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The University of Utah Athletics
Photo by: Kevin Young
DiPonio Earns Preseason All-America Recognition
1/20/2026 9:00 AM | Lacrosse
Senior earns honor after standout 2025 campaign
SPARKS, Md. – Senior Nikko DiPonio, the 2025 Atlantic Sun Defensive Player of the Year, has earned USA Lacrosse Preseason All-America Honorable Mention honors for the first time in his career, it was announced Wednesday.
DiPonio was one of 84 players representing 31 institutions to receive preseason All-America recognition. Student-athletes were selected by USA Lacrosse Magazine staff and contributors with input from collegiate coaches.
A two-time All-ASUN first team selection, DiPonio was selected as a USILA, Inside Lacrosse and USA Lacrosse All-America Honorable Mention in 2025. DiPonio started all 15 games a season ago, recording 96 ground balls and 20 caused turnovers to go with four points thanks to a pair of goals and assists. He led the ASUN and ranked 12th nationally with 6.85 ground balls per game, while his 96 total ground balls rank third in single-season program history.
This marks the second year in a row that a member of the Utah Lacrosse program has earned preseason All-America honors from USA Lacrosse. Fellow senior and team captain Ryan Stines was also named an honorable mention All-American prior to the 2025 season.
DiPonio and the Utes open the 2026 schedule on Friday, Jan. 23, with an exhibition against Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind. The regular season gets underway on Saturday, Jan. 31, when Utah travels to Delaware for a 10 a.m. MT faceoff.
Fans can follow along on social media (X: @UTAHLacrosse | Instagram: @utahlacrosse), and the official mobile app of Utah Athletics, Utah360 -- download here.
DiPonio was one of 84 players representing 31 institutions to receive preseason All-America recognition. Student-athletes were selected by USA Lacrosse Magazine staff and contributors with input from collegiate coaches.
A two-time All-ASUN first team selection, DiPonio was selected as a USILA, Inside Lacrosse and USA Lacrosse All-America Honorable Mention in 2025. DiPonio started all 15 games a season ago, recording 96 ground balls and 20 caused turnovers to go with four points thanks to a pair of goals and assists. He led the ASUN and ranked 12th nationally with 6.85 ground balls per game, while his 96 total ground balls rank third in single-season program history.
This marks the second year in a row that a member of the Utah Lacrosse program has earned preseason All-America honors from USA Lacrosse. Fellow senior and team captain Ryan Stines was also named an honorable mention All-American prior to the 2025 season.
DiPonio and the Utes open the 2026 schedule on Friday, Jan. 23, with an exhibition against Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind. The regular season gets underway on Saturday, Jan. 31, when Utah travels to Delaware for a 10 a.m. MT faceoff.
Fans can follow along on social media (X: @UTAHLacrosse | Instagram: @utahlacrosse), and the official mobile app of Utah Athletics, Utah360 -- download here.
Players Mentioned
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