Five Westminster Alumni Compete in NCAA Lacrosse Championship Games

While Memorial Day weekend always aligns with Westminster’s commencement ceremonies, it is also the weekend that the NCAA men’s and women’s college lacrosse teams vie for national championships. This year, on May 27 and 28, five Westminster alumni competed in the D-I and D-III championship games.

 

On May 27, Ben Shively ’14, Dylan Moser ’15, Max Powers ’17 and their teammates on Wesleyan University’s men’s lacrosse team defeated Salisbury University 8-6 to win Wesleyan’s first-ever NCAA D-III lacrosse national championship. Shively, a senior long stick midfielder, finishes his college career as an All-American Honorable Mention and NEILA All-New England selection.

 

A day later, Susanna Baker ’15 and her Middlebury College women’s lacrosse team fell to Gettysburg College 11-9 in their quest for a second D-III lacrosse title in three years. Baker, a junior midfielder, was also a member of the 2016 National Championship lacrosse team.

 

In the Division I Lacrosse final  game on May 28, Brian Smyth ’16 played on Duke University’s men’s lacrosse team, which was defeated by Yale University, 13-11. Smyth, a sophomore midfielder, won 14 of 28 faceoffs, recovered six ground balls, and assisted on a goal against Yale. He was interviewed by the media before the semifinal game on May 18 and was honored as a Duke Athlete of the Week May 23.