Ethan Salvia lay in his bed on Friday, Feb. 6, struggling to fall asleep.
He knew that when he woke up the next day, it would be game day for Marquette men’s lacrosse — the start of the 2026 season. A big matchup but not only because it was versus No. 20 Michigan.
For Salvia, it would be the first lacrosse game he’s played in three years, since his junior year of high school.
After two years spent sidelined because of injuries, the junior midfielder was about to get the chance he had been patiently waiting for.
“I was definitely super nervous,” Salvia said. “Part of me was like, ‘Yeah, I’m playing lacrosse again, this is awesome.’ But then you also have that pressure of, ‘Gotta play well.'”
Despite losing 14-7, to Salvia, finally playing the sport he’s loved since the second grade meant more than the result.
The Gibsonia, Pa. native became interested in the sport after watching his cousin play. Once he picked up the stick, it was love at first touch.
He played basketball and ran cross country, but as his passion for lacrosse grew, so did his skill. It became a love that carried him all the way through high school, where he became a U.S. Lacrosse All-American and committed to Marquette in his junior year.
By committing, he fulfilled a goal of nearly 10 years: playing Division I lacrosse.
Everything was lining up for Salvia, until it wasn’t. All it took was one indoor lacrosse tournament prior to his senior season. While running down the field, he was on his way to plant his feet and cut back. That’s when he felt it.
“Pop.”
Barely walking, doctors determined he tore his ACL and meniscus.
After a year of rehab, learning how to adjust to collegiate play and getting back on his feet for a few months, Salvia readied himself to actually play Division I lacrosse.
And then history repeated itself.
The same knee, the same “popping” noise. The only difference was that in addition to his meniscus, he had also torn the cartilage in his knee.
“You practice and play your whole life to get to college and play,” Salvia said. “Missing the first year and then going into my second year already being injured, you’re just like, ‘Is this gonna end, or is this just going to keep happening to me?'”
But these defining setbacks are only part of his story. Since that first moment stepping on the field against Michigan, Salvia’s presence has added to the depth shown in Marquette’s strong Big East start.
Seeing gameplay from the sideline, Salvia said, contributed to his confidence level, since he was able to watch his teammates and adapt his own style of lacrosse.
Against Providence, Salvia stepped up to the task, netting two goals when the Golden Eagles were down four scores with 13 minutes left in the game. Tallying his career-high sixth point of the day, he scored the overtime game-winner.
“Adversity is a really great gift, and nobody really asks for it or wants it, but it’s a great gift when you come out the other end of it,” head coach Jake Richard said. “To see it all come together against Providence was really cool.”
Through his first 10 collegiate games, Salvia has totaled nine goals, seven assists, 23 shots and 16 points.
But there’s something a stat sheet doesn’t show improvement in.
Confidence. Something he has continuously worked on since his injuries.
“With the ebbs and the flows of the season, you have good games and you have bad games,” Salvia said. “Being able to shrug off some bad plays, just be confident every time you go out there, it’s definitely something I’ve been able to improve week to week this year.”
Salvia’s gradual improvement doesn’t go unnoticed by the coaching staff.
“He’s becoming closer with his teammates and becoming more outspoken, allowing him to make a bigger impact on the team on and off the field,” Richard said. “He’s always had the same heart, and now more people are getting to see it.”
Two years ago, Salvia was asking himself if he would ever get back to playing.
The questioning period is over. No more watching from the sideline.
This story was written by Raquel Ruiz. She can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter/X @RaquelRuizMU.
