MILWAUKEE, Wis. (naccsports.org) --- The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) has announced its major award winners and all-conference team for the 2026 men's lacrosse season.
Aurora University senior midfielder
Chris Bucci was named NACC Offensive Player of the Year and Concordia University Wisconsin senior goalie
Nolan O'Malley was named NACC Defensive Player of the Year, while NACC Freshman of the Year honors were split between Concordia University Wisconsin midfielder
Brayden Wilson and Milwaukee School of Engineering attack
Isaac Johnston.
Additionally, the Aurora University coaching staff was recognized as the NACC Coaching Staff of the Year.
Offensive Player of the Year - Chris Bucci, sr., M, Aurora University
Bucci played in all 17 of Aurora's contests this season, finishing the year with 68 points on 40 goals and 28 assists. He recorded at least three points in all but the Spartans' 21-1 win over Marian on April 18 where he saw limited action and was credited with just one shot. Bucci scored a season-high five goals on three separate occasions - in wins over MSOE, Edgewood, and Benedictine. In a 24-9 win over Dubuque on April 1, he registered a NACC season-best seven assists as part of a 10-point day.
Bucci leads all NACC student-athletes in points per game (4.00), is tied for second in individual man-up goals (7), fourth in assists per game (1.65), and fifth in goals per game (2.35).
He also scooped up 35 ground balls, posting a season-best four on five occasions.
Bucci was named NACC Men's Lacrosse Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week for the week of March 30-April 5.
Bucci is the first Aurora student-athlete to be named NACC Men's Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Year.
Defensive Player of the Year - Nolan O'Malley, so., G, Concordia University Wisconsin
O'Malley has been the backbone of a defense that has paced Concordia Wisconsin to an 18-1 record overall, a 10-1 mark in NACC play, and a spot in Saturday's NACC Tournament final against Lake Forest. He has started each of the 17 games he has participated in this season, posting a 16-1 record with a .668 save percentage, a 6.39 goals-against average, and 199 saves.
O'Malley has conceded 10 or more goals just twice this season while posting at least nine saves 13 times. His season-high for saves was 25, which came in CUW's only loss - an 11-9 result against Aurora.
O'Malley ranks second nationally in both goals-against average and save percentage while making 11.71 saves per game.
O'Malley was a three-time NACC Men's Lacrosse Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week
O'Malley is the first CUW student-athlete to be named NACC Men's Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year.
Co-Freshman of the Year - Brayden Wilson, M, Concordia University Wisconsin
Wilson has appeared in all 19 of Concordia Wisconsin's contests so far this season, recording 65 points on 22 goals and 43 assists. He currently leads all NACC players in assists, averaging 2.11 per game.
Wilson has recorded at least one point in each game for the Falcons with the lone exception of a 13-1 over Marian where CUW's starters saw limited time. His high-water mark for points this season is six, which happened on three occasions - Feb. 18 against Carroll (1 goal, 5 assists), Feb. 21 at Kalamazoo (2 goals, 4 assists) and April 18 against Edgewood (3 goals, 3 assists).
Wilson is the second CUW men's lacrosse student-athlete to be named NACC Freshman of the Year (
Jaxon Hill, 2024).
Co-Freshman of the Year - Isaac Johnston, A, Milwaukee School of Engineering
Johnston started all 19 of MSOE's games this season, recording 74 points on 37 goals and 37 assists. His tally included three game-winning goals and two man-up scores.
Johnston scored at least one point in all but two contests. In a 26-2 win over Spalding on Feb. 21, he established NACC season-bests with 10 points and seven assists. He also scored a season-high six goals - including the overtime game-winner - in a 12-11 win over Lake Forest on Feb. 25.
Johnston ranks second among NACC players in points per game (3.94) and assists per game (1.94), trailing only Bucci and Wilson, respectively.
Johnston was twice named NACC Men's Lacrosse Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week.
Johnston is the first MSOE men's lacrosse student-athlete to be named NACC Freshman of the Year.
This is the first time a NACC men's lacrosse major award has been shared.
Coaching Staff of the Year - Aurora University (Reid Mayberry, head coach)
Aurora, under the direction of eighth-year head coach
Reid Mayberry, posted a 13-4 record and finished the conference season unbeaten (11-0) for the fifth consecutive season before being sidelined in the semifinals of the NACC Tournament. The Spartans have won 49 consecutive regular-season conference contests dating back to the 2021 season.
Aurora ranks in the top two in the NACC in a significant number of statistical categories. The Spartans currently lead the league in assists per game (10.82), caused turnovers per game (12.12), ground balls (709), ground balls per game (41.71), man-up offense (.511), points (482), points per game (28.35), scoring offense (17.53), and shot percentage (.326), and rank second in scoring margin (+9.35), assists (184), and opponent clear percentage (.751).
Mayberry is assisted by
Carson Leader,
Collin Tolsma, and
Joseph Dey.
This is the third year in a row, and the fourth time in five years, that a Mayberry-led staff has been named NACC Men's Lacrosse Coaching Staff of the Year.
All-Conference Team Announced
NACC champion Aurora led all programs with eight all-conference selections, including six first-teamers. Concordia Wisconsin was the only other program with multiple first-teamers, scoring four to go along with three second-team picks. Edgewood, Lake Forest, and MSOE each had one first-team selection, with Lake Forest tacking on two second-team honorees and MSOE receiving three. Illinois Tech placed two individuals on the second team, while Dubuque received one second-team all-league honor.
| 2026 All-NACC Men's Lacrosse Team |
| Offensive Player of the Year - Chris Bucci, sr., M, Aurora University |
| Defensive Player of the Year - Nolan O'Malley, so., G, Concordia University Wisconsin |
| Co-Freshman of the Year - Brayden Wilson, M, Concordia University Wisconsin |
| Co-Freshman of the Year - Isaac Johnston, A, Milwaukee School of Engineering |
| Coaching Staff of the Year - Aurora University (Reid Mayberry, head coach) |
|
| First Team |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Nolan O'Malley |
Concordia Wisconsin |
So. |
G |
Chicago, Ill. |
| Zach Klug |
Aurora |
Sr. |
D |
Grafton, Wis. |
| Oliver Roa |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Sr. |
D |
Dunlap, Ill. |
| Liam Bradley |
Lake Forest |
Jr. |
D |
Manchester, Vt. |
| Chris Bucci |
Aurora |
Sr. |
M |
Gambrills, Md. |
| Owen Spencer |
Aurora |
Sr. |
M |
Blaine, Minn. |
| Preston Meier |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Sr. |
M |
Owatonna, Minn. |
| Tyler Foerstel |
Aurora |
Sr. |
A |
St. Louis, Mo. |
| Bryce Petersen |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Jr. |
A |
Waukesha, Wis. |
| Zach Thomas |
Edgewood |
Sr. |
A |
Verona, Wis. |
| Graden Jansen |
MSOE |
Jr. |
FO |
Ballwin, Mo. |
| Austin Spoklie |
Aurora |
Sr. |
LSM |
Eagle, Idaho |
| Dean Romaker |
Aurora |
Sr. |
SSDM |
Andover, Minn. |
| Second Team |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Asher Deputy |
Aurora |
Jr. |
G |
South Jordan, Utah |
| Noah Kosmicki |
Aurora |
Jr. |
D |
Lincoln, Neb. |
| Bodey Goertzen |
Illinois Tech |
So. |
D |
Woodbury, Minn. |
| Branden Willenbring |
MSOE |
Sr. |
D |
Otsego, Minn. |
| Brayden Wilson |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Fr. |
M |
Pueblo West, Colo. |
| Connor Montgomery |
Illinois Tech |
So. |
M |
Morgantown, W. Va. |
| Aidan Wigton |
Lake Forest |
So. |
M |
Draper, Utah |
| Jackson Knutson |
Concordia Wisconsin |
So. |
A |
Roseville, Minn. |
| Cambell Smith |
Dubuque |
So. |
A |
Hampshire, Ill. |
| Isaac Johnston |
MSOE |
Fr. |
A |
Stillwater, Minn. |
| Gabe Boston |
Lake Forest |
Jr. |
FO |
Littleton, Colo. |
| Ben Birch |
Concordia Wisconsin |
Jr. |
LSM |
Grafton, Wis. |
| Tom Farren |
MSOE |
So. |
SSDM |
Rogers, Minn. |
| Honorable Mention |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown |
| Griffin Joas |
Aurora |
So. |
A |
Eagan, Minn. |
| Dylan Kranzush |
Aurora |
Sr. |
A |
Springfield, Ore. |
| Sam Slabaugh |
Beloit |
Sr. |
D |
Lexington, Ky. |
| Liam Walker |
Beloit |
Sr. |
A |
Elmhurst, Ill. |
| Matthew Brunken |
Benedictine |
Sr. |
D |
Huntley, Ill. |
| Aiden Elliot |
Benedictine |
Sr. |
A |
Conifer, Colo. |
| Dominick Flores |
Benedictine |
Sr. |
LSM |
Denver, Colo. |
| Luke Grant |
Benedictine |
Sr. |
M |
Peoria, Ill. |
| Owen Johnson |
Benedictine |
So. |
G |
Northfield, Ill. |
| Jack Whalon |
Benedictine |
Sr. |
FO |
Woodstock, Ill. |
| Jack Bradley |
Concordia Wisconsin |
So. |
SSDM |
Tucson, Ariz. |
| Parker Lewis |
Concordia Wisconsin |
So. |
D |
Omaha, Neb. |
| Tyler Foster |
Cornell College |
Jr. |
A/M |
Ankeny, Iowa |
| Ben Schwartz |
Cornell College |
Sr. |
D |
Westminster, Colo. |
| Beckett Mull |
Dubuque |
Fr. |
D |
Omaha, Neb. |
| Eric Brostek |
Dubuque |
Jr. |
SSDM |
Bend, Ore. |
| Zane Neville |
Edgewood |
Jr. |
M |
Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Logan Searles |
Edgewood |
Jr. |
G |
San Ramon, Calif. |
| Ryan Littler |
Illinois Tech |
Jr. |
G |
Cranford, N.J. |
| Duwayne Aikins |
Illinois Tech |
So. |
M |
Granite Bay, Calif. |
| Carson Pagel |
Lake Forest |
Jr. |
A |
Milwaukee, Wis. |
| Rowan Baringer |
Lake Forest |
So. |
SSDM |
Pennsburg, Pa. |
| Truett Jones |
Lawrence |
Fr. |
D |
Minneapolis, Minn. |
| Emmett Eischens |
Lawrence |
So. |
M |
St. Paul, Minn. |
| Brody Herr |
Lawrence |
So. |
A |
Shoreview, Minn. |
| Shay Nolan |
Marian |
Sr. |
D |
St. Louis, Mo. |
| Jackson Sweeney |
Marian |
Sr. |
G |
Hastings, Minn. |
| Carter Stahl |
MSOE |
Jr. |
M |
Eagan, Minn. |
| Dawson Smith |
MSOE |
Sr. |
A |
Greenwood, Ind. |
| Alec Neuharth |
MSOE |
So. |
LSM |
Sussex, Wis. |