University of Delaware Athletics
Photo by: Mark Campbell
Robinson, Grant Earn Top CAA Preseason Honors
1/27/2022 11:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
Men’s Lacrosse picked to finish second in the CAA
RICHMOND, Va. – Delaware men's lacrosse swept the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) major awards, as Mike Robinson and Owen Grant were named the league's Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively. The awards were announced in conjunction with the predicted order of finish by the league office on Thursday.
Drexel was voted to win the conference title with four first-place votes and 24 points. Delaware was second with two first-place votes and 22 points, followed by UMass in third with 17 points, Towson in fourth with 13 points, Hofstra in fifth with nine points, and Fairfield in sixth with five points.
In addition to earning the league's top-two preseason major awards, Delaware tied Drexel for a league-high five preseason all-conference selections. Tye Kurtz, Robinson, Cam Acchione, Grant, and Matt Kilkeary were all placed on the preseason team. Robinson, Grant, and Kurtz were also named to the Inside Lacrosse Preseason Media All-America Team.
Robinson, a native of Peterborough, Ontario, started in 12 games last season. The third-ever CAA Rookie of the Year was fourth in the CAA in total points with 51. He finished fifth in the CAA and 24th in Division I in points per game (4.25). Robinson registered a CAA-best 43 goals scored. He led the CAA and ranked third nationally in goals per game (3.58), and had eight assists along with 45 ground balls and three caused turnovers.
Hailing from Newmarket, Ontario, Grant is one of the best shut-down defenders in Division I. A three-time All-American in 2021, he played and started in 11 games to become the program's first-ever CAA Defensive Player of the Year. Grant tied the single-season UD record for caused turnovers with 26 and led the CAA and ranked third nationally in caused turnovers per game (2.36). He added 42 ground balls and tallied four points on three goals and an assist in his third season at UD.
Kurtz, a 2021 Second Team All-CAA selection and former CAA Rookie of the Year, was one of four attackmen named to the preseason team. He returns for his senior campaign after starting 11 games a year ago. Kurtz finished third on the team in points (48) and goals (26), while ranking second in assists (22). An all-around offensive threat, he ranked third in the CAA and 24th in Division I in assists per game (2.00), finished fourth in the CAA in points per game (4.36) and sixth in goals per game (2.36). The Puslinch, Ontario native also registered 32 ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers.
Acchione, a sophomore from Barrie, Ontario, appeared in all 13 games, while making 11 starts last season. Named to the CAA All-Rookie Team in 2021, Acchione led all Delaware freshmen with 25 points on 22 goals and three assists. He posted a team-best shooting percentage (.489) and logged three hat tricks in his first season.
Kilkeary, a force in the net for the defending regular season champs, started all 13 games. In his first season as the team's starting goalkeeper, Kilkeary posted a 10-3 record with a 9.92 goals against average to lead the CAA and finish 18th in the nation. The Lake Sherwood, Calif. native collected 154 saves and led the CAA and ranked 20th in the nation in save percentage (.544).
Delaware, the 16th ranked team in the Inside Lacrosse and USA Lacrosse preseason polls, opens up the season on Saturday, February 5th at Delaware Stadium versus NJIT at 12 p.m.
For more information on Delaware men's lacrosse, visit BlueHens.com and follow DelawareMLAX on Twitter and Instagram.
2022 CAA Men's Lacrosse Preseason Poll
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 Men's Lacrosse All-CAA Team
Attack: James Avanzato, Towson
Attack: Sean Donnelly, Drexel
Attack: Tye Kurtz, Delaware
Attack: Mike Robinson, Delaware
Midfield: Cam Acchione, Delaware
Midfield: Ryan Genord, Drexel
Midfield: Jack Mulcahy, Drexel
Midfield: Taylor Strough, Fairfield
Midfield: Kevin Tobin, UMass
Long-Stick Midfielder: Jack Farrell, Drexel
Face-Off Specialist: Brain Herber, Hofstra
Defense: Sam Eisenstadt, UMass
Defense: Owen Grant, Delaware
Defense: Sean Quinn, Drexel
Defense: Koby Smith, Towson
Goalkeeper: Matt Kilkeary, Delaware
Goalkeeper: Matt Knote, UMass
2022 CAA Men's Lacrosse Preseason Players of the Year
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Mike Robinson, Delaware
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Owen Grant, Delaware
Drexel was voted to win the conference title with four first-place votes and 24 points. Delaware was second with two first-place votes and 22 points, followed by UMass in third with 17 points, Towson in fourth with 13 points, Hofstra in fifth with nine points, and Fairfield in sixth with five points.
In addition to earning the league's top-two preseason major awards, Delaware tied Drexel for a league-high five preseason all-conference selections. Tye Kurtz, Robinson, Cam Acchione, Grant, and Matt Kilkeary were all placed on the preseason team. Robinson, Grant, and Kurtz were also named to the Inside Lacrosse Preseason Media All-America Team.
Robinson, a native of Peterborough, Ontario, started in 12 games last season. The third-ever CAA Rookie of the Year was fourth in the CAA in total points with 51. He finished fifth in the CAA and 24th in Division I in points per game (4.25). Robinson registered a CAA-best 43 goals scored. He led the CAA and ranked third nationally in goals per game (3.58), and had eight assists along with 45 ground balls and three caused turnovers.
Hailing from Newmarket, Ontario, Grant is one of the best shut-down defenders in Division I. A three-time All-American in 2021, he played and started in 11 games to become the program's first-ever CAA Defensive Player of the Year. Grant tied the single-season UD record for caused turnovers with 26 and led the CAA and ranked third nationally in caused turnovers per game (2.36). He added 42 ground balls and tallied four points on three goals and an assist in his third season at UD.
Kurtz, a 2021 Second Team All-CAA selection and former CAA Rookie of the Year, was one of four attackmen named to the preseason team. He returns for his senior campaign after starting 11 games a year ago. Kurtz finished third on the team in points (48) and goals (26), while ranking second in assists (22). An all-around offensive threat, he ranked third in the CAA and 24th in Division I in assists per game (2.00), finished fourth in the CAA in points per game (4.36) and sixth in goals per game (2.36). The Puslinch, Ontario native also registered 32 ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers.
Acchione, a sophomore from Barrie, Ontario, appeared in all 13 games, while making 11 starts last season. Named to the CAA All-Rookie Team in 2021, Acchione led all Delaware freshmen with 25 points on 22 goals and three assists. He posted a team-best shooting percentage (.489) and logged three hat tricks in his first season.
Kilkeary, a force in the net for the defending regular season champs, started all 13 games. In his first season as the team's starting goalkeeper, Kilkeary posted a 10-3 record with a 9.92 goals against average to lead the CAA and finish 18th in the nation. The Lake Sherwood, Calif. native collected 154 saves and led the CAA and ranked 20th in the nation in save percentage (.544).
Delaware, the 16th ranked team in the Inside Lacrosse and USA Lacrosse preseason polls, opens up the season on Saturday, February 5th at Delaware Stadium versus NJIT at 12 p.m.
For more information on Delaware men's lacrosse, visit BlueHens.com and follow DelawareMLAX on Twitter and Instagram.
2022 CAA Men's Lacrosse Preseason Poll
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 Men's Lacrosse All-CAA Team
Attack: James Avanzato, Towson
Attack: Sean Donnelly, Drexel
Attack: Tye Kurtz, Delaware
Attack: Mike Robinson, Delaware
Midfield: Cam Acchione, Delaware
Midfield: Ryan Genord, Drexel
Midfield: Jack Mulcahy, Drexel
Midfield: Taylor Strough, Fairfield
Midfield: Kevin Tobin, UMass
Long-Stick Midfielder: Jack Farrell, Drexel
Face-Off Specialist: Brain Herber, Hofstra
Defense: Sam Eisenstadt, UMass
Defense: Owen Grant, Delaware
Defense: Sean Quinn, Drexel
Defense: Koby Smith, Towson
Goalkeeper: Matt Kilkeary, Delaware
Goalkeeper: Matt Knote, UMass
2022 CAA Men's Lacrosse Preseason Players of the Year
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Mike Robinson, Delaware
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Owen Grant, Delaware
Players Mentioned
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