Ohio State, Maryland and Rutgers Earn Weekly Lacrosse Awards

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced its men’s lacrosse weekly player awards for games played on Feb. 3.

Offensive Player of the Week
Gannon Matthews, Ohio State
Jr. – A — Eagle, Idaho — Cleveland State

• Compiled a career-high five goals as part of a six-point afternoon in Ohio State’s 11-8 win over Utah in the Feb. 3 season opener
• Helped the Buckeyes overcome a four-goal deficit, factoring in six goals during an OSU 9-2 run
• Sealed the win by scoring the game’s last two goals
• The Cleveland State transfer earns his first Big Ten weekly honor
• Last Ohio State Offensive Player of the Week: Jack Myers (Feb. 7, 2023)
  
  

Defensive Player of the Week
Connor Cmiel, Ohio State
Sr. – M — Rocky River, Ohio — St. Ignatius HS

• A short stick defensive midfielder, Cmiel played a role in Ohio State’s 11-8 come-from-behind win over Utah in Columbus, Ohio.
• Helped the Buckeye defense hold the Utes to just a pair of second-half goals
• Caused three turnovers and gathered four ground balls in the season-opening win
• The Academic All-Big Ten selection receives his first weekly award
• Last Ohio State Defensive Player of the Week: Tyler Gallagher (April 26, 2022)
  
  

Specialist of the Week
Luke Wierman, Maryland
Gr. – FO — West Chester, Pa. — B. Reed Henderson HS

• Won faceoffs in both overtime periods as No. 5 Maryland posted a 12-11 double overtime road win versus No. 19 Richmond
• Became Maryland’s all-time leader in faceoff wins (649), breaking a record that had stood for over three decades
• Won 17-of-29 faceoffs against the Spiders and collected a game-high 10 ground balls
• The USILA Third Team All-American garners his sixth career Big Ten specialist award
• Last Maryland Specialist of the Week: Luke Wierman (April 18, 2023)
  
  

Freshman of the Week
Cardin Stoller, Rutgers
Fr. – G — Owings Mills, Md. — Boys Latin School

• Won his collegiate debut in net, helping No. 14 Rutgers to a 14-12 triumph of Lehigh on Feb. 3 in Piscataway, N.J.
• Made 10 saves — include nine over the last 45 minutes — while playing behind a defense with three first-time starters
• Forced a turnover and scooped four ground balls
• The redshirt freshman takes home a Big Ten award in his first week of competition
• Becomes first Scarlet Knight to capture the Big Ten Freshman of the Week award since Remington Reynolds on March 22, 2022

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