Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 1/27/22
From Press Release
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 CAA Coaches’ 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 (Downingtown East). 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.
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
- Drexel (4) 24
- Delaware (2) 22
- UMass 17
- Towson 13
- Hofstra 9
- 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 (Downingtown East) Drexel Midfield Sr. Chester Springs, Pa.
Taylor Strough Fairfield Midfield Sr. Lloyd Harbor, N.Y.
Kevin Tobin UMass Midfield Gr. Reading, Mass.
Jack Farrell (Haverford High) 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.