Laliberte named Faceoff-Specialist of the Year, Six earn America East honors
BOSTON- Bryant University men's lacrosse senior Nathan Laliberte was named America East Faceoff Specialist of the Year and six Bulldogs Earned All-America East honors, the league announced on Wednesday afternoon.
The Auburn, New Hampshire native capped off a historic senior season in Smithfield that saw him win the league's inaugural Face-Off Specialist of the Year Award. Laliberte would go 207-323 at the X and finish third in the NCAA for faceoff win percentage at .628. He also finished tied for sixth in the NCAA in ground balls per game with an average of 8.36. Laliberte also received first-team honors from the conference along with Johnny Hackett and Drew Lucas. Kevin Groeninger and Aidan Goltz were named to the All-America East Second Team and Dawson Rielly was named to the all-rookie team.
Hackett makes his second conference first-team following his rookie of the year campaign in 2023. This season the sophomore posted 23 goals and 24 assists. Record at least one point in every game this season. He would end the year with seven multi-goal and eight multi-assist games on the season. Hackett posted a season high seven points and four assists in the Bulldogs' win over Manhattan. Had four points (2g, 2a) in victory over Binghamton. In Bryant's season finale against Merrimack he recorded five points which included four goals.
Drew Lucas continues to rise through the ranks of his peers following a first team selection in 2024. He was a member of the second-team in 2023 and was an all-rookie selection for the Northeast Conference in 2022. The junior defensemen started all 14 games for the Black and Gold in 2024 and was third in the America East in caused turnovers with a career high 26 total and an average of 1.86 per game. Lucas concluded the year with 42 ground balls and 3 points (1g, 2a). He would post his fifth career goal as the Bulldogs claimed their second straight Ocean State Cup in a win over Brown.
Kevin Groeninger was named to the America East Second Team following back-to-back 30 goal seasons for the Black and Gold. In his fifth year with the program, Groeninger was third in the conference in goals per game; averaging 2.82. He was also 7th in the league and 2nd on his team overall despite missing three games with injury. Groeninger posted a season high six points against NJIT including five goals. He would record at least one point in 10 of his 11 games played this year and had seven hat-tricks. In addition, Groeninger was named to the America East All-Academic Team. He has a 3.74 GPA and is currently enrolled in Bryant's MBA Program.
Aidan Goltz also gets a second team nod following his second season with 40+ points. Goltz makes his first all-conference selection with America East and his third overall. In the Northeast Conference he was a first team selection in 2022 and an all-rookie nominee in 2021. In 2024, he led the team with 32 goals (6th in conference) and collected 25 ground balls. He would record a career high six goals against Binghamton. Posted a season high four assists in the win over No. 15 Boston University. Goltz finishes the season with 10 multi-goal games and five hat tricks. Goltz joins Groeninger as a conference all-academic selection. He has a 3.43 GPA as a communication major.
Dawson Reilly rounds out the awards for the Bulldogs with a selection to the America East All-Rookie Team. In 10 games for the Black and Gold, he posted 12 points (9g, 3a) ; leading all Bryant rookies. Rielly would record his first career goal at Manhattan and followed up the performance four days later when he scored two against Fairfield. He posted a career high three points (2g, 1a) in the Bulldogs' win over UMass Lowell.