everything easy. In practice, Ben can see a pass two passes away. He’ll tell the defense to be ready for this and be ready for that. It’s another variation of having a coach back there.” For his part, Switzer set game (11), single-season (41), and career (79) records in caused turnovers during the 2024 season, despite fully transitioning from being a short-stick midfielder to being a close defender — with a stick about three feet longer — at the end of the 2023 season. “I just want to play our defense and keep to the principles that Coach Mackin and Assistant Coach (Grant) Huff incorporate,” Switzer said. “It’s a team defense; no one person is more important than everyone. We all have responsibilities as a unit.” Franco added, “Jakob’s definitely been an asset in front of me. We’re constantly together, bouncing ideas off one another. It’s cool to see that we’ve both been able to find such great success here.” The West Pittston, Pa., native decided to come back for his final year of eligibility and to finish a minor in environmental science to go with his biology major, in large part because of his belief that Coach Mackin is building something special with Lycoming lacrosse. “Seeing the improvements every day that Coach Mackin installed in our program and bringing back the culture that we had when I was getting recruited, I knew I wanted to come back,” Switzer said. “Everything we do, we do for the guys in the locker room and the guys we battle. That’s the culture we want to see.” Like Switzer, Franco said that he believes with Coach Mackin at the helm, it will only be a matter of time before the Warriors become a competitive team in the Landmark Conference. “I think Coach Mackin will continue to help the program grow,” he said. “Building a program is one of those things that takes a lot of time. He wants to build a program that year after year can take in young men and train them through lacrosse and teach them to be a better person.” Although, it may be a while before any of those young men approach Franco and Switzer’s records, which will grow with every save and caused turnover they get this season. Switzer 23 www.lycoming.edu
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