Utah Lacrosse Set To Open ASUN Play At Bellarmine On Saturday

Saturday, March 16

Louisville, KY

10:00 AM

University of Utah

Bellarmine

Utah Lacrosse Set To Open ASUN Play At Bellarmine On Saturday

3/13/2024 10:33 AM | Lacrosse

Utah Game Notes Live Stats Live Stream (ESPN+)

THE GAME
The Utah Lacrosse team is ready for ASUN action as they start conference play on the road at Bellarmine on Saturday, March 16. The game is set for an 10 a.m. MT start.

HOW TO WATCH
The game against Bellarmine will be streamed live on ESPN+ via Bellarmine. A link to the live stream and to live stats are available on the Utah Lacrosse schedule page on UtahUtes.com.

FOLLOW US!
Get inside access to the Utes this season by following along on social media on Instagram (@UtahLacrosse), Twitter (@UtahLacrosse) and Facebook (Search University of Utah Men's Lacrosse Program).

UTAH LACROSSE: NEED TO KNOWS
•   Utah is beginning its third season in the ASUN on Saturday, coming off back-to-back ASUN regular season titles (2022, 2023) and the 2023 ASUN Championship.
•   Through five games in 2024, Utah ranks first in the ASUN in ground balls per game (30.40).
•   As the Utes enter ASUN play, they have seven players with two-or-more goals and 13 total that have scored at least one.
•   Utah is in its sixth year as a Division I program, accumulating 36 wins during that period while also earning its first NCAA Championships berth in 2023.
•   Utah was voted to win the ASUN in the preseason coaches poll, the third-straight year that Utah has earned at least a share of the No. 1 preseason ranking in the league.

LAST TIME OUT
In a defensive battle on the road, the Utes beat Marquette 9-8 for their final regular season non-conference game.
•   Utah's win marked head coach Andrew McMinn's 100th career win in Division I lacrosse. It was also his 24th with the Utes after becoming the all-time wins leader in program history in 2023.
•   Marquette entered the game averaging 14.00 goals with the Utes holding them to just eight. It was the fourth-lowest allowed in program history.
•   Utah's nine goals were scored by seven different players, led by Ryan Stines and MJ McMahon, who had two each.
•   Tyler Bradbury recorded a season-high four assists against the Golden Eagles.
•   Nikko DiPonio tied for the team-lead in ground balls with four, also putting up two caused turnovers and his first goal as a Ute.

ASUN PLAY
Utah is entering its third year in the ASUN Conference after playing as an independent in Division I lacrosse in its first three years as a program.
•   Utah is 14-0 in regular season ASUN games, going 5-0 in 2022 and 9-0 in 2023 to win back-to-back regular season titles.
•   Utah won the ASUN Championship in 2023, beating Air Force 11-9 to earn its first-ever berth into the NCAA Championships. Utah also appeared in the ASUN Championship game in 2022, its first year in the conference.
•   For three straight years, Utah has been voted No. 1 in the preseason ASUN Coaches Poll.
•   In 2023, Andrew McMinn won ASUN Coach of the Year with Ryan Stines earning Freshman of the Year and Tyler Bradbury being Scholar-Athlete of the Year. In 2022, Bradbury was named Player of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year with Samuel Cambere also being named Defensive Player of the Year while McMinn won his first Coach of the Year title as a part of the ASUN.
•   Utah has broken 12 team and individual single-game school records in ASUN play since 2022.
•   Last season, Utah was one of just five Division I schools that finished conference play undefeated with its win percentage ranking seventh nationally prior to postseason.

SUCCESS FROM THE GROUND UP
Utah's ground ball game has been atop the ASUN since joining the league in 2022, and looks to continue to be a spot of success in 2024.
•   The Utes rank first in the ASUN in ground balls per game this season, averaging 30.40.
•   Utah has had 30-or-more ground balls in four of its five games this season, including its season-high 33 against Marquette to close out non-conference play.
•   Utah has 23 games in the McMinn era with 30+ ground balls.
•   Utah is 18-5 since 2022 when producing 30-or-more ground balls.
•   Utah had 30-or-more ground balls in 12 straight games in 2023, the longest streak in school history.
•   The school record for single-game ground balls is 55, which took place against Westminster in 2021.

CAUSING CHAOS
Utah's defense continues to be known for its sticky sticks, recording 8.40 caused turnovers during non-conference play.
•   The Utes ranks fourth in the ASUN and 33rd nationally in CTOs this season.
•   Utah's 12 caused turnovers against the Buckeyes in the season-opener counted as the eighth time in the Andrew McMinn era that the Utes have had 10+ caused turnovers in a game.
•   Through the first five games, Utah has 16 players with at least one CTO.
•   Utah has had eight-or-more caused turnovers in four of its five games this season.
•   Senior Joey Boylston has a team-high nine caused turnovers through the first five games, ranking third in the ASUN and 26th nationally in caused turnovers per game (1.80).
•   The school record for caused turnovers in a game is 17, set at Lehigh in 2020.

MOVING ON UP
Through just five games in 2024, Utah has several players that are climbing the charts in the Utah record books and on the ASUN and NCAA active career leaders list.
•   Ryan Stines has moved into a tie for fifth all-time in career points with 64 in just 22 games. He also has 50 goals during that time span, which ranks sixth all-time.
•   Colin Lenskold has moved into first all-time in career saves with 230 in 21 games. His 230 career saves is the most by any active underclassmen (freshman, sophomores) in the NCAA this season.
•   Carson Moyer has moved into the top-five all-time in career goals (52), needing three more to pass MJ McMahon (54).
•   Nikko DiPonio has moved into fifth all-time in career caused turnovers, producing 21 in 20 games.
•   Tyler Bradbury, the school record holder in career points (171), ranks second among all active players in the ASUN and is No. 24 among all active players in the NCAA this season.
•   Bradbury's 88 career assists is also the most by any active ASUN players and ranks 14th among all players in the NCAA.

YEAR 6
The Utes are in their sixth year as a Division I program after making the transition from a club team in 2019.
•   Utah is 36-32 all-time as a Division I team with 24 of those victories coming under the direction of head coach Andrew McMinn.
•   McMinn is in his third year with the program and has a career record of 100-77 and a record of 24-12 at Utah.
•   Since 2022, Utah has broken over 70 school records, including single-season points, goals, assists, ground balls, faceoff wins and team wins.