Finally, the wait is over.
Cornell has spent decades as one of the best teams in college lacrosse, only to experience heartbreak in the national tournament time and again, including in a handful of national title games.
But on Memorial Day Monday in Foxboro, Massachusetts, the Big Red ended the drought. For the first time since 1977, they are national champions.
Cornell, the No. 1 team in the country most of the year, topped No. 2 Maryland, 13-10.
It's the fourth NCAA title in Cornell's men's lacrosse history, joining three legendary teams from the 1970s.
Here's how they did it:
C.J. Kirst's record-setting conclusion
C.J. Kirst has scored more goals than anyone in the history of Division I lacrosse.
But in the national semifinal, Kirst didn't have a single point. Cornell won despite his struggles to get to Monday.
It took a while on Memorial Day for Kirst to get warmed up, too. He missed the cage on multiple shot attempts.
But then late in the second quarter, Kirst got on the board. And from there, he scored four consecutive goals for the Big Red.
All four Kirst goals in his personal run were unassisted. He simply took the game over.
When Maryland pulled within 10-9 in the fourth quarter, Kirst backed his defender down, spun and deposited his fifth goal to go up 11-9 with 6:42 to play.
Kirst added an empty-netter to ice things with a 13-10 lead and 50 seconds to play.
In the process, he became the third NCAA men's player ever to score 80 goals in a season. He went on to get to 82 goals and tie the single-season goals record.
The No. 1 overall pick in the PLL Draft will head to the professional ranks after the biggest day of his Cornell career.
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Goldstein, Knust rise to the occasion
Ryan Goldstein stepped up before Kirst got going.
The shifty finisher tallied four goals on the day, a legendary performance in his own right.
And back there in goal, Wyatt Knust was unbeatable.
The goalie from Tampa, Florida delivered the crowning moment of his Cornell career. He made 12 saves, a few absolutely point-blank denials, to hold off the Terrapins and bring the Big Red glory.
21 years later, remembering No. 21
The number 21 resides all over the place with Cornell lacrosse.
That was the uniform number of George Boiardi. he was a 22-year old senior captain for the Big Red who died in 2004 after being struck in the chest with a lacrosse ball during a game against Binghamton.
The Big Red rallied in particular this season around the memory of Boiardi. It's been 21 years since they lost No. 21.
And now, with head coach Connor Buczek wearing a hat featuring just the digits 21, Cornell won its elusive national title as the best tribute to Boiardi.
A Star Wars drought ended
The last time Cornell men's lacrosse won a national title, it was the same week that the original Star Wars movie came out.
Since then, they lost in five separate national championship games.
Apparently they just needed the 20-year anniversary return to theaters of Revenge of the Sith to get the job done.
How many national titles has Cornell lacrosse won?
This list can now be updated for the first time in 48 years. Cornell has four national titles:
- 1971
- 1976
- 1977
- 2025