Who is CJ Kirst? Meet Cornell star, all-time NCAA men's lacrosse goals leader
Lacrosse can be a grueling endeavor, a sport that marries brute physicality with an immense cardiovascular strain.
In that toil, though, are rewards — namely, the goals that help decide which teams win and lose a game. And one active college player has been better at scoring those than anyone in the sport’s history.
The 2025 NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament continues this week with the quarterfinals, a group of eight teams that includes No. 1 overall seed Cornell. The Big Red has a 15-1 record that has put it just three wins shy of its fourth national title (and first since 1977).
Perhaps no figure has been more instrumental in that push than senior attack CJ Kirst, a three-time first-team All-American. Kirst not only leads all Division I players in goals per game this season, but also is the all-time goals leader in Division I men's lacrosse.
As Cornell continues its push for a national championship, here’s a closer look at Kirst and where he ranks historically:
CJ Kirst goals
Kirst enters Cornell’s NCAA tournament quarterfinal matchup with Richmond Saturday with 239 career goals, the most of any player in Division I history. The 6-foot-2 Bernardsville, New Jersey native broke the previous record of 224 — held by former Virginia star Payton Cormier — in a 10-8 victory against Dartmouth on April 26.
Kirst has saved his best for last.
This season, he has 74 goals and is averaging a Division I-best 4.62 goals per game, 0.76 more per contest than the next-closest player. He has scored at least six goals in six of Cornell’s 16 games this season, a run highlighted by nine goals in a March 22 victory against Yale.
NCAA men’s lacrosse career goals leaders
Kirst is one of 10 players in Division I men’s lacrosse history with at least 200 career goals. Here’s a look at the top 10 career goal scorers at the Division I level, with Kirst leading the way:
- CJ Kirst, Cornell (2022-25): 239
- Payton Cormier, Virginia (2020-24): 224
- Mac O'Keefe, Penn State (2017-21): 221
- Justin Guterding, Duke (2015-18): 212
- Dyson Williams, Duke (2020-24): 212*
- Brennan O'Neill, Duke (2021-24): 207
- Zack Greer, Duke (2005-08): 206
- Logan Wisnauskas, Maryland (2018-22): 205
- Chris Gray, Boston University/North Carolina (2018-22): 204
- Jared Bernhardt, Maryland (2017-21): 202
* Williams is behind Guterding on this list as he played in three more career games
What channel is Cornell men’s lacrosse vs. Richmond on?
- TV channel: ESPNU
- Live stream: ESPN App | Fubo (free trial)
Kirst and Cornell’s game against Richmond in the quarterfinals of the 2025 NCAA tournament will air on ESPNU. Chris Cotter (play by play) and Paul Carcaterra (analyst) will be on the call while Morgan Uber will serve as a sideline reporter.
Streaming options for the game include the ESPN App, where the game can be watched with a cable login, and Fubo, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.
Cornell men’s lacrosse vs Richmond time today
- Date: Saturday, May 18
- Time: Noon ET
- Location: James M. Shuart Stadium (Hempstead, New York)
Cornell and Richmond are scheduled to face off at noon ET on Saturday, May 17 at James M. Shuart Stadium in Hempstead, New York, on the campus of Hofstra University.