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HEMPSTEAD, NEW YORK - MAY 17: Joey Spallina #22 of the Syracuse Orange handles the ball against the Princeton Tigers at James M. Shuart Stadium on May 17, 2025 in Hempstead, New York. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For many longtime Syracuse lacrosse fans, Joey Spallina’s legacy will be only defined by whether or not the Orange lift the trophy on Memorial Day.
Fair or not, that’s the measure of any Syracuse men’s lacrosse player, especially one wearing the #22 jersey. But Spallina’s impact shouldn’t be boiled down to a team accomplishment because it diminishes his four-year career with the Orange.
During last week’s game, Paul Carcaterra talked about the importance of John Desko’s final recruiting class of Spallina, Billy Dwan, Michael Leo and Jimmy McCool. He talked about how that group brought the Orange out of a stretch of five seasons where the program failed to get beyond the 1st round of the NCAAs.
They’ve brought back a fun and exciting brand of Syracuse lacrosse. They’ve brought fans back to the Dome and groans aside, they’ve brought the juice back to the Cuse.
It’s a tough measuring stick when people want to line your record up against the Powells and the Gaits. A scoring record doesn’t mean Spallina is better than those (or some other Orange legends), but there’s also a number of fans who act like 22 has simply padded his stats against weaker opponents.
Saying someone isn’t as good as Mike Powell is a bit like saying a Syracuse basketball or football player isn’t as good as Carmelo Anthony or Dwight Freeney. You’re measuring someone against the best of the best and falling short doesn’t mean they haven’t lived up to their potential.
I’m not a “lax guy” and I’m not going to pretend like I can break down the skill sets or compare these legends, but I feel comfortable saying that I’ve never seen anything from Spallina that questions his desire for his team to win. In an era where a lot of people talk about loyalty and bemoan the fact that they can’t follow athletes for four years, it’s perplexing that some of those same folks want to trash Spallina.
He’s embraced the pressure that comes with 22. He’s embraced the weight of wearing that legendary number and through his time here- he’s embraced what it means to give back to the next generation.
In this era where we’ve become so jaded about money and athletes playing for the love of the game, it’s ok to celebrate someone who’s an example of what we want our Orange players to be.
With the regular season finale at Notre Dame, and post-season play still ahead, there’s been a lot for Spallina to add to his Syracuse legacy, but no matter how it ends, his career has brought the Orange back to a position where they belong, and hopefully sowed the seeds for future 22s to come.
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