like RIT might start climbing back into the game, Old slammed the door shut. The sophomore netminder finished with a career-high 17 saves, many of them point-blank stops that prevented the Tigers from building any real momentum. Whether it was doorstep chances in the third quarter or transition looks late in possessions, Old consistently answered. For a game that featured two elite offenses, his performance may have ultimately been the biggest separator.

Regnery Caps Historic Career

There may not have been a more fitting Most Outstanding Player selection than senior attackman Jack Regnery. Regnery finished with three goals and two assists Sunday while also scooping five ground balls. Over Tufts’ five-game NCAA Tournament run, he piled up an incredible 31 points. He also leaves college lacrosse as the all-time DeeThreeLax Tournament goals leader with 61 career postseason goals. Not bad for a player finishing his career with three straight national championships. Hauser added three goals and two assists, Kelly buried three goals, and Will Emsing quietly orchestrated the offense with two goals and three assists.

For RIT, Acton, Sanders, and Charney each scored three goals, with Sanders adding an assist. After the game, Coon revealed Charney had been playing through a broken wrist for the last five weeks  making the senior’s performance even more impressive.

A Dynasty Cemented

Tufts now owns NCAA titles in 2010, 2014, 2015, 2024, 2025, and 2026. But this championship feels different. This wasn’t just another title run. This was a program reaching dynasty territory.

The Jumbos avenged their lone regular season loss to Bowdoin in the NESCAC Championship, rolled through the NCAA Tournament, and closed the season 22-1 with another trophy heading back to Medford.

As for RIT, the Tigers finish 19-5 after one of the toughest postseason paths in the country, knocking off Salisbury, Babson, and Bowdoin during an incredible six-day stretch to reach Championship Weekend.

Sunday belonged to Tufts, but both programs once again showed why they continue to set the standard for DeeThreeLax. And for the Jumbos, the question now becomes simple: Who’s stopping this dynasty?