Guilford MLAX’s Bryce Craig, Connor Sweeney Name Third Team All-ODAC

FOREST, Va. – After making its first appearance in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Tournament since the 2016 season on May 1 when Guilford played Randolph College, the Quakers had two key members of the 2021 squad recognized as ODAC All-Conference honorees. Seniors Bryce Craig and Connor Sweeney were named Third Team All-ODAC on Wednesday, May 12th.

Craig played and started all eight games for the Quakers in his senior campaign, finishing off the season with the fourth-most goals (13) while adding seven assists to close with 20 points. He attempted 40 shots, including 23 shots on goal, during the course of the season. Craig had four multi-goal performances in 2021, notching a single-game three goals in a meeting with ODAC rival Washington & Lee on April 28th, closing with four points. Craig was also active defensively with eight ground balls and a caused turnover.

Sweeney also competed and started all eight games for Guilford in his final season. He netted a team-high 22 goals, dished out 12 assists and as a result came through with 34 points. His 12 assists were second-most on the Guilford team. Sweeney scored multiple goals in seven of eight games, setting a single-game season-high in a 30-5 victory over Randolph (April 24). He scored eight goals and added three assists (11 points) in the clash with Randolph.

ODAC champion University of Lynchburg collected a league-high 13 all-conference honors in addition to a trio of special accolades to headline the 2021 All-ODAC Men’s Lacrosse Awards.

Lynchburg defenseman Tyler Gallagher garnered a pair of special awards as he was named the ODAC Player of the Year by the coaches and took home ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete laurels from the league’s athletic communications personnel. Hornets’ mentor Steve Koudlelka earned ODAC Coach of the Year status. Randolph-Macon College attackman Jack Smith and Roanoke College attackman Luke Kammerman share ODAC Rookie of the Year distinction.

It has been two years since a men’s lacrosse all-conference team was published, but there are still 13 standouts on this season’s lists with all-league pedigree from 2019. Eight of those feature on the 2021 All-ODAC First Team. Gallagher and Lynchburg midfield teammate Colin Dean repeat as first team choices. Hampden-Sydney College attackman Jared Medwar, midfielder Sean Duffy, face-off specialist Jake Brummett, and defenseman Canevin Wallace moved up from the All-ODAC Second Team in 2019. Washington and Lee University midfielder Ben Mulholland and goalkeeper Jack Taylor were also second team choices.

Bridgewater College all-time leading scorer Eric Husselbaugh repeats as a second team choice along with H-SC attackman Jack Hayden and Roanoke defenseman Sam Balch. Tigers defenseman Henry Hitt moved up to the 2021 second team from the 2019 All-ODAC Third Team. BC face-off specialist Mason Gauntt repeats as a third team selection.

Gallagher, a graduate student from Palmyra, Pa., shines both on and off the field for Lynchburg. In the classroom, the now two-time ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete for men’s lacrosse finished his undergraduate career with a 3.88 grade point average as a biomedical science major. He owns a 3.90 GPA as he works towards a Master’s Degree in public health with plans to enroll in medical school at Penn State University next semester. Gallagher is the co-founder and Vice-President of the Lynchburg Pre-Health Club, chaplain for the University of Lynchburg EMS, a One Love Foundation escalation workshop facilitator, and Lynchburg SAAC representative. He was Lynchburg’s Academic Athlete of the Year in 2019, winner of the 2020 Outstanding Senior in Biomedical Science award, and was named CoSIDA Academic All-District in 2020.

On the field, the now three-time All-ODAC honoree led a Lynchburg defense that boasted an ODAC-best 7.11 goals against average after allowing 128 goals over 18 games played. In league, the Hornets surrendered an ODAC-low 60 goals with a 6.67 GAA. Gallagher posted 21 caused turnovers to rank fourth in the league, while also adding 43 ground balls. He got forward to score two goals with one assist. He enters the NCAA Tournament having racked up 81 caused turnovers and 131 ground balls to go with six points on four goals and two assists in his career.

Koudelka is in the midst of his 25th season guiding the Lynchburg men’s lacrosse program. This is the sixth time he has earned ODAC top coaching laurels, joining the awards he received in 2003, 2005, 2011, 2012, and 2018. Lynchburg is currently ranked fourth in the latest USILA coaches poll. The Hornets will be hosting early round competition in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Lynchburg posted a 16-2 record this season, including 8-1 in league play. Koudelka enters the NCAA Tournament with 305-132 (.698) career record. He earned his 300th career victory via a 17-7 win at Shenandoah in late April.

Smith, a first-year from Stevensville, Md., combines this honor with an All-ODAC Third Team assignment. Smith led the Yellow Jackets with 45 points to rank ninth in the ODAC. He scored 29 goals and dished out 16 assists to go with 19 ground balls. He was a key piece to R-MC’s man-advantage unit, scoring six times in those scenarios. Smith registered at least one point in 12-of-13 games played with a season-high 10 points on one goal and nine assists at Randolph. His high-goal mark of season came via five markers in a win at Shenandoah.

Kammerman, a first-year from Trumbull, Conn., adds this distinction to an All-ODAC Second Team appointment. Kammerman finished second on the Maroons roster with 40 points on 15 goals and 25 assists, the latter number ranking third in the league and the most among first-year players. He added 17 ground balls and four caused turnovers to his line. Kammerman registered at least two points in each of nine games played, including a season-best eight points on two goals and six assists in a win over Ferrum. Three times he notched six points in a game.

2021 ALL-ODAC MEN’S LACROSSE AWARDS
ODAC Player of the Year: Tyler Gallagher, Gr., D, Lynchburg
ODAC Coach of the Year: Steve Koudelka, Lynchburg
ODAC Co-Rookie of the Year: Jack Smith, Fy., A, Randolph-Macon
ODAC Co-Rookie of the Year: Luke Kammerman, Fy., A, Roanoke
ODAC/Va. Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete: Tyler Gallagher, Gr., D, Lynchburg

ALL-ODAC FIRST TEAM
Jared Medwar^ Sr. A Hampden-Sydney College
Kyle Lewis Jr. A University of Lynchburg
Trammel Robinson Gr. A University of Lynchburg
Stuart Greenspon Sr. A Washington and Lee University
Sean Duffy^ Jr. M Hampden-Sydney College
Colin Dean* Gr. M University of Lynchburg
Brett Rogers Jr. M University of Lynchburg
Ben Mulholland^ Sr. M Washington and Lee University
Jake Brummett^ Sr. FO Hampden-Sydney College
Chris Darminio So. LSM University of Lynchburg
Clayton Jones Sr. SS University of Lynchburg
Canevin Wallace^ Sr. D Hampden-Sydney College
Jack Albright Sr. D University of Lynchburg
Tyler Gallagher* Gr. D University of Lynchburg
Harris Hubbard So. D Washington and Lee University
Jack Taylor^ Sr. GK Washington and Lee University

ALL-ODAC SECOND TEAM
Eric Husselbaugh^ Sr. A Bridgewater College
Jack Hayden^ Sr. A Hampden-Sydney College
Luke Kammerman Fy. A Roanoke College
Taylor Witherell Sr. A Washington and Lee University
Justin Calabrese Sr. M Bridgewater College
Charlie Doetzer Sr. M Hampden-Sydney College
Brandon Smith Jr. M Randolph-Macon College
George Gilbert Sr. M Roanoke College
Quintin Ricci Gr. FO University of Lynchburg
Grayson Ackaway Jr. LSM Hampden-Sydney College
Teddy Bentley Jr. SS Washington and Lee University
Henry Hitt+ Jr. D Hampden-Sydney College
Nick Morgan So. D Hampden-Sydney College
Alec Pupshis Sr. D University of Lynchburg
Sam Balch^ Sr. D Roanoke College
Patrick Moore So. GK University of Lynchburg

ALL-ODAC THIRD TEAM
Connor Sweeney Gr. A Guilford College
Ryan Kenney Jr. A University of Lynchburg
Jack Smith Fy. A Randolph-Macon College
Chris Baker So. A Shenandoah University
Bryce Craig Sr. M Guilford College
Riley Mitchell So. M University of Lynchburg
Luca Docking Fy. M Roanoke College
Henry Holliday So. M Washington and Lee University
Mason Gauntt+ Sr. FO Bridgewater College
John Dias Jr. LSM Roanoke College
Alesandro Gargano Sr. SS Bridgewater College
Presley Miller Jr. SS Hampden-Sydney College
Jared Barley Sr. D Bridgewater College
Grayson Rech Jr. D Bridgewater College
Scott Ruelle Jr. D Randolph-Macon College
Michael Horgan Jr. D Washington and Lee University
Will Perry Jr. GK Hampden-Sydney College