Arizona Unveils Incoming Class
TUCSON, AZ - The University of Arizona men's lacrosse program is set to unveil its incoming class. Twenty-six incoming freshman and one transfer hail from nine different states.
"We are beyond excited to announce such a diverse group of student-athletes. I believe that several in this class have the ability to make an immediate impact on the field," commented Arizona coach Matt Blamey. "We have many skilled veterans returning and this class adds a ton of depth to our roster. As a whole, this group has a very strong lacrosse IQ; They are proven winners both in the classroom and on the playing field. We can't wait to get these men on campus."
Cooper Bassett - A/M, Ballard High School, Wash.
Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Cooper is a 4-year varsity player and team captain from Ballard High School in Seattle. During the 2017 season the 6'1", 175lb midfielder helped lead his team to a perfect 18-0 season while personally averaging over 6 points per game. During the off-season Cooper was a stand-out player with Cityside Lax.
Kobi Buckley - D/LSM, Rancho Cotate High School, Calif.
Kobi is an accomplished multi-sport athlete who was named 1st Team All-League for two straight seasons and Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2017. He is a 4-year varsity player, 3x Team Captain, 2x Defensive MVP, and Co-MVP in 2018. In addition to competing for the Cougars, Kobi plays competitively with 101 Lacrosse in Sonoma County.
Chad Cobb - G, Santa Margarita Catholic, Calif.
Chad has helped lead the Santa Margarita Eagles to two Trinity League Championships, a CIF semifinal appearance during his sophomore season and the CIF quarterfinals last year. In addition to his high school program, Chad competes for 3d Orange County during the off-season.
Addison Cryblskey - D/LSM, WT Woodson High School, Va.
Addison is the starting LSM for WT Woodson High School, the defending Virginia State Champions. He currently leads the Cavaliers in both ground balls and takeaways in their quest for back-to-back state titles. In addition to his HS program, Addison competes with Top Caliber Select during the off-season.
Mason DePaola - A/M, Rancho Cotate High School, Calif.
Mason is a 4-year varsity player and team captain who amassed an impressive 125 points in 2017. He was named Academic All-American and Team MVP in 2017 and 2018. Mason debuted his senior season accumulating 12 points in his first game, setting a school record. He has continued to flourish this spring tallying 135 total points on the season. Mason was honored as 1st Team All-League Attack and a North Coast Section Scholar Athlete in 2018. In addition to competing for his high school program, Mason is a standout player with 101 Lacrosse.
Josh Escobedo - D/LSM, Salpointe Catholic High School, Ariz.
Josh is a 4-year letterman, 2x Arizona All-Star and All-State Selection. Recently he was one of only four players named to the 2018 Arizona "Players to Watch" list. In 2018 Josh was instrumental in helping lead the Lancers to the school's first undefeated regular season and state championship at the Div. I level.. In the off-season he competes with Arizona Hot Sauce Lacrosse Club.
Dane Hittle - A/M, Hamilton High School, Ariz.
Dane is a four-year starter who has amassed 132 goals over the past three seasons and twice been named offensive MVP. He was selected to the Arizona All-Star game in 2017 and 2018. In addition to competing with his high school program, Dane previously competed with West Coast Starz and 3d Arizona.
Nolan Friedman - G, North Broward Prep, Fla.
Nolan is a 4-year starter and 2-year team captain for North Broward Prep. He currently holds records for saves in a game, saves in a season, and career saves for the Eagles. In addition to playing for his high school program, Nolan plays in the off-season for the Bandits out of Boca Raton. He has helped his team amass eight tournament championships and has been twice named tournament MVP.
Josh Hackmyer - A/M, Salpointe Catholic High School, Ariz.
Josh is a 4-year varsity player from Tucson with exceptional vision and scoring ability. In 2018 he helped lead the Lancers to the school's first undefeated regular season and state championship at the Div. I level. He was also named to the Arizona All-Star Team. In addition to competing for the Lancers in the spring, Josh has participated with 3D Arizona, Hot Sauce Lacrosse, and was a standout at ADRLN High Rollers in California.
Seamus Hughes - A/M, Lyons Township High School, Ill.
Seamus is a two-time varsity captain who has accumulated 63 points over his last 19 games. In addition to his high school program, Seamus plays for East Side Ave Lacrosse during the off-season.
Christian Ketzner - D/LSM, St. Charles North High School, Ill.
Christian is a 4-year varsity starter and Defensive MVP for St. Charles North High School. He lead the North Stars in caused turnovers with 43 and was named 1st team all conference in 2017 and 2018. In the off-season Christian competes with New Wave Lacrosse.
Cade Kiser - A/M, Salpointe Catholic, Ariz.
Cade is a 4-year varsity player and tremendous local product who led the Lancers in total points during 2017. He was the second leading goal scorer in the state and named to the Arizona All-Star team both his junior and senior season. In 2018 he helped lead the Lancers to the school's first undefeated regular season and state championship at the Div. I level. In addition to his high school program, Cade has been a stand out at Adrenaline High Rollers, Nike Blue Chip and with 3d Arizona.
Luke Liljenstope - A/M, College of Wooster, Ohio
Luke will be transferring back to his home state after two seasons competing for the College of Wooster. In 21 games played for the Fighting Scots, Luke accumulated 28 points (17g, 11a) including a game high 7-points in 2017 against Washington & Jefferson. During the 2018 season, Luke was 5th on the team in points with 9 goals and 7 assists. Originally from Arizona, Luke was a stand-out player and team captain for the Glendale Vipers. In 2016 he led the state of Arizona in points with 64 (41g, 23a).
Will Lynch - A/M, Notre Dame Prep, Ariz.
Will has had quite a decorated career at Notre Dame Prep. He has been a top 10 scorer in the state each season and in 2015 he was the only freshman to make the Arizona Lacrosse League All-Star Team. In each subsequent season Will has been selected to the All-State Team, culminating in 2018 when Notre Dame Prep captured it’s second straight Arizona D1 State Championship. During the off-season Will has showed well at Nike Jake Reed and Maverick Showtime. He has also competed with high level programs such as 3d Arizona, 3d Pacific, Team 12 and Brady's Bunch.
Nate Maltry - A/M, Salpointe Catholic, Ariz.
Nate is a 4-year varsity player and an Arizona All-State selection. In 2018 Maltry helped lead the Lancers to the school's first undefeated regular season and state championship at the Div. I level. Tallied 81 points (5.79 points per game), tops in the state, while scoring 63 goals (4.5 goals per game). Also in the top 10 for assists. For his efforts he was named a finalist for Arizona High School Lacrosse Player of the Year. Additional accolades include being named to the ACPG All-Tournament Team, a 2-Year Black Card Invitee, as well as being listed on Ty Xanders "10 Who Impressed" at Adrenaline Vegas. This summer Nate will be the only player from Arizona competing as a member of the Adrenaline Tropics.
Jackson McKenney - A/M, Salpointe Catholic, Ariz.
Jackson is a dynamic player who lead the state of Arizona in assists during 2017. In 2018 he helped lead the Lancers to the school's first undefeated regular season and state championship at the Div. I level. He has been twice awarded Offensive MVP and was named to the AZ All-State Team both his junior and senior season. Jackson relocated to Tucson from Southern California. In addition currently competing with AZ Hot Sauce, he has played for several highly touted club programs, including RC Stars, Brady's Bunch & San Diego United.
Matthew Nakamura - A/M, Lincoln High School, Calif.
Matt is a four-year starter and current Team Captain for the Trojans. He is an honor roll student and recipient of the Commitment to Community service award. In addition to his high school program, Matt competes with the Sacramento Aces during the off-season.
Will Offerman - A/M, Sabino High School, Ariz.
Will is a multifaceted short-stick with a quick first step. He is a 4-year starter and 2-year captain for Sabino High School in Tucson. In 2017 Will amassed 29 goals and was named to the Arizona Lacrosse League All-Star Team. This spring he averaged more than 4 points per game and once again competed the Arizona All-Star Game. This past winter Will was invited to compete with the U19 Israeli National team against Poland and the European All-Stars. He has also participated with the Arizona Hot Sauce Lacrosse program during the off-season.
Ryan Poteet - D/LSM, Notre Dame Prep, Ariz.
Ryan is a 4-year varsity starter and 4x Arizona Lacrosse League All-Star. In only his sophomore season Poteet was recognized as defensive MVP. In 2017 and 2018 Ryan was instrumental in helping Notre Dame capture back-to-back Arizona state championships. During his senior season Ryan led the state in take-aways. During the off-season, he has competed well at Nike Blue Chip and with West Coast Starz. Off of the field and on the ice Ryan is a stand-out 4-year varsity starter and senior MVP with the Notre Dame Prep Hockey Team.
Rob Reigelman - D/LSM, De La Salle High School, Calif.
At 6'4", 195lbs, Rob makes his presence felt every time he steps on the field. The stout defenseman comes to Arizona after a strong high school career at De La Salle in Concord, California. Rob helped lead his team during the 2018 season to the NCS championship game. During the off-season Rob competes with the Alcatraz Outlaws.
Dylan Robertson - A/M, Reno High School, Nev.
Dylan is an All-State player from Nevada who led Reno High School in points both as a junior and senior. In 2017 helped the Huskies capture the Nevada State Championship. In 2018 he led his team to a 13-win season and a second consecutive appearance in the Northern Nevada Championship game. During the off-season Dylan competes for Booth Lacrosse.
Greg Sholz - A/M, Central Bucks East High School, Pa.
Greg is a three-year varsity player for Central Bucks East High School, a perennial state title contender that has won their conference championship 15 consecutive years. Greg tallied 21g / 6a during his junior season and currently has 30 points during his senior campaign. In addition to competing with his high school program, Greg plays with Bucks Select Elite during the summer. He was named to the All-Star Team at the Beast of the East Showcase in 2017.
Kevin Staby - A/M, Cosumnes Oaks High School, Calif.
Kevin is a 2-year team captain and point leader for the Elk Grove Gladiators. He is an honor roll student that has maintained a 3.8 GPA throughout high school. In addition to Elk Grove, Kevin plays for ADVNC 2018
Blake Storey - A/M, Notre Dame Prep, Ariz.
The 6'3" talent is a huge force on the field and two-sport athlete. Story excels in football but is a true offensive threat in lacrosse. Scored 55 goals as a midfielder for his team as a senior, the Div. I state champs. In 2017 and 2018 Blake helped Notre Dame capture two straight Arizona D1 State Championships and was named to the Arizona Lacrosse League All-Star Team. He has also been a recipient of ND Prep's "Play Like a Champion" award and was named MVP at Nike Xcelerate Colorado.
James Traxler - A/M, Notre Dame Prep, Ariz.
James is a 3x All-State player who has helped Notre Dame Prep capture two consecutive Arizona state championships. James lead Notre Dame in scoring during his sophomore season and set the pace for assists during both his junior and senior seasons.
Zach Williams - A/M, Servite High School, Calif.
Zach is a three-year varsity player, former Offensive MVP, and current team captain for Servite High School in Anaheim, CA. He has been a monster on the offense during his senior season, amassing 42 goals and 22 assists. In addition to his high school program, Zach has competed in the off-season with OC Kings, 3d Select OC, Bunch Nation and the California Ducks.