SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – A record three hundred and twenty student-athletes have been selected to the 2023 New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (NEILA) All-Academic Teams, announced by the organization on Friday morning. Five men's lacrosse players from Albertus Magnus college have been selected. Honored for their combined academic and athletic achievements were Derek Ralston (Guilford, Conn.), Will Capalbo (Fairfield, Conn.), Dane Walsh (Bethany, Conn.), Jon Olson (Bellmore, N.Y.) and Charles Stewart (Stratford, Conn.).
Members of the teams are nominated by head coaches in Divisions I, II and II, and are student-athletes who have excelled both in the classroom and on the field over the course of their men's lacrosse career.
Nominees must have senior or graduate student standing, a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale, and must have been a starter or significant contributor on the field for the team.
Ralston, a graduate student, made 14 appearances for the Falcons and split time as an attacker and midfielder. He set numerous career-highs in the 2023 season including goals (19), assists (10), points (29), ground balls (37), face-offs won (49), shots (60), and shots on goal (27). During the season, Ralston recorded three hat tricks along with a career-high seven goals in the victory over Thomas (Me.).
Capalbo, a senior defender, started all 16 games for Albertus. He set a career-best in points with five behind two goals scored and three assists. Capalbo also picked up a career-best 66 ground balls and 20 caused turnovers to rank second on the team in both categories.
Walsh, a graduate goalie, made 15 appearances for the Falcons with 14 starts. He played 689:56 in net and made 210 saves for a 57.2 save percentage, which was fourth-best in the GNAC. He Recorded 11 games of 10+ saves, including a pair of career-best 30-save performances. Walsh compiled a career-best 7-7 record in net and became the all-time wins leader for Albertus Magnus College men's lacrosse with 15 wins. He also scooped up 32 ground balls, caused six turnovers, and took three shots, with one shot on goal.
Olson played in 13 games for the Falcons as a senior, tallying 81 points to break the record for most points recorded in a single season, while also setting a new record for points recorded in a single game with 18 against Mitchell. Olson recorded eight multi-goal games, scoring at least three goals in six games to finish with 42 goals on the season to become third on the list of the all-time individual season scoring leaders for the Albertus Magnus College men's lacrosse team. Olson also tallied 39 assists on the season to become the all-time individual season leader.
Stewart made two appearances for the Falcons as a senior midfielder and defender, tallying one point behind one assist. He picked up one ground ball and took two shots.
