“The general consensus in lacrosse circles during the preseason was that Cliff Stevenson’s current team was going to be good but ‘how good’ might be difficult to determine…” began a story in a 1973 Lacrosse Review, going on to note the Bears’ potential weaknesses: the lack of a steady third defenseman; numerous sophomores in key positions; and recovery from knee surgery for ace attackman Stephan Russo ’73. None of it mattered. The team was undefeated in the Ivy League, named New England champions, and earned its first spot at the NCAA, where Brown had the bad luck of drawing the eventual national champion, Maryland, in the quarterfinals, ending a historic run. This April, the 2023 team (6-8, 2-4 Ivy) paid homage to the crew that put Brown lacrosse on the map 50 years ago, honoring them during the regular season finale against perennial rivals Cornell (that game ended in a 9-16 loss for the Bears, but five team members were placed on All-Ivy teams during postseason honors). Marc Silverstein ’74 was there; see his class note. Go Bears!
