NCAA men’s field lacrosse is commonly organized around four basic positions: attack, midfield, defense and goalie. Teams also use specialists such as long-stick midfielders, faceoff specialists and short-stick defensive midfielders.

Positions differ across the sport. Women’s field lacrosse has its own positional structure, NLL box lacrosse uses a goalkeeper and five runners, and Sixes reduces specialization with five field players and one goalkeeper.

What Are The Positions In Lacrosse?

The four basic positions in NCAA men’s field lacrosse are attack, midfield, defense and goalie.

The traditional 10-player alignment consists of three attackmen, three midfielders, three defensemen and one goalie.

Teams also use specialists for faceoffs, defense and other situations. Those specialist roles do not add players to the 10-player lineup, and substitutions, penalties and strategy can change which types of players are on the field.

What Does An Attackman Do In Lacrosse?

Attackmen primarily operate in the offensive half and help create and finish scoring opportunities.

Attackmen can dodge defenders, pass to create scoring chances for teammates and finish opportunities around the goal.

NCAA men’s field lacrosse traditionally uses three attackmen, although exactly how teams divide their offensive responsibilities is a matter of strategy.

What Does A Midfielder Do In Lacrosse?

Midfielders connect offense and defense and can contribute at both ends of the field.

A traditional two-way midfielder can play offense, defend and help during transitions between the two ends.

Teams also can use more specialized offensive and defensive midfielders. That makes midfield one of the positions where fans will see frequent substitutions and different player roles.

What Does A Defenseman Do In Lacrosse?

Defensemen primarily defend opposing attackers and protect the area around their own goal.

Close defensemen commonly match up against offensive players around the defensive end. In NCAA men’s lacrosse, defensemen also commonly use longer defensive crosses within the rules governing their length and how many can be on the field.

Defensemen are not permanently restricted to one area and can become involved elsewhere as play develops.

What Does A Lacrosse Goalie Do?

A lacrosse goalie protects the goal and receives special privileges inside the crease.

In NCAA men’s lacrosse, the goalie defends shots and can use a larger goalkeeper crosse. The goalie also receives special protections while operating with goalkeeper privileges in the crease.

An NCAA men’s goalie possessing the ball in the crease must move it out within four seconds.

Goalkeeper rules differ in women’s field, box and Sixes lacrosse.

What Is An LSM In Lacrosse?

LSM stands for long-stick midfielder, a men’s field lacrosse specialist who plays midfield while using one of the team’s permitted long defensive crosses.

An LSM commonly fills defensive and transition responsibilities while lining up as a midfielder.

LSM is a strategic specialist role rather than an additional mandatory position in the rules.

What Is A FOGO In Lacrosse?

FOGO means “face off, get off” and describes a faceoff specialist who often substitutes out shortly after taking a faceoff.

That specialization explains why fans may see a player enter the game for a faceoff and quickly leave once possession is established.

FOGO is common lacrosse terminology rather than an official NCAA position designation.

What Is An SSDM In Lacrosse?

SSDM stands for short-stick defensive midfielder, a strategic specialist primarily used for midfield defense.

Unlike an LSM, the SSDM uses a normal short crosse.

SSDM is another tactical role rather than a required position under NCAA rules.

What Are The Positions In Women’s Lacrosse?

Women’s field lacrosse commonly uses attacker, midfielder and defender labels along with a goalkeeper, but its positional structure is different from the men’s game.

NCAA women’s rules treat non-goalkeepers as field players with attacking or defensive responsibilities and use a separate restraining-line structure.

Women’s lacrosse also does not use the men’s long-pole system. The traditional men’s alignment of three attackmen, three midfielders and three defensemen should not simply be applied to the women’s game. 

What Are The Positions In Box Lacrosse?

NLL box lacrosse has one designated goalkeeper and five runners who commonly fill strategic roles as forwards, transition players and defensemen.

Forwards primarily create and finish offense. Transition players can defend, win loose balls and help turn defensive possessions into offense. Defensemen focus primarily on defensive matchups and protecting the area around the crease.

Box offenses also commonly distinguish between left-side and right-side forwards based on handedness and shooting angles.

These are strategic roles. NLL rules do not require teams to use a specific number of forwards, transition players or defensemen.

How Do Substitutions Affect Positions In Box Lacrosse?

NLL runners frequently substitute in groups based on possession, making offensive and defensive roles more fluid than they may appear in field lacrosse.

Players can substitute while play continues through the designated change area. That allows teams to replace offensive runners with defensive runners as possession changes and vice versa.

The frequent changes can resemble hockey-style line changes, although terms such as offense line and defense line describe team strategy rather than mandatory NLL lineup categories.

What Are The Positions In Sixes Lacrosse?

World Lacrosse Sixes uses five field players and one goalkeeper, resulting in less positional specialization than traditional field lacrosse.

With only five field players and a 30-second clock, players can be required to contribute at both ends.

Traditional men's field roles such as attackman, LSM and close defense are less rigid in Sixes. That does not mean Sixes players have no positions or cannot specialize.

What Lacrosse Position Should A Beginner Watch First?

A new fan can understand field lacrosse more easily by first watching how attack, midfield, defense and goalie divide responsibilities.

The simplest way to think about the four positions is that attack primarily creates offense, defense protects its own end, midfield connects offense and defense, and the goalie protects the goal.

Once those roles make sense, specialists such as the LSM, FOGO and SSDM — along with the more fluid roles found in box and Sixes — become much easier to understand.

Frequently Asked Questions About FloLacrosse

What Do You Get With A FloLacrosse Subscription?

A FloLacrosse subscription combines live lacrosse with replays and year-round coverage of the sport.

The NLL gives subscribers a season-long professional box lacrosse property to follow, while FloLacrosse also carries additional college, high school and event programming. Beyond streaming, fans can use FloLacrosse for rankings, recruiting coverage, scores, schedules, highlights, interviews, news and analysis, creating a destination for following lacrosse rather than simply finding a stream on game day.

What Can You Watch On FloLacrosse?

FloLacrosse subscribers can watch professional lacrosse through the National Lacrosse League, along with additional college, high school and event coverage available on the platform.

The NLL significantly expands that offering by providing a professional league fans can follow across an entire season. FloLacrosse's broader schedule also features field and box lacrosse at multiple levels, though specific event availability can vary by competition and streaming rights.

Can You Watch The NLL On FloLacrosse?

Yes. The National Lacrosse League streams on FloLacrosse as part of FloSports' partnership with the NLL.

That makes professional box lacrosse one of the biggest reasons for lacrosse fans to consider a subscription. Fans can follow NLL teams, players and games throughout the season while using FloLacrosse's broader coverage to keep up with the league and the sport.

Can You Watch Lacrosse Live And On Demand On FloLacrosse?

Yes. FloLacrosse provides live streams and on-demand replays for supported lacrosse programming.

That gives fans flexibility to watch games live or return to available broadcasts afterward. Subscribers also can watch through supported FloSports apps and connected devices, making it easier to follow lacrosse throughout a busy weekend or season.

Does FloLacrosse Have Scores, Schedules And Results?

Yes. FloLacrosse provides schedules, scores, results and other competition information alongside its video and editorial coverage.

These resources help fans track upcoming games and completed events while following leagues, teams and tournaments throughout the season.

Is A FloLacrosse Subscription Worth It?

FloLacrosse provides the most value to fans who want to follow lacrosse across multiple levels. The addition of the NLL strengthens that offering with season-long professional box lacrosse, while college, high school, recruiting and event coverage provides additional ways to follow the sport. Live games, replays, rankings, scores, recruiting coverage and original reporting extend the platform's usefulness beyond individual broadcasts.

How Do I Sign Up For FloLacrosse?

Fans interested in subscribing can visit the official FloLacrosse signup page to see current subscription options and sign up for access to available NLL games and other live and on-demand lacrosse programming.

What do you get with a FloLacrosse subscription?

Subscribers get supported live lacrosse and replays, including NLL coverage, plus rankings, recruiting coverage, schedules, scores, results, highlights, news and analysis.

Can you watch the NLL on FloLacrosse?

Yes. FloSports is an NLL streaming partner, giving FloLacrosse subscribers access to National Lacrosse League coverage as part of the platform's professional lacrosse offering.

What lacrosse can you watch on FloLacrosse?

FloLacrosse features professional box lacrosse through the NLL along with currently available college, high school and other lacrosse competitions.

Can you watch FloLacrosse on demand?

Yes. Supported games and events are available for replay, allowing subscribers to catch up on lacrosse they could not watch live.