JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The No. 10 Newberry College men's lacrosse team kicks off the 2024 campaign with a neutral-site affair in Jacksonville tomorrow afternoon against Lynn. Faceoff is set for 3:30 at Bolles High School.
The Wolves and Fighting Knights will meet for the third consecutive season; the Wolves won the previous two matchups including a 15-13 win a season ago.
Newberry is coming off its winningest campaign since the program's inception in 2018. The Wolves amassed an 11-5 overall record in 2023, and a 6-3 mark in South Atlantic Conference play. They advanced to the SAC semifinals for the first time with a 20-9 win over Lincoln Memorial at Setzler Field in the quarterfinal round. Newberry was also the Division II statistical champion in man-up offense with a 52% success rate (39 for 75).
Newberry returns its top three scorers from last season:
Scott Reed (42 goals and 21 assists),
Jimmy Osorio (38 goals and 20 assists) and
Baker Westmoreland (33 goals and 15 assists). Westmoreland was named to the First Team Preseason All-Conference in addition to USILAs DII Preseason All-America Second Team.
Reed was a Second Team Preseason All-Conference selection and Osorio was named to the Third Team. Joining that trio on the SAC Preseason All-Conference teams were:
Curtis Bukta (Second Team);
Jack Travassos (Second Team);
David Squires (Third Team);
Colby Rogers (Third Team); and
Ryan Erler (Third Team).
Bukta netted 24 goals last year to go along with nine assists. Travassos led the team in caused turnovers (28) and led Newberry defenders with 58 ground balls while earning the SAC Defensive Player of the Week award once in 2023.
Scouting the Fighting Knights:
Lynn lost their first game of 2024 to Flagler on the road last Saturday, 9-8. Brian Hoskins registered a hat-trick and five of his teammates scored one goal each in the loss. The Fighting Knights finished 7-9 last year and went 2-5 in the tough Sunshine State Conference that includes Rollins, Tampa and Florida Southern. They were picked sixth in the SSC Preseason Poll for 2024.
