Johns Hopkins–Princeton lacrosse rivalry

While the series was first played in 1890,{{Cite web|url=https://hopkinssports.com/news/2019/2/28/johns-hopkins-princeton-mens-lacrosse-notes.aspx|title=Johns Hopkins-Princeton Men's Lacrosse Notes|website=Johns Hopkins University Athletics|language=en|access-date=April 22, 2020}} the teams would not meet for the second time until 1930, as Princeton dropped its team between 1890 and 1921.{{Cite web|url=https://goprincetontigers.com/news/2019/2/28/mens-lacrosse-princeton-hosts-johns-hopkins-in-the-89th-meeting-between-the-two.aspx|title=Princeton Hosts Johns Hopkins In The 89th Meeting Between The Two|website=Princeton University Athletics|language=en|access-date=April 22, 2020}} One of the most intriguing aspects of the early meetings were their influence on the distinctive black and blue colors of Hopkins. The school's original colors were black and gold, but Princeton's orange black uniforms made the two teams indistinguishable on the field, leading to the creation of Blue Jay blue.

After three more games, the series became an annual affair in 1937; its only blip being the 1944 season. In the 1937 contest, Princeton would triumph 7–4, winning their third national championship. Continued meetings would have significant national implications, as the teams competed as historic powers. After 23 meetings, Hopkins lead the series by a narrow 12–11 margin. However, after Princeton's one goal victory in 1956, Hopkins would win nine consecutive games until the Tigers topped the Jays in 1966.{{Cite web|url=https://goprincetontigers.com/sports/2017/2/23/year-by-year-results.aspx|title=Year-By-Year Results|website=Princeton University Athletics|language=en|access-date=April 22, 2020}}

Hopkins continued to play at a high level in the 1960s, while Princeton began a slow descent after their Ivy League conference championship in 1967. That season, Johns Hopkins routed the Tigers 12 to 2 in Baltimore, the first of 24 straight victories over Princeton. The Tigers would only come within five goals of the Blue Jays once. Simultaneously, Hopkins dominated the new NCAA Division I tournament, winning seven national championships and appearing in nine more Final Fours. In contrast, blue-blooded Princeton had yet to make its first appearance in the 1980s, while failing to win their first Ivy League title since 1967.

After former Hobart Statesmen coach Jerry Schmidt did not succeed in returning the Tigers to their former glory, Bill Tierney was hired for the 1988 season. Despite a 2–13 record in his first season{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/03/22/pioneer-10|title=Pioneer|last=McPhee|first=John|magazine=The New Yorker|language=en|access-date=April 22, 2020}} and a shutout loss to Hopkins, Tierney would breakthrough during his third year. The 1990 Tigers made their first NCAA appearance and end Hopkins' streak at 24 games, taking the postseason rematch in the tournament to advance to the quarterfinals.{{Cite web|url=https://goprincetontigers.com/sports/2017/2/27/ncaa-tournament-results.aspx|title=NCAA Tournament Results|website=Princeton University Athletics|language=en|access-date=April 22, 2020}} The following year, No. 5 Princeton would win for the second-straight year in Baltimore. In 1992, Hopkins would get revenge{{Cite web|url=https://goprincetontigers.com/news/2000/4/6/738333.aspx|title=Princeton-Syracuse 1992 Title Game Named Men's Lacrosse Game Of The Decade|website=Princeton University Athletics|language=en|access-date=April 22, 2020}} but Princeton would go on to win its first national title in 39 years.{{Cite web|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2016/05/14/how-bill-tierneys-coaching-turned-du-pioneers-into-lacrosse-stars/|title=How Bill Tierney's coaching turned DU Pioneers into lacrosse stars|date=May 14, 2016|website=The Denver Post|language=en-US|access-date=April 22, 2020}}

The rivalry had regained its former prominence as the two teams, along with Syracuse and Virginia, would dominate the decade.{{Cite news|last=Wallace|first=William N.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/04/15/sports/lacrosse-notebook-johns-hopkins-fanatics-in-baltimore-have-reason-to-cheer.html|title=LACROSSE: NOTEBOOK – JOHNS HOPKINS; Fanatics in Baltimore Have Reason to Cheer|date=April 15, 1998|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 22, 2020|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} Princeton would win five in this period, with Tierney grabbing a sixth in 2001.{{Cite web|url=https://duclarion.com/2016/04/lacrosse-coaching-legend-bill-tierneys-story-far-from-over/|title=The man, the myth, the legend: Bill Tierney's story far from over – DU Clarion|language=en-US|access-date=April 22, 2020}} However, Hopkins would be unable to claim a title during the 1990s, their first decade without a championship since the 1880s.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ncaa.com/history/lacrosse-men/d1|title=DI Men's Lacrosse Championship History {{!}} NCAA.com|website=www.ncaa.com|language=en|access-date=April 22, 2020}} The rivalry was often played as the season opener for both teams during this period, described by Dave Pietramala as designed to "find out where you stand" and that "Everyone wonders, Why do you play Princeton the first game of the year? That is crazy. But hey, it's just as difficult for them to play Hopkins the first game of the year."{{Cite web|url=https://pages.jh.edu/~gazette/2001/feb2601/26topjay.html|title=The Johns Hopkins Gazette: February 26, 2001|website=pages.jh.edu|access-date=April 22, 2020}}

Princeton gained the upper-hand, winning 8 of 12 meetings between the two perennial Top 5 programs in the 90s, including a second NCAA tournament showdown in 1994. The Tigers would win a tense overtime match by a score of 12 to 11,{{Cite news|last=Wallace|first=William N.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/22/sports/lacrosse-conklin-propels-princeton-in-overtime.html|title=LACROSSE; Conklin Propels Princeton in Overtime|date=May 22, 1994|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 22, 2020|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} en route to a second national championship. That victory marked the first for the Tigers in Princeton in 28 years. In 2002, Princeton would again knock the Jays from the tournament, prevailing over No. 1 Hopkins in the Final Four.{{Cite news|last=Litsky|first=Frank|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/26/sports/lacrosse-princeton-and-syracuse-to-meet-again-in-final.html|title=LACROSSE; Princeton and Syracuse to Meet Again in Final|date=May 26, 2002|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 22, 2020|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} However, Pietramala would lead the Jays to its first two national championships since 1987 in the next few years. The series would be relatively even during this era, with the 2000s ending with a narrow 6–5 advantage for Hopkins.

The departure of Tierney in 2009 marked another shift in the rivalry.{{Cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1088078-ncaa-lacrosse-preview-no-2-johns-hopkins-blue-jays-no-11-princeton-tigers|title=Johns Hopkins vs. Princeton: Princeton Tigers Seek 4th Straight Win in Rivalry|last=Holding|first=D.|website=Bleacher Report|language=en|access-date=April 22, 2020}} Since his exit to Denver, Princeton has only managed two NCAA appearances, with none since 2010. Across the field, Johns Hopkins missed the tournament for the first time since the inaugural edition in 2013, a year in which they lost to No. 12 Princeton in Baltimore.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/college/lacrosse/bal-princeton-knocks-off-johns-hopkins-college-lacrosse-at-homewood-20130301-story.html|title=No. 14 Princeton knocks off No. 5 Johns Hopkins at Homewood|last=Lee|first=Edward|website=baltimoresun.com|access-date=April 22, 2020}} Hopkins would only make it to one Final Four during the 2015 season,{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/page/15menslacrossesked/2015-ncaa-men-lacrosse-tournament-schedule-results|title=Full tournament schedule, results|date=May 17, 2015|website=ESPN.com|language=en|access-date=April 22, 2020}} the same year that the Jays joined the Big Ten Conference.{{Cite web|url=https://hub.jhu.edu/gazette/2013/july/this-month-sports-jhu-lacrosse-big-ten/|title=Johns Hopkins men's lacrosse joins Big Ten Conference|last=July 2013|first=Greg Rienzi / Published|date=July 1, 2013|website=The Hub|language=en|access-date=April 22, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/ct-johns-hopkins-lacrosse-spt-0325-20150324-column.html|title=Johns Hopkins makes Big Ten, lacrosse history|last=Hersh|first=Philip|website=chicagotribune.com|access-date=April 22, 2020}} Despite the new conference membership and increasing difficulty in non-conference scheduling, they have maintained the annual rivalry with the Tigers. As of 2020, the programs have split the last ten meetings.{{Cite web|url=https://www.trentonian.com/sports/princeton-johns-hopkins-mens-lacrosse-set-to-square-off-for-89th-time/article_9aba29d0-3c98-11e9-b85b-0365bc60cc4a.html|title=Princeton, Johns Hopkins men's lacrosse set to square off for 89th time|last=Twitter|first=Joe O'Gorman jogorman@trentonian com @j_ogorman819 on|website=The Trentonian|language=en|access-date=April 22, 2020}}

The following summarizes the accomplishments of the two programs.{{Cite web|url=https://goprincetontigers.com/sports/2017/2/24/first-team-all-americas.aspx|title=All-Time All-Americans|website=Princeton University Athletics|language=en|access-date=April 22, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://goprincetontigers.com/sports/2017/2/24/national-awards.aspx|title=National Awards|website=Princeton University Athletics|language=en|access-date=April 22, 2020}}

{{sports rivalry series table

| series_summary = yes

| format = compact | cols = 3

| team1 = Johns Hopkins

| team1style = {{NCAA color cell|Johns Hopkins Blue Jays}}

| team2 = Princeton

| team2style = {{NCAA color cell|Princeton Tigers}}

| Unknown, 1890 | Princeton, NJ | Princeton | 3 | Johns Hopkins | 2

| Unknown, 1930 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 7 | Princeton | 0

| Unknown, 1931 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 11 | Princeton | 1

| Unknown, 1932 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 11 | Princeton | 0

| Unknown, 1937 | Baltimore, MD | Princeton | 7 | Johns Hopkins | 4

| Unknown, 1938 | Baltimore, MD | Princeton | 5 | Johns Hopkins | 2

| Unknown, 1939 | Baltimore, MD | Princeton | 4 | Johns Hopkins | 3

| Unknown, 1940 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 10 | Princeton | 6

| Unknown, 1941 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 9 | Princeton | 3

| Unknown, 1942 | Baltimore, MD | Princeton | 4 | Johns Hopkins | 2

| Unknown, 1943 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 11 | Princeton | 4

| Unknown, 1945 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 18 | Princeton | 4

| Unknown, 1946 | Baltimore, MD | Princeton | 12 | Johns Hopkins | 8

| Unknown, 1947 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 8 | Princeton | 7

| Unknown, 1948 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 12 | Princeton | 6

| Unknown, 1949 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 10 | Princeton | 4

| Unknown, 1950 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 8 | Princeton | 7

| Unknown, 1951 | Baltimore, MD | Princeton | 13 | Johns Hopkins | 11

| Unknown, 1952 | Baltimore, MD | Princeton | 5 | Johns Hopkins | 4

| Unknown, 1953 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 15 | Princeton | 11

| Unknown, 1954 | Princeton, NJ | Princeton | 5 | Johns Hopkins | 2

| April 23, 1955 | Baltimore, MD | Princeton | 6 | Johns Hopkins | 5

| April 7, 1956 | Princeton, NJ | Princeton | 7 | Johns Hopkins | 6

| April 13, 1957 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 19 | Princeton | 6

| April 12, 1958 | Princeton, NJ | Johns Hopkins | 16 | Princeton | 7

| April 11, 1959 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 24 | Princeton | 3

| April 9, 1960 | Princeton, NJ | Johns Hopkins | 8 | Princeton | 4

| April 8, 1961 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 19 | Princeton | 6

| April 7, 1962 | Princeton, NJ | Johns Hopkins | 15 | Princeton | 9

| April 6, 1963 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 15 | Princeton | 8

| April 4, 1964 | Princeton, NJ | Johns Hopkins | 8 | Princeton | 6

| April 3, 1965 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 10 | Princeton | 6

| April 2, 1966 | Princeton, NJ | Princeton | 7 | Johns Hopkins | 1

| April 1, 1967 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 12 | Princeton | 2

| April 6, 1968 | Princeton, NJ | Johns Hopkins | 11 | Princeton | 4

| April 5, 1969 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 12 | Princeton | 9

| April 4, 1970 | Princeton, NJ | Johns Hopkins | 13 | Princeton | 7

| April 3, 1971 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 13 | Princeton | 8

| April 1, 1972 | Princeton, NJ | Johns Hopkins | 16 | Princeton | 8

| March 31, 1973 | Baltimore, MD | No. 2 Johns Hopkins | 14 | Princeton | 6

| March 30, 1974 | Princeton, NJ | No. 3 Johns Hopkins | 21 | No. 11 Princeton | 7

| April 5, 1975 | Baltimore, MD | No. 1 Johns Hopkins | 22 | No. 6 Princeton | 11

| April 3, 1976 | Princeton, NJ | No. 2 Johns Hopkins | 16 | No. 11 Princeton | 10

| April 2, 1977 | Baltimore, MD | No. 3 Johns Hopkins | 15 | No. 11 Princeton | 10

| April 1, 1978 | Princeton, NJ | No. 2 Johns Hopkins | 14 | Princeton | 7

| March 31, 1979 | Baltimore, MD | No. 1 Johns Hopkins | 14 | No. 11 Princeton | 2

| March 29, 1980 | Manhasset, NY | No. 1 Johns Hopkins | 8 | Princeton | 4

| March 28, 1981 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 19 | Princeton | 4

| March 27, 1982 | Princeton, NJ | No. 2 Johns Hopkins | 13 | Princeton | 5

| March 26, 1983 | Baltimore, MD | No. 1 Johns Hopkins | 12 | Princeton | 6

| March 24, 1984 | Princeton, NJ | No. 2 Johns Hopkins | 16 | Princeton | 6

| March 23, 1985 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 12 | Princeton | 6

| March 22, 1986 | Princeton, NJ | Johns Hopkins | 19 | Princeton | 7

| March 21, 1987 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 21 | Princeton | 6

| March 26, 1988 | Princeton, NJ | No. 6 Johns Hopkins | 9 | Princeton | 0

| March 25, 1989 | Baltimore, MD | No. 1 Johns Hopkins | 11 | Princeton | 5

| March 2, 1990 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 20 | Princeton | 8

| May 20, 1990 | Baltimore, MD | No. 11 Princeton | 9 | No. 7 Johns Hopkins | 8

| March 2, 1991 | Baltimore, MD | No. 5 Princeton | 15 | No. 6 Johns Hopkins | 10

| March 7, 1992 | Baltimore, MD | Johns Hopkins | 15 | Princeton | 14

| March 6, 1993 | Baltimore, MD | No. 2 Princeton | 13 | No. 4 Johns Hopkins | 11

| March 5, 1994 | Baltimore, MD | No. 3 Princeton | 20 | No. 4 Johns Hopkins | 11

| May 21, 1994 | Princeton, NJ | No. 2 Princeton | 12 | No. 6 Johns Hopkins | 11^OT

| March 4, 1995 | Baltimore, MD | No. 2 Johns Hopkins | 15 | No. 4 Princeton | 14

| March 2, 1996 | Baltimore, MD | No. 3 Princeton | 12 | No. 4 Johns Hopkins | 9

| March 1, 1997 | Princeton, NJ | No. 1 Princeton | 7 | No. 4 Johns Hopkins | 6^OT

| February 28, 1998 | Baltimore, MD | No. 1 Princeton | 17 | No. 4 Johns Hopkins | 10

| March 6, 1999 | Princeton, NJ | No. 2 Johns Hopkins | 12 | No. 1 Princeton | 11

| March 4, 2000 | Baltimore, MD | No. 4 Princeton | 15 | No. 3 Johns Hopkins | 11

| March 3, 2001 | Princeton, NJ | No. 2 Princeton | 8 | No. 4 Johns Hopkins | 4

| March 2, 2002 | Baltimore, MD | No. 3 Johns Hopkins | 8 | No. 1 Princeton | 5

| May 25, 2002 | Piscataway, NJ | No. 4 Princeton | 11 | No. 1 Johns Hopkins | 9

| March 1, 2003 | Princeton, NJ | No. 3 Johns Hopkins | 10 | No. 2 Princeton | 8

| March 6, 2004 | Baltimore, MD | No. 1 Johns Hopkins | 14 | No. 5 Princeton | 5

| March 5, 2005 | Princeton, NJ | No. 1 Johns Hopkins | 9 | No. 3 Princeton | 6

| March 4, 2006 | Baltimore, MD | No. 10 Princeton | 6 | No. 1 Johns Hopkins | 4

| March 3, 2007 | Baltimore, MD | No. 9 Johns Hopkins | 7 | No. 3 Princeton | 6^2OT

| March 1, 2008 | Baltimore, MD | No. 1 Johns Hopkins | 14 | No. 9 Princeton | 9

| February 28, 2009 | Baltimore, MD | No. 9 Princeton | 14 | No. 6 Johns Hopkins | 8

| March 6, 2010 | Baltimore, MD | No. 7 Princeton | 11 | No. 5 Johns Hopkins | 10^OT

| March 5, 2011 | Baltimore, MD | No. 10 Princeton | 8 | No. 8 Johns Hopkins | 3

| March 2, 2012 | Princeton, NJ | No. 2 Johns Hopkins | 10 | No. 12 Princeton | 8

| March 1, 2013 | Baltimore, MD | No. 12 Princeton | 11 | No. 3 Johns Hopkins | 8

| March 1, 2014 | Princeton, NJ | No. 5 Johns Hopkins | 15 | No. 10 Princeton | 9

| February 28, 2015 | Baltimore, MD | No. 18 Princeton | 16 | No. 12 Johns Hopkins | 15

| March 5, 2016 | Baltimore, MD | No. 13 Johns Hopkins | 17 | Princeton | 7

| March 3, 2017 | Princeton, NJ | Princeton | 18 | No. 3 Johns Hopkins | 7

| March 3, 2018 | Baltimore, MD | No. 19 Johns Hopkins | 16 | Princeton | 9

| March 2, 2019 | Princeton, NJ | No. 18 Johns Hopkins | 14 | Princeton | 12

| March 1, 2020 | Princeton, NJ | No. 8 Princeton | 18 | No. 18 Johns Hopkins | 11

| note = Source:{{cite web|title=Johns Hopkins University Men's Lacrosse Record Book|url=https://hopkinssports.com/documents/2019/3/7/Print_Version_3_7_19_.pdf|access-date=March 10, 2019}}

}}

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Category:College lacrosse rivalries in the United States

Category:Johns Hopkins Blue Jays men's lacrosse

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