Men's Lacrosse | 2/6/2025 10:15:00 AM
Seven Empire 8 student-athletes were named 2025 Division III Men's Lacrosse Preseason All-Americans from USILA and Inside Lacrosse. St. John Fisher University men's lacrosse standouts Jack Cornell, Jordan Leuze, Timmy Salit and Connor Mesh in addition to Quinn McKercher and McLean Ralston of Nazareth University and Jimmy Atkinson from SUNY Geneseo have earned the prestigious honor.
Cornell and Leuze earned preseason All-America recognition from Inside Lacrosse and the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA). Cornell garnered second-team honors from USILA and third-team honors from Inside Lacrosse, while Leuze was named to the USILA preseason third team and received honorable mention recognition from Inside Lacrosse.
Inside Lacrosse tabbed Salit and Mesh, Atkinson, McKercher and McLean as preseason honorable mentions.
Cornell won Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year and earned USILA second-team All-American honors last season. The senior was second in the Empire 8 in caused turnovers per game (2.39) and second on the team in ground balls (64).
A 2024 USILA Honorable Mention All-American, Leuze scored 25 goals and tallied 26 assists for 51 points (fourth on the team) across 16 games (nine starts) last year. The fifth-year senior midfielder earned first-team All-Empire 8 honors.
Salit, a fifth-year senior attacker, finished third on the team in points (57) with 31 goals and 26 assists in 2024. He earned second-team all-conference honors.
USILA named Mesh an Honorable Mention All-American last season. The defensive midfielder, also a 2024 first-team All-Empire 8 selection, has caused 26 turnovers, dished out eight assists and scored four goals in his collegiate career.
Atkinson, who is entering his senior season, led Geneseo with 54 goals and 71 points last season. The Northpoint, NY native enters his fourth season as a Knight with 112 goals and 39 assists.
McKercher, who was also a two-time USILA honorable mention All-American, finished the 2024 season second among all Empire 8 student-athletes with 78 points on 51 goals and 27 assists. He recorded nine games with at least five points this season and has 257 career points on 167 goals and 90 assists in 67 contests spanning four seasons. A native of Lake Mary, FL, McKercher was previously named the 2021 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year and 2023 Empire 8 Player of the Year.
Ralson, a junior, was the 2024 Empire 8 Goalie of the Year. He became first Empire 8 Goalie of the Year for Nazareth since Jake Coon in 2000 and was also the first, first team selection at goalie for Nazareth since Rob Carroll earned the honor in 2001.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit www.empire8.com.
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