Virginia Lacrosse Signs Three Incoming Transfers From Duke, Notre Dame, Bryant

Matt Newton | Jul 19, 2024

Lars Tiffany announced the signings of transfers Charles Balsamo (Duke), Andrew Greenspan (Notre Dame), and Johnny Hackett (Bryant) to the Virginia men's lacrosse program. /

Virginia men's lacrosse has officially signed three incoming transfers for next season, head coach Lars Tiffany announced on Thursday. Duke midfielder Charles Balsamo, Notre Dame faceoff specialist Andrew Greenspan, and Bryant midfielder Johnny Hackett have transferred to UVA for the 2025 season. Balsamo and Hackett have two years of eligibility remaining and Greenspan has three years left.

Like most players who end up at Duke, Charles Balsamo was a highly-touted recruit coming out of high school, rated the No. 25 overall prospect in the class of 2022 by Inside Lacrosse and the No. 7 player in the country by Lacrosse Magazine. The 5'8" lefty out of Manhasset, New York started 18 of 19 games on Duke's first midfield as a true freshman in 2023 and tallied 31 points on 20 goals and 11 assists to help the Blue Devils reach the national title game.

Balsamo then saw his role decrease as a sophomore, starting just three games and recording 16 points on seven goals and nine assists this spring.

When Duke's season came to an end in a stunning loss to Maryland in the quarterfinals, Balsamo entered his name into the transfer portal and immediately became one of the most pursued players on the transfer market. With Virginia having some serious holes to fill on offense, the fit was clear and Balsamo wound up transferring to one of Duke's biggest ACC rivals.

“Big moment ballplayer!  We have received a tremendous gift with Charles coming to Charlottesville," Lars Tiffany said of Balsamo. "First-hand, we have witnessed the impact Charles can make on a game with his fearless dodging and shooting skills. We are thrilled to have Charles and his family with us.”

A former four-star recruit coming out of high school, Andrew Greenspan played in seven games as a true freshman for Notre Dame in 2024. He went 17/30 on faceoff draws to help the Fighting Irish capture their second-consecutive national title. Greenspan's best game actually came against Virginia, as he won 6/8 faceoffs against the Cavaliers in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament. The Scarsdale, New York native was the No. 35 overall recruit in the class of 2023 per Inside Lacrosse.

“Possession specialist!  Andrew is an exceptional faceoff player who can also contribute to our team’s offensive transition," said Tiffany of Greenspan. "He will be a critical member of our program right away, and we are fortunate to have a future that includes three years with Andrew at UVA.”

Johnny Hackett put together an impressive resume in just two seasons at the collegiate level, winning America East Rookie of the Year in 2023 and garnering back-to-back First-Team All-America East selections in his two years at Bryant. As a freshman in 2023, Hackett started on attack and tallied 53 points on 41 goals and 12 assists. He shot 41% and was third on his team in points. This spring, Hackett moved back to his more natural position as a midfielder and still produced at a high level, leading the Bulldogs and ranking eighth in the America East with 47 total points, averaging 3.36 points per game. The 6'1" midfielder from Winnetka, Illinois registered 23 goals and 24 assists in 14 games in 2024 before entering the transfer portal, where he quickly became one of the most highly-desired transfer targets for several top lacrosse programs. Virginia ended up winning that recruiting battle, adding another talented and experienced piece to its midfield for next season.

“Electrifying!  One of the most explosive dodgers in the nation the past two years, Johnny has developed both his vision and shooting to make him an elite offensive weapon," Tiffany said of Hackett. "He arrives in Charlottesville with the mindset and tools to be impactful immediately in the ACC.”

Virginia will also bring in the nation's No. 1 recruiting class, adding those talented freshmen and these three transfers to a returning roster that includes McCabe Millon, Griffin Schutz, Ben Wayer, Noah Chizmar, Anthony Ghobriel, Matthew Nunes, and a host of other contributors from last year's team.

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