We’ve already looked at some of the top returning attackmen and midfielders across the country. Now, it’s time for the defensemen and evaluating defense is different. Goals and assists can quickly tell you who is producing offensively, but defensive impact doesn’t always show up neatly in a box score. The best defensemen are asked to cover an opponent’s top attackman, communicate within a team defense, win ground balls, create turnovers, handle the ball in the clearing game and sometimes simply make sure their matchup never gets comfortable. Still, caused turnovers and ground balls give us a pretty good place to start. And there is some serious defensive production returning in 2027.

Domenic Cuda – Wooster

93 Caused Turnovers – 137 Ground Balls

No stat line on this list jumps off the page quite like Domenic Cuda’s. The Wooster defenseman finished last season with an incredible 93 caused turnovers and 137 ground balls, leading every player on this list in caused turnovers while finishing just two ground balls behind the group’s leader. Ninety-three caused turnovers is a massive number. It points to a defenseman who isn’t simply containing his matchup but consistently creating possessions for his team. Add 137 ground balls to the equation and Cuda enters 2027 with one of the most impressive statistical profiles of any returning defenseman in DeeThreeLax.

Ty Cougler – Keene State

59 Caused Turnovers – 93 Ground Balls

Keene State brings back another turnover machine in Ty Cougler. Cougler finished with 59 caused turnovers and 93 ground balls, putting him second on this list in caused turnovers. Creating nearly 60 turnovers is impressive enough, but collecting 93 ground balls shows Cougler was also consistently involved in finishing those defensive possessions and helping Keene State get the ball going the other direction. He should be one of the top defensive names to follow heading into 2027.

Brett Kelley – Christopher Newport

52 Caused Turnovers – 84 Ground Balls

Christopher Newport will return a major piece of its defense in Brett Kelley. Kelley recorded 52 caused turnovers and 84 ground balls last season, putting him among the most productive defenders on our list in both categories. For a CNU program that expects to compete with the best teams in DeeThreeLax, returning an experienced defenseman with that level of production is significant And Kelley isn’t the only Captain returning on the back end.

Drew Garrison – Calvin

52 Caused Turnovers – 70 Ground Balls

Matching Kelley with 52 caused turnovers is Calvin’s Drew Garrison. Garrison added 70 ground balls to go along with those 52 CTs, giving him another impressive defensive stat line entering 2027. Creating extra possessions can completely change games, and Garrison proved last season that he can consistently make things happen on the defensive end. He’ll be another name worth following as we get closer to the season.

Drew Knight – St. Lawrence

40 Caused Turnovers – 139 Ground Balls

If there’s one number that immediately stands out with Drew Knight, it’s the ground balls. Knight scooped 139 ground balls, the most among any player on this list, while also causing 40 turnovers. Ground balls are possessions, and a defenseman who can consistently get the ball off the turf and help turn defense into offense brings enormous value. Knight’s 139 GBs separate him statistically from most of this group and make him one of the most intriguing returning defenders heading into 2027.

Michael Keane – Pfeiffer

42 Caused Turnovers | 74 Ground Balls

Pfeiffer’s Michael Keane returns after putting together another productive defensive season. Keane finished with 42 caused turnovers and 74 ground balls, ranking among the top returning players on this list in both categories. That balance is exactly what you want from a defenseman someone that Create turnovers, Win possession, and Get the ball going the other way and Keane did plenty of all three last season.

Ike Dutton – Roanoke

38 Caused Turnovers – 64 Ground Balls

Roanoke will bring back an experienced defensive weapon in Ike Dutton. Dutton finished last season with 38 caused turnovers and 64 ground balls and will return to an ODAC where high-level offensive matchups are waiting nearly every week. Playing defense against strong competition on a regular basis makes Dutton another player to keep an eye on heading into 2027.

Joe Holentstein – RIT

36 Caused Turnovers – 90 Ground Balls

RIT seems to reload every year, and Joe Holentstein gives the Tigers another proven piece returning on defense. Holentstein finished with 36 caused turnovers and 90 ground balls. The ground-ball production particularly stands out, but there’s also important context here. RIT routinely plays a demanding schedule and enters every season with championship expectations. Returning an experienced defenseman who has already produced against that level of competition gives the Tigers another important piece for 2027.

Hayden Warren – Dickinson

35 Caused Turnovers – 53 Ground Balls

Dickinson brings back Hayden Warren after a 35-CT, 53-ground-ball campaign. Warren gives the Red Devils an established defensive playmaker returning on the back end and should once again be an important piece of the Dickinson defense. He also won’t be the only experienced defender back. 

Jack Deady returns as well after recording 13 caused turnovers and 12 ground balls, giving Dickinson multiple returning pieces to work with defensively.

Tufts Brings Back a Loaded Group

One of the biggest defensive storylines heading into 2027 could be the amount of experience returning at Tufts. The Jumbos bring back Jack Donovan, who finished with 30 caused turnovers and 29 ground balls. They also return Logan Lee, who recorded 29 caused turnovers and 35 ground balls. Then add Will Bonner, who finished with 23 caused turnovers and 32 ground balls. Combined, that trio accounted for 82 caused turnovers last season. For a program that expects to compete deep into May, bringing that much experience back defensively is significant. And this is where looking strictly at individual statistics can be misleading. On a deep roster like Tufts, production is naturally spread across multiple players. The fact that the Jumbos return three experienced defensemen from that group could be more important than any one individual number.

Bowdoin Brings Back Multiple Pieces Too

Tufts isn’t the only NESCAC program returning multiple defenders. Bowdoin brings back Nico Schermer, who recorded 25 caused turnovers and 77 ground balls, along with Brooks Kitchel, who finished with 23 caused turnovers and 31 ground balls. Schermer’s 77 ground balls are particularly impressive and give Bowdoin a proven possession player on the defensive end. Returning multiple experienced defenders should give the Polar Bears another strong foundation on the back end heading into 2027.

DTL Returning Defensemen to Watch

• Domenic Cuda, Wooster – 93 CTs, 137 GBs
• Ty Cougler, Keene State – 59 CTs, 93 GBs
• Brett Kelley, Christopher Newport – 52 CTs, 84 GBs
• Drew Garrison, Calvin – 52 CTs, 70 GBs
• Michael Keane, Pfeiffer – 42 CTs, 74 GBs
• Drew Knight, St. Lawrence – 40 CTs, 139 GBs
• Ike Dutton, Roanoke – 38 CTs, 64 GBs
• Joe Holentstein, RIT – 36 CTs, 90 GBs
• Hayden Warren, Dickinson – 35 CTs, 53 GBs
• Mark Davison, Christopher Newport – 34 CTs, 31 GBs
• Teddy Rosen, Bates – 32 CTs, 45 GBs
• Jack Donovan, Tufts – 30 CTs, 29 GBs
• Riley Chai-Onn, Hamilton – 30 CTs, 30 GBs
• Logan Lee, Tufts – 29 CTs, 35 GBs
• Luke Foster, Union – 28 CTs, 46 GBs
• Brian Delduchetto, Gettysburg – 26 CTs, 24 GBs
• Nico Schermer, Bowdoin – 25 CTs, 77 GBs
• Colin Taylor, Oberlin – 24 CTs, 56 GBs
• James Sullivan, SUNY Cortland – 23 CTs, 52 GBs
• Brian Blanche, Washington College – 23 CTs, 55 GBs
• Brooks Kitchel, Bowdoin – 23 CTs, 31 GBs
• Will Bonner, Tufts – 23 CTs, 32 GBs
• Nick Hinck, Nazareth – 22 CTs, 62 GBs
• Jeff Mueller, York – 22 CTs, 20 GBs
• Jake Moshang, Colorado College – 21 CTs, 43 GBs
• Connor Gray, St. John Fisher – 21 CTs, 27 GBs
• Charlie Haight, Denison –  20 CTs, 36 GBs
• Henry Dumler, Connecticut College – 19 CTs, 34 GBs
• Ryan St. Onge, Babson -15 CTs, 29 GBs
• Jack Deady, Dickinson -13 CTs, 12 GBs