Drexel University Athletics
Four Dragons Named USILA All-Americans
5/22/2014 10:47:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
Philadelphia - For the first time in more than 50 years, four members of the Drexel men's lacrosse team have been named All-Americans. Ben McIntosh, Ryan Belka, Nick Saputo and Nick Trizano were selected to the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA), the sport's governing body. McIntosh was named a Third Team All-American, while Belka, Saputo and Trizano were named Honorable Mention All-Americans.
McIntosh scored a school-record 48 goals this year. That total was the most of any midfielder in the nation. The Coquitlam, British Columbia native also had 17 assists and 65 points. McIntosh was named the CAA Player of the Year as well as the Most Outstanding Player in the CAA Tournament. McIntosh finished his career tied for seventh with 100 career goals and is 14th all-time at the school with 142 points. A two-time All-CAA First Team pick, McIntosh was recently named a USILA Scholar All-American. He closed his career with a goal in his last 27 games. Only Miles Thompson of Albany has a longer streak. McIntosh had 15 games with at least two goals in his final year including 10 hat tricks. In Drexel's four postseason games this year, two in the CAA and two in the NCAA Tournament, McIntosh had 10 goals, six assists and 16 points.
Belka, a junior midfielder, led the Dragons with 21 assists. He also scored 25 goals to finish with a career-high 46 points. A two-time First Team All-CAA selection, Belka handed out three assists in the NCAA Quarterfinals against Denver and scored the game-winning goal in overtime against Towson to send the Dragons into the CAA title game. The Crofton, Md. Product has one year remaining at Drexel and is already tied for 15th in career assists at the school. He will enter his senior season with career totals of 66 goals, 46 assists and 112 points. Belka had at least three points in all four postseason games this year.
Saputo, a junior face-off specialist, had one of the finest seasons of a Drexel face-off man in school history. He won 62 percent of his draws and is seventh in the nation in face-off percentage and ground balls per game heading into Memorial Day. Saputo's 166 ground balls set a school record and the junior won 50 percent or more of his face-offs in all but four games. Saputo chipped in with seven goals and five assists. He scored two of those goals in a span of six seconds at the end of the first half, propelling Drexel to a victory at Penn in the NCAA Tournament.
Trizano, a senior attackman, saved his best season for last. He scored 40 goals, which tied him for the sixth-highest single-season total in school history. Trizano, who is from Eastchester, N.Y., had at least one goal in 17 of 18 games this season. The southpaw sniper led the CAA with eight goals on the man-up. He had nine games with at least three goals, including four against both Virginia and Saint Joseph's. Trizano, who had a hat trick in the CAA Championship game, finished his career with 85 goals, which places his 15th on the school's career list. He handed out 36 career assists and is 21st on the career scoring list at Drexel with 121 points.
Drexel recently completed one of the most memorable lacrosse seasons in school history. The Dragons won their first Colonial Athletic Association championship and the school's first NCAA bid in men's lacrosse. Drexel upset fourth-seeded Penn in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to Denver in the NCAA Quarterfinals. The Dragons finished the year with a 13-5 record. The four lacrosse All-Americans are the most in one season for the school since the 1961 team had six players earn the distinction.
McIntosh scored a school-record 48 goals this year. That total was the most of any midfielder in the nation. The Coquitlam, British Columbia native also had 17 assists and 65 points. McIntosh was named the CAA Player of the Year as well as the Most Outstanding Player in the CAA Tournament. McIntosh finished his career tied for seventh with 100 career goals and is 14th all-time at the school with 142 points. A two-time All-CAA First Team pick, McIntosh was recently named a USILA Scholar All-American. He closed his career with a goal in his last 27 games. Only Miles Thompson of Albany has a longer streak. McIntosh had 15 games with at least two goals in his final year including 10 hat tricks. In Drexel's four postseason games this year, two in the CAA and two in the NCAA Tournament, McIntosh had 10 goals, six assists and 16 points.
Belka, a junior midfielder, led the Dragons with 21 assists. He also scored 25 goals to finish with a career-high 46 points. A two-time First Team All-CAA selection, Belka handed out three assists in the NCAA Quarterfinals against Denver and scored the game-winning goal in overtime against Towson to send the Dragons into the CAA title game. The Crofton, Md. Product has one year remaining at Drexel and is already tied for 15th in career assists at the school. He will enter his senior season with career totals of 66 goals, 46 assists and 112 points. Belka had at least three points in all four postseason games this year.
Saputo, a junior face-off specialist, had one of the finest seasons of a Drexel face-off man in school history. He won 62 percent of his draws and is seventh in the nation in face-off percentage and ground balls per game heading into Memorial Day. Saputo's 166 ground balls set a school record and the junior won 50 percent or more of his face-offs in all but four games. Saputo chipped in with seven goals and five assists. He scored two of those goals in a span of six seconds at the end of the first half, propelling Drexel to a victory at Penn in the NCAA Tournament.
Trizano, a senior attackman, saved his best season for last. He scored 40 goals, which tied him for the sixth-highest single-season total in school history. Trizano, who is from Eastchester, N.Y., had at least one goal in 17 of 18 games this season. The southpaw sniper led the CAA with eight goals on the man-up. He had nine games with at least three goals, including four against both Virginia and Saint Joseph's. Trizano, who had a hat trick in the CAA Championship game, finished his career with 85 goals, which places his 15th on the school's career list. He handed out 36 career assists and is 21st on the career scoring list at Drexel with 121 points.
Drexel recently completed one of the most memorable lacrosse seasons in school history. The Dragons won their first Colonial Athletic Association championship and the school's first NCAA bid in men's lacrosse. Drexel upset fourth-seeded Penn in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to Denver in the NCAA Quarterfinals. The Dragons finished the year with a 13-5 record. The four lacrosse All-Americans are the most in one season for the school since the 1961 team had six players earn the distinction.
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