It’s well documented that Jack Posey and Kevin Parnham have been missing from the Penn State men’s lacrosse’s defensive lineup due to respective ACL and upper body injuries for quite some time.

Both players could return next week in a matchup against No. 7 John Hopkins, but until then, it will be up to the rest of the team to step up.

Players like Alex Ross and Joe Scarfi have received praise for their stellar performances against some of the nation’s best, but other high-performing Nittany Lions have gone without celebration in less glorious roles.

One of the players who hasn’t received his flowers is Sam Sweeney. The seasoned defenseman is in his fifth year with the blue and white, and despite taking a slightly lesser role in 2024 due to injury, has not failed to impress.

“He’s causing some turnovers, and he’s definitely ending possessions for us in the defensive end,” head coach Jeff Tambroni said. “His athleticism and skills definitely help us in transitioning the ball from defense to offense.”

Sweeney has played most of the season as a long-stick midfielder, sharing time with sophomore Ryan O’Connor. Even with no starts and splitting the field, Sweeney is second in ground balls amid traditional outfield players and fourth in caused turnovers.

For a team struggling at the face-off “X” winning just 45.6% of the time, Sweeney gives the Nittany Lions much-needed possessions to one of the most lethal offenses in the country.

As a graduate student, Sweeney also brings the intangibles necessary for a top-10-ranked team nationally.

“Sam as a senior provides a lot of really good leadership,” Tambroni said. “Obviously, he’s been around a while being a fifth-year senior, and he’s seen a ton.”

His experience and willingness to aid his teammates have been a large reason for the Nittany Lion’s relaxation in big moments. A seven-goal comeback against No. 10 Yale and a five-goal comeback against Ohio State are just two examples of where senior leadership prevailed for the Nittany Lions.

“Nothing that happens on the field is going to faze him to a degree that either he’s going to get rattled or he’s going to look around and allow that to happen to the guys around him,” Tambroni said.