Mummau headlines trio named to NEILA All-New England Preseason Teams

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Headlined by a first-team nod to senior captain Kyle Mummau (Carlsbad, Calif.), the Bryant University men's lacrosse team saw three named All-New England Preseason selections by the NEILA, as announced Friday afternoon.

Senior attack Tucker James (Essex Fells, N.J.) and senior longstick midfielder Cody O'Donnell (Smithfield, R.I.) were tabbed to the All-New England Preseason Second Team.

For the fourth-straight year, Mummau will play the team's top cover guy in 2017, charged with containing the opponent's top offensive threat. The senior captain has been more than successful in that role, named to the All-NEC First Team each of the last two seasons while earning a USILA Preseason All-America Honorable Mention in 2017. He came away with 17 ground balls and 10 caused turnovers last season and ranks in the program's top-12 in career caused turnovers.

Through two games of the 2017 season, Mummau has three ground balls and two caused turnovers.

James, the current Northeast Conference Player of the Week, has started every game over the last three seasons and recorded the 100th goal of his career in a six-point season-opening effort back on Feb. 4. The three-time All-NEC selection is the first player in Bryant's DI history to record 50 or more points in three-straight seasons and already has nine (5g, 4a) to his name just two contests into the 2017 campaign.

One the most dynamic longpoles in Division I, O'Donnell is a constant threat between the lines. A two-way player who can provide a spark at any moment, the senior is effective on both offense (20 career goals, 7 career assists) and defense (101 career ground balls, 44 career caused turnovers), and looks to be dangerous yet again in his final season donning the Black and Gold.

The Bulldogs (1-1) were also selected fifth in the NEILA Preseason Poll. Bryant will play three of the top four teams (Brown, 1st; Yale, 2nd; Boston U., 4th) during the course of the 2017 campaign.

The Bulldogs started their season with a 17-10 victory over Manhattan College before dropping a last-second heartbreaker on the road to Bucknell, 9-8, Saturday afternoon. Bryant returns to Rhode Island for its home opener Saturday, Feb. 18, when it hosts intrastate foe Providence College at the Bryant Track & Turf Complex at 1 p.m.