Drexel Favored to Defend CAA Men’s Lacrosse Title

1/27/2022 11:00:00 AM

Hunter Peters

RICHMOND, Va. (Jan. 27, 2022) – Drexel has been chosen as the favorite to defend its Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) title in men’s lacrosse by a vote of the league’s six head coaches. The Delaware tandem of Mike Robinson and Owen Grant earned the respective honors of CAA Preseason Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year.

After winning their first CAA Tournament title since 2014, the Dragons collected four first-place votes and 24 points to sit atop the preseason poll. Delaware followed, receiving two first-place votes and 22 points. UMass was selected third with 17 points, followed by Towson tallying 13. Hofstra and Fairfield rounded out the field with nine and five points, respectively.

Robinson picks up Preseason Offensive Player of the Year honors after earning CAA Rookie of the Year accolades last spring. In his first full collegiate season, Robinson recorded 51 points on a league-high 43 goals and eight assists. He led the CAA in shots per game (10.64), goals per game (3.58) and game-winning goals (5) while ranking fifth in points per game (4.25). Additionally, the Peterborough, Ontario native etched his name in the CAA record books, following a nine-goal performance against Saint Joseph’s, which marks the most goals scored in a single game throughout conference history.

Grant was named CAA Defensive Player of the Year following the 2021 season. He anchored a Delaware defense that had the lowest goals-against average (10.01) in the CAA last spring. The senior defender led the conference with 26 caused turnovers (2.36 per game) and was fifth in ground balls per game (3.82). Grant has received Preseason All-America honors from Inside Lacrosse (Second-Team) and Nike/USA Lacrosse Magazine (Third-Team).

Drexel returns its top four scorers from last season’s CAA Championship squad, including preseason All-CAA honorees Sean Donnelly, Ryan Genord, and Jack Mulcahy. The Dragons led the CAA in goals per game (13.62) and points per game (21.15) behind Donnelly’s team-high 46 points (26 goals, 20 assists). Genord (20 goals, 12 assists) and Mulcahy (19 goals, 11 assists) were the third and fourth, respectively, for the Dragons in points last season. Sean Quinn returns to lead the Dragons’ defense. The senior defender was second in the conference last season, causing 21 turnovers (1.62 per game), while recording 41 ground balls.

Delaware will look to Robinson and Grant to lead the charge. However, the Blue Hens also retain Tye Kurtz on offense and Matt Kilkeary on defense. Last season, Kurtz (26 goals, 22 assists) ranked third in the CAA in assists per game (2.00), fourth in points per game (4.36) and sixth in goals per game (2.36). Kilkeary is back between the pipes after leading the league in goals-against average (9.92) and save percentage (.544) a season ago.

UMass will look to be among the contenders again this season after a CAA Championship in 2018 and a Regular Season title in 2019. Kevin Tobin returns after leading the Minutemen with 31 points (15 goals, 16 assists) last spring. Defender Sam Eisenstadt and goalkeeper Matt Knote are back to bolster the defense. In 2021, Knote was second in the CAA in save percentage (.536) and saves per game (12.50) while ranking third in goals-against average (10.81).

Towson, a perennial contender in CAA men’s lacrosse, looks to return to championship form this season. On the attack, James Avanzato returns after pacing the Tigers in points (40) and assists (22) last spring. Fifth-year Koby Smith, one of the league’s top defenders, is back to captain Towson’s backline. Smith tallied 23 ground balls and caused 13 turnovers last season.

Hofstra has the tall task of replacing 2021 CAA Offensive Player of the Year Ryan Tierney. However, the Pride benefits from retaining one of the top face-off specialists around the CAA. Brian Herber will help steal possessions as the graduate student enters the season third all-time in CAA history in career face-off percentage (.600). Last season Herber topped the conference in face-off percentage (.636) while racking up a league-high 192 face-off wins.

Fairfield looks for Taylor Strough to play an increased role after the departure of the Stags’ top point producer. Strough was second on the team with 19 goals last spring. The graduate midfielder found the back of the net in nine of ten games, including multiple goals in seven contests.

The 2022 CAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship will be hosted by Drexel at Vidas Field, with the semifinals on Thursday, May 5, followed by the Championship game on Saturday, May 7.

2022 CAA Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll

Team	Points
1. Drexel (4)	24
2. Delaware (2)	22
3. UMass	17
4. Towson	13
5. Hofstra	9
6. Fairfield	5

( ) = First-place votes

2022 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Mike Robinson, Delaware
2022 Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Owen Grant, Delaware

2022 Preseason All-CAA Men’s Lacrosse Team

Name	School	Position	Class	Hometown
James Avanzato	Towson	Attack	Sr.	Lake Grove, N.Y.
Sean Donnelly	Drexel	Attack	So.	Bradenton, Fla.
Tye Kurtz	Delaware	Attack	Sr.	Puslinch, Ontario, Canada
Mike Robinson	Delaware	Attack	Jr.	Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
Cam Acchione	Delaware	Midfield	So.	Barrie, Ontario, Canada
Ryan Genord	Drexel	Midfield	Sr.	Grand Blanc, Mich.
Jack Mulcahy	Drexel	Midfield	Sr.	Chester Springs, Pa.
Taylor Strough	Fairfield	Midfield	Sr.	Lloyd Harbor, N.Y.
Kevin Tobin	UMass	Midfield	Gr.	Reading, Mass.
Jack Farrell	Drexel	Long-Stick Midfielder	Sr.	Havertown, Pa.
Brian Herber	Hofstra	Face-Off Specialist	Gr.	Smithtown, N.Y.
Sam Eisenstadt	UMass	Defense	Gr.	Needham, Mass.
Owen Grant	Delaware	Defense	Sr.	Newmarket, Ontario, Canada
Sean Quinn	Drexel	Defense	Sr.	Summit, N.J.
Koby Smith	Towson	Defense	Fifth-Yr.	Lutherville, Md.
Matt Kilkeary	Delaware	Goalkeeper	R-Sr.	Lake Sherwood, Calif.
Matt Knote	UMass	Goalkeeper	Jr.	Speonk, N.Y.

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