Weekly Awards Given to Johns Hopkins, Penn State and Rutgers
ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced its men’s lacrosse player awards for games played March 2-3.
Offensive Player of the Week
TJ Malone, Penn State
Gr. – A — West Chester, Pa. — The Haverford School
- Recorded the most points in his five-year career with a nine-point effort in No. 12 Penn State’s 15-14 overtime win over No. 9 Yale on Saturday
- Finished with five goals and four assists — with four of his tallies coming in the second half — as the Nittany Lions rallied from a 9-2 halftime deficit
- Leads Penn State in scoring (25 points) and assists (15)
- Earns Offensive Player of the Week accolade for the second time in his career, having previously been honored on April 11, 2023
- Last Penn State Offensive Player of the Week: Matt Traynor (Feb. 13, 2024)
Defensive Player of the Week
Beaudan Szuluk, Johns Hopkins
So. – D — Davidsonville, Md. — Archbishop Spalding
- Spurred No. 7 Johns Hopkins to a 16-14 win over No. 2 Virginia on the Cavaliers’ home field Saturday
- Forced a game-high four turnovers as part of a defensive corps that limited Virginia to four second-half goals
- Gathered five ground balls in the contest to help Johns Hopkins improve to 5-1
- The Big Ten Distinguished Scholar receives the first weekly defensive award of his career
- Last Johns Hopkins Defensive Player of the Week: Scott Smith (Feb. 13, 2024)
Specialist of the Week
Jack Fracyon, Penn State
Jr. – G — Annapolis, Md. — Bullis School
- Registered 17 saves versus No. 9 Yale in a 15-14 overtime victory for No. 12 Penn State at University Park on March 2
- Held Yale to four goals in the second half and allowed only one goal over the final 20:26 of the contest
- Collected five ground balls while facing 56 total shots on the afternoon
- The 2023 Big Ten Specialist of the Year garners his second career Specialist of the Week honor after being recognized on April 25, 2023
- Becomes first Penn State player this season to win the award
Freshman of the Week
Colin Kurdyla, Rutgers
Fr. – M — Bridgewater, N.J. — Bridgewater-Raritan HS
- Produced his second hat trick of the season to lead No. 16 Rutgers past Hofstra, 13-8, on Saturday in Piscataway, N.J.
- Netted three goals on five shots as Rutgers jumped out to a 2-0 lead and never trailed
- Scored his first collegiate man-down goal giving the Scarlet Knights breathing room to start the second half
- Marks the third time this season Rutgers has earned the Freshman of the Week award
- Last Rutgers Freshman recipient: Cardin Stoller (Feb. 27, 2024)
2024 Big Ten Men’s Lacrosse Weekly Awards
Feb. 6
O: Gannon Matthews, Jr., A, OSU
D: Connor Cmiel, Sr., M, OSU
S: Luke Wierman, Gr., FO, MD
F: Cardin Stoller, Fr., G, RU
Feb. 13
O: Matt Traynor, Jr., M, PSU
D: Scott Smith, Sr., D, JHU
S: Logan Callahan, Jr., FO, JHU
F: Kyle Lehman, Fr., A, PSU
Feb. 20
O: Michael Boehm, Sr., A, MICH
D: Ajax Zappitello, Sr., D, MD
S: Logan McNaney, Gr., G, MD
F: Caleb Fyock, Fr., G, OSU
Feb. 27
O: Eric Spanos, Jr., M, MD
D: Alex Ross, So., D, PSU
S: Luke Wierman, Gr., FO, MD
F: Cardin Stoller, Fr., G, RU
March 5
O: TJ Malone, Gr., A, PSU
D: Beaudan Szuluk, Gr., D, JHU
S: Jack Fracyon, Jr., G, PSU
F: Colin Kurdyla, Fr., M, RU