SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The top-seeded Bryant University men's lacrosse team will host its first home playoff game in 12 years on Thursday, May 1, when it takes on fourth-seeded Binghamton in the America East Semifinals. Face-off is set for 4:00 p.m.
The Particulars
Opponent: Binghamton (America East Semifinals)
Location: Beirne Stadium (Smithfield, R.I.)
Date and Time: Thursday, May 1– 4:00 p.m.
Watch: ESPN+
Live Stats: Sidearm
Tickets: Vivenu
Game Notes: Bryant |
Binghamton
Social Media: Facebook |
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Instagram | #GoBryant | #AEMLax
THE SERIES
- The Bulldogs enter Thursday 4-0 in the all-time series with the Bearcats.
- Last time out, the Bulldogs came away with a narrow 13-12 victory at home.
- This is the second time in the last three years Bryant has faced Binghamton in the AE Semis.
- In 2023, the Black and Gold came away with a narrow 12-11 victory against the Bearcats in Burlington, Vt.
OVER A DECADE IN THE MAKING
- With a win over UMass Lowell last Saturday, Bryant officially clinched a share of the America East Regular Season Championship with UMBC.
- Bryant held the tiebreak advantage over the Retrievers by virtue of its 12-7 win vs. UMBC on March 29.
- The America East Playoffs come to Smithfield for the first time since Bryant joined the league in 2022-23.
- It is the first home conference playoff game since the 2013 Northeast Conference Championship game which was held on May 4, 2013.
LAST TIME OUT
- Brian Russell led the team in scoring finishing with six points (4g, 2a) on the day, tying his season high.
- Dawson Rielly recorded his eighth hat trick of the season, finishing with four goals against the River Hawks.
- Patrick Walsh, Owen West, and Jack Lonsinger all put together multi-goal outings, as each finished with two goals.
- Jordan Hernando put together a strong showing at the face-off X, winning 14-of-19 draws. Scott Einarson registered seven saves while allowing 11 goals.
- Sam Klein and Jack McCloskey each posted a pair of caused turnovers, leading the Bulldogs defense.
RUSSELL NAMED AE WEEK 12 OPOW
- Bryant University men's lacrosse senior attackman Brian Russell was named the America East Offensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday, April 28.
- Russell posted his second hat trick this season, powering the Bulldogs to a 17-12 victory over UMass Lowell.
- Russell joined the Black and Gold as a transfer in the fall of 2024 after three seasons with the Merrimack Warriors.
- Russell is the second player to be named Offensive Player of the Week this season. Three-time 2025 OPOW Dawson Rielly, last took home the award on Apr. 7.
AMEND NAMED AMERICA EAST ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
- Zac Amend became the second player in Bryant's history to be named the America East Rookie of the Year on Wednesday afternoon.
- Amend posted 30 points (22g, 8a), 21 ground balls, and six caused turnovers in the Black and Gold's 13 game regular season and was a three-time America East's Rookie of the Week recipient.
- The first year midfielder did the majority of his damage against conference opponents, averaging 2.5 goals in league games.
- His outstanding freshman campaign also landed him a spot on the All-America East Second Team and All-Rookie Team.
- Amend is the first player since Johnny Hackett (2023) to receive ROTY honors.
- Amend is the seventh conference Rookie of the Year in Division I history and the ninth all-time.
EIGHT BULLDOGS RECEIVE ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
- Amend headlined a group of Bulldogs who put together outstanding individual 2025 performances.
- Drew Lucas earns a First Team All-America East selection for the second straight season, after recording 37 ground balls and leading the team with 22 caused turnovers.
- John Tomsheck was named first team all-conference after a breakout junior season that saw him rack up 25 points (12g, 15a), 14 ground balls, and two caused turnovers.
- Brian Russell was tabbed for the All-America East Second Team after leading the Black and Gold's offense with 45 points (20g, 25a), while also scooping 20 ground balls and causing three turnovers.
- Luke Mead was the second member of Bryant's defense to be named to an all-conference team, receiving second team honors.
- Mead registered 25 ground balls and 15 caused turnovers in Bryant's 13 regular season contests.
- Owen West makes the America East All-Rookie Team after a remarkable freshman campaign that saw him chart 18 points (11g, 7a) while also scooping seven ground balls and causing one turnover.
- Luca Elmaleh was selected to the conference All-Rookie team following a tremendous debut season donning the Black and Gold. Elmaleh started in nine of his 12 appearances with the Bulldogs, tallying 15 points (10g, 5a).
- Dawson Rielly rounded out the list of award winners, with a selection to the America East All-Academic Team.
- Rielly holds a 3.97 GPA as a double major in Managerial Accounting and Finance.
- On the field, he leads the team with 37 goals and has 42 total points (37g, 5a) and has also snagged 19 ground balls and has a pair of caused turnovers.
- To read more about Bryant's all-conference selections, Click HERE
ON THE ATTACK
- Dawson Rielly leads the league and is 20th in the NCAA in Goals Per Game (2.85).
- Rielly is tied for 12th in the nation in Individual Man-Up goals with six throughout the regular season.
- JJ Murphy is 25th in the NCAA and third in the AE in Face-Off Win Pct. (0.555).
- Brian Russell is second in the AE and 22nd in the nation in Assists Per Game (1.92).
- The Bulldogs lead the league and are 14th in the nation in assists per game (7.92).
- The Dawgs lead the conference and are 17th in the NCAA in Scoring Margin (2.92).
- The Bulldogs lead the America East and are 14th in the nation and in Scoring Offense as a team (12.92 goals per game).
- Bryant is second in the AE and 17th in the NCAA in Shot Pct (0.311).
LOCKDOWN DAWGS
- Drew Lucas is 20th in the NCAA and third in the AE in CTs/Game (1.75). Lucas has 21 CTs this year.
- After recording a caused turnover against UMass Lowell, Lucas is now only three caused turnovers away from tying the Division I program record of 85 (Matt Murnane).
- JJ Murphy is third in the AE and 21st in the nation in ground balls per game (5.62). Murphy has 75 GBs this year.
- Scott Einarson is third in the America East and 40th overall in save percentage (0.519). Einarson has made 136 saves this season.
- Einarson is second in the AE and 23rd in the country in GAA (10.06).
- Bryant leads the America East and is seventh in the nation and in caused turnovers per game (10.15).
- The Black and Gold is second in the league and sixth in the nation and in clearing percentage (0.894).
- Bryant leads the conference and 23rd in the country in GBs/Game (32.77).
- The Bulldogs lead the America East and are 14th in the NCAA for Scoring Defense; allowing 10.00 goals per game.
SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
- Binghamton concluded the 2025 regular season at 5-8 overall and went 3-3 in league play.
- The Bearcats clinched the final spot in the America East tournament after taking down the Vermont Catamounts by a final score of 12-7 up in Burlington.
- Liam Ferris, Andrew Girolamo and Lorenzo Ramos received First Team honors from the America East.
- Goalie Connor Winters was named to the league's second team.
- Flynn Wilson rounded out the athletic recipients for Binghamton with a selection to the All-Rookie Team.
- Ferris and Gage Adams were named to the All-Academic Team.
- Ferris finished the regular season as the Bearcats scoring leader, tallying 44 points (34g, 10a) across 13 games.
- Girlamo is second on the team in goals with 17 this season.
- Nolan Sharkey, Lorenzo Ramos, and Anthony Bilello are the anchors of Binghamton's defense.
- Sharkey leads Binghamton with 34 ground balls and 19 caused turnovers. He also has four points (2g, 2a) on the year.
- Ramos has 19 GBs and nine CTs to his name this season. He has also scored a goal in the regular season.
- Bilello has scooped 15 ground balls and caused nine turnovers in his junior campaign.
- Connor Winters has been phenomenal between the pipes for the Bearcats and recently solidified himself as one of Binghamton's best netminders.
- Winters broke two program records while helping lead the Bearcats to the conference tournament. The goalie set the new single-game record for saves with 22, while also becoming the all-time leader in career saves with 519, passing Head Coach Kevin McKeown for the top spot.
- Winters was named Goalkeeper of the Week by the America East on Monday for the second time this season.
- The Bearcats ran a two-man platoon at the face-off X during the regular season consisting of Flynn Wilson and CJ Mangio.
- Wilson won 74-of-175 draws this season and has 19 ground balls.
- Mangio has gone 52-of-136 at X and has 17 GBs.
- The Bearcats are coached by Kevin McKeown, who is in his ninth season at the helm.
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