As North Carolina whips the ball around on offense, they see a forest of monstrous defenders who seem to form a blockade in any potential passing lane. Among them is John Schroter. While he is still the youngster on the Virginia defense, he’s wasted little time making an impact and a name for himself.

In recent memory, it seems the UVA men’s lacrosse team has always had tall, lengthy players manning the defensive end. Think of guys like Kyle Kology, Jared Conners, Cade Saustad, or Cole Kastner, one of the anchors on this year’s squad. All of them are 6’4” or above. Next in this lineage of tall defensemen is Schroter. With three years of eligibility remaining, the 6’5”, 225-pound sophomore can be a centerpiece for the Cavaliers for years to come.

“What do you get when you combine a large frame, a big motor, and a joy of competing along with exceptional footwork honed from playing high-level soccer as a striker?” Virginia coach Tiffany said in Schroter’s VirginiaSports.com bio. “John turned heads with his play in the first month of the fall [as a freshman], only to then be sidelined for much of the rest due to an injury.”

Schroter is a native of Leesburg, Virginia, attending Riverside High School, where he helped the Rams capture three Class 5 State Championships. Outside of school he played his club ball for DC Express, a powerhouse team in the Northern Virginia area. Following his senior season, Schroter played in the Under Armour All-American game, a coveted all-star game featuring the top players in that year’s graduating class.

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