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PREVIEW: No. 7 Men's Lacrosse Draws No. 2 Eagles in First Round of National Tournament

5/6/2025 10:10:00 AM

By: Ryan Mitchell, Madonna Athletics
SAVANNAH, Ga. – The No. 6-ranked Madonna University men's lacrosse team has earned an at-large bid to the inaugural NAIA Men's Lacrosse National Championship, entering as the No. 7 seed. This marks the program's first national tournament appearance since 2019 and the first official NAIA-sanctioned championship following years as an invitational event.

The No. 7-seeded Crusaders (13-5, 6-1 WHAC) will face No. 2-seeded Reinhardt University (Ga.) on Wednesday, May 7, at 3 p.m. The Eagles (11-2, 7-1 AAC) also received an at-large bid after falling 17-8 to top-ranked Keiser University (Fla.) in the Appalachian Athletic Conference semifinals.

Reinhardt enters the matchup led by freshman attacker Luke Greer, the AAC Freshman of the Year and a Second Team All-Conference honoree. Greer tallied 37 goals on 39.4% shooting, nine assists, and 46 total points. Junior midfielder Benjamin Shackelford, the Eagles' lone First Team All-Conference selection, paced the team with 50 points on 28 goals and 22 assists. Junior attacker Reid McDowell contributed 29 goals and 39 points.

Defensively, the Eagles are anchored by Second Team All-Conference selections Zach Dixon and Ethan Rodgers. Dixon leads Reinhardt with 27 caused turnovers and 48 ground balls, while Rodgers has recorded a 51.9% save percentage across 11 appearances in net.

Madonna counters with one of the most prolific offenses in the NAIA, leading the nation in goals (313), assists (206), shooting percentage (37.4%), caused turnovers (349), and ground balls (767). The Crusaders' attack is powered by Benjamin Reidy, Zachary Lane, Carter Borsos, Shane Alexander, and Nick Bryden.

Reidy, a redshirt sophomore and First Team All-Conference selection, leads the team with 86 points, including 61 goals on 43.6% shooting and 25 assists. He ranks second nationally in goals and fifth in total points. Lane, the program's all-time assists leader, has 49 assists this season (No. 2 nationally) and 74 total points (T-11th nationally). He is only the second Crusader to surpass 200 career points, sitting at 209. Borsos adds 44 goals and 66 points, while Alexander and Bryden each have 49 points.

On defense, Madonna features three of the top defenders in the nation. WHAC Defensive Player of the Year DeMario Williams leads the NAIA with 70 caused turnovers and ranks sixth nationally with 111 ground balls. Danny Smith, a First Team All-WHAC selection, ranks second in the country with 60 caused turnovers despite missing a game. Sophomore standout Braeden McCullough ranks third nationally with 52 caused turnovers.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

  • Madonna is 2-2 all-time in NAIA national tournament play.

  • Reinhardt owns a 6-0 record in the series, including two national tournament victories.

  • The Eagles defeated Madonna 12-9 earlier this season.

  • The two programs met in the 2018 NAIA National Championship game, with Reinhardt winning 8-7 in overtime.

  • Madonna has faced six of the other seven tournament qualifiers this season; Keiser is the only exception.

UP NEXT:

The Crusaders' first national tournament appearance in six years begins against Reinhardt at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, May 7.


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