Cornell's CJ Kirst writes name in NCAA lacrosse lore with goal-scoring record

CJ Kirst is officially the new NCAA lacrosse goals king.

On Saturday, the Cornell superstar didn't waste any time, scoring the first goal at Schoellkopf Field to set the new record.

The mark came in Kirst's 61st career college game.

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The senior attack's record-setting tally came as Cornell, the No. 1 ranked team in the land, beat Dartmouth 10-8 to clinch the Ivy League regular season title.

Kirst added a second goal on the day to sit at 226 and counting in his career.

The Big Red will be back home next weekend to host the Ivy League Tournament, and then they'll be back onto the dance.

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Kirst is trying to lead Cornell to its first national title since the Big Red won three in the 1970s ('71, '76 and '77).

Cornell lost in the title game in 2022, their most recent appearance on Memorial Day.

In the process, Kirst has a chance to keep expanding his D-I goal-scoring rule.

The prior record was set in May 2024 by Virginia's Payton Cormier. Mac O'Keefe held it before that, with the lineage previously also including Justin Guterding and Zack Greer.

Kirst would surely prioritize wins the rest of the way over goals, but it'll likely take plenty of scoring from him to get the potentially historic victories, too.

He's certainly proven that as much as anyone in D-I lacrosse history, if his team needs a goal, he'll deliver.

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