Seven Earn USILA All-America Distinction
5/21/2026 12:05:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
Spallina Named Attackman of the Year
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – On the eve of Championship Weekend, seven Syracuse University men's lacrosse players earned USILA All-America Honors. The United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) announced its annual awards Thursday afternoon.
Joey Spallina was selected First Team All-American. He was also named as the Lt. Col. J.I. Turnbull Outstanding Attackman as the national attackman of the year. This is the 15th time a Syracuse player has won the Turnbull Award since it was first issued in 1946. Spallina is the first Orange winner since Kevin Rice in 2015.
Luke Rhoa was named Second Team All-America as a midfielder while defensive duo Riley Figueiras and Billy Dwan III earned Third Team All-America honors. Michael Leo (Attack), John Mullen (Faceoff), and Jimmy McCool (Goalie) were on the Honorable Mention All-America list.
One of the top feeders in the country, Joey Spallina is ranked third in Division I with 2.78 assists per game, which leads the ACC. The program's all-time points leader (331) is seventh nationally in points per game with 4.72 and ranks second in total points with 85, one behind the national leader and one of three players in Division I with at least 80 points. A Tewaaraton finalist, Spallina is the 14th player in program history to earn All-America mention all four years and the most recent to do it since Mike Leveille (2005-08), the last Syracuse player to win the Tewaaraton (2008).
Earning All-America honors for a second year, Luke Rhoa is one of the top shooting midfielders in the country. His 30 goals this year are the 10th-most among Division I midfielders this season and 21st for goals per game (1.67) for a midfielder. A heavy outside shot has helped Rhoa post eight man-up goals this year, tied for the third-most in the country and leads among players entering Championship Weekend. The only other players in Charlottesville this weekend with at least five man-up goals are Rhoa's teammates Finn Thomson and Greg Elijah-Brown with six apiece.
One of the most underrated defensemen in the country, Riley Figueiras earns USILA All-America mention for the first time in his career. He leads the Orange with 25 caused turnovers, which averages to 1.39 per game, the second-best mark in the ACC. Figueiras snags 3.28 ground balls per game, the best rate in the ACC for a defenseman and second-best in the league among non-faceoff men.
Now a three-time USILA All-American, Billy Dwan III has made a name for himself on both ends of the field. He has caused 15 turnovers this year, including three against North Carolina in the ACC Semifinals and is riding a seven-game streak with at least one caused turnover heading into Championship Weekend. A weapon in transition, Dwan, the program's all-time goals leader for a defensive player (19), has seven goals this year, including the game-tying goal at No. 19 Penn in March to set-up an overtime win.
A dodging attackman, Michael Leo is second on the team with 58 points this year behind 35 goals and 23 assists, each the second-most for the Orange to date. One of the most consistent players in the lineup this year, Leo has at least one point in each of the last 11 games and just one game this year without a point. Entering Championship Weekend, Leo has the eighth-best points per game mark in the ACC at 3.22.
One of the top faceoff men in the country, John Mullen earns his second All-America honors. The Norwell, Massachusetts native wins draws at a 53.5 percent rate, including nearly 60 percent in the NCAA Tournament. He has the second-best ground balls per game rate in the ACC at 8.06, including a whopping 14.5 per game in the NCAA Tournament. The junior has eight points this year, racking six goals with two assists, including three goals in the postseason, tagging North Carolina for a pair last weekend.
A high-end goaltender, Jimmy McCool has started every game in net for the Orange this year, playing in well over 1,000 minutes between the pipes. His 54.5 save percentage sits at a career-high and ranks second in the ACC while his 12.50 saves per game mark leads the conference. Facing one of the most difficult schedules in the country, McCool enters the final weekend of play with a 10.89 goals against average this year.
Sixth-seeded Syracuse makes its second-straight trip to Championship Weekend. The No. 7 Orange take on second-seeded No. 2 Notre Dame Saturday with a 2:30 p.m. start time in the NCAA Semifinals at Scott Stadium. Saturday's semifinal doubleheader will air on ESPN2. Tickets are still available here with parking information available in Virginia's NCAA Championship Weekend hub.
Joey Spallina was selected First Team All-American. He was also named as the Lt. Col. J.I. Turnbull Outstanding Attackman as the national attackman of the year. This is the 15th time a Syracuse player has won the Turnbull Award since it was first issued in 1946. Spallina is the first Orange winner since Kevin Rice in 2015.
Luke Rhoa was named Second Team All-America as a midfielder while defensive duo Riley Figueiras and Billy Dwan III earned Third Team All-America honors. Michael Leo (Attack), John Mullen (Faceoff), and Jimmy McCool (Goalie) were on the Honorable Mention All-America list.
One of the top feeders in the country, Joey Spallina is ranked third in Division I with 2.78 assists per game, which leads the ACC. The program's all-time points leader (331) is seventh nationally in points per game with 4.72 and ranks second in total points with 85, one behind the national leader and one of three players in Division I with at least 80 points. A Tewaaraton finalist, Spallina is the 14th player in program history to earn All-America mention all four years and the most recent to do it since Mike Leveille (2005-08), the last Syracuse player to win the Tewaaraton (2008).
Earning All-America honors for a second year, Luke Rhoa is one of the top shooting midfielders in the country. His 30 goals this year are the 10th-most among Division I midfielders this season and 21st for goals per game (1.67) for a midfielder. A heavy outside shot has helped Rhoa post eight man-up goals this year, tied for the third-most in the country and leads among players entering Championship Weekend. The only other players in Charlottesville this weekend with at least five man-up goals are Rhoa's teammates Finn Thomson and Greg Elijah-Brown with six apiece.
One of the most underrated defensemen in the country, Riley Figueiras earns USILA All-America mention for the first time in his career. He leads the Orange with 25 caused turnovers, which averages to 1.39 per game, the second-best mark in the ACC. Figueiras snags 3.28 ground balls per game, the best rate in the ACC for a defenseman and second-best in the league among non-faceoff men.
Now a three-time USILA All-American, Billy Dwan III has made a name for himself on both ends of the field. He has caused 15 turnovers this year, including three against North Carolina in the ACC Semifinals and is riding a seven-game streak with at least one caused turnover heading into Championship Weekend. A weapon in transition, Dwan, the program's all-time goals leader for a defensive player (19), has seven goals this year, including the game-tying goal at No. 19 Penn in March to set-up an overtime win.
A dodging attackman, Michael Leo is second on the team with 58 points this year behind 35 goals and 23 assists, each the second-most for the Orange to date. One of the most consistent players in the lineup this year, Leo has at least one point in each of the last 11 games and just one game this year without a point. Entering Championship Weekend, Leo has the eighth-best points per game mark in the ACC at 3.22.
One of the top faceoff men in the country, John Mullen earns his second All-America honors. The Norwell, Massachusetts native wins draws at a 53.5 percent rate, including nearly 60 percent in the NCAA Tournament. He has the second-best ground balls per game rate in the ACC at 8.06, including a whopping 14.5 per game in the NCAA Tournament. The junior has eight points this year, racking six goals with two assists, including three goals in the postseason, tagging North Carolina for a pair last weekend.
A high-end goaltender, Jimmy McCool has started every game in net for the Orange this year, playing in well over 1,000 minutes between the pipes. His 54.5 save percentage sits at a career-high and ranks second in the ACC while his 12.50 saves per game mark leads the conference. Facing one of the most difficult schedules in the country, McCool enters the final weekend of play with a 10.89 goals against average this year.
Sixth-seeded Syracuse makes its second-straight trip to Championship Weekend. The No. 7 Orange take on second-seeded No. 2 Notre Dame Saturday with a 2:30 p.m. start time in the NCAA Semifinals at Scott Stadium. Saturday's semifinal doubleheader will air on ESPN2. Tickets are still available here with parking information available in Virginia's NCAA Championship Weekend hub.
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/ Men's LacrosseMen's Lacrosse Media Availability | May 21, 2026
Thursday, May 21
Postgame press Conference | NCAA Quarterfinal
Saturday, May 16
Joey Spallina Postgame Interview
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Highlights | Syracuse vs. North Carolina
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