2023 All Black NCAA Lacrosse Team
This is the 5th year that I’ve put together an All-Black NCAA team for Division 1.
Headline — 2.24 players on average per school! That's right. For the second year, we’ve cleared the average of 2+ black players per program. So encouraging to see how much representation has grown over that short time!
There are 168 players in total across the 75 D1 programs, up from 159 players last year on 73 teams. This includes Hampton — the only historically black university (HBCU) with a D1 men’s team. Hampton restarted playing in 2022 in the SOCON league, and moved over to the CAA in 2023.
Below are the stars… but here is my full list for the All-Black NCAA team, Division 1 college men.
I’ve put together this list in the spirit of showcasing progress and the presence of diversity in the game. As noted in past years, I’m not an expert at evaluating lacrosse capability. I’m simply a fan and an African American father of lacrosse players. So I am definitely open to suggestions or revisions. I tried to be thorough, but apologize if I missed or mischaracterized anyone; no slight was intended.
Join me, once again, in celebrating these wonderful athletes! And for those who like to geek out on stats, check out insights and data below.
First Team:
- Levi Anderson, Gr, A, St. Joseph’s
- Xavier Arline, Jr, A, Navy
- Ellison Burt-Murray, Jr, A, Hampton
- Brandon Galloway, Sr, M, Jacksonville
- Quinn Moore, So, M, Dartmouth
- Ibrahim Pio, Jr, M, Jacksonville
- DyJae Pearson, Gr, D, Hampton
- Ethan Robinson, Jr, D, UM BC
- Bobby Van Buren, So, D, Ohio State
- Eli Fisher, Sr, SSDM, Wagner
- Stevie Jones, Sr, SSDM, Villanova
- Mustang Sally, Sr, SSDM, Loyola
- BJ Farrare, Sr, LSM, Penn
- Justin Joseph, Gr, FO, Drexel
- Jayson Tingue, Jr, GK, UMBC
Second Team:
- Jordan Galloway, So, A, UMBC
- James Greene, Fr, A, Hobart
- Andre Myers, Sr, A, Hampton
- Maxwell Semple, So, A, Drexel
- Amiri Austin, So, M, Cleveland State
- Tayo Oladunmoye, Jr, M, Bellarmine
- Darius Stanley, Fr, M, Hampton
- Hank Bethel, Sr, D, Bucknell
- Tony Diallo, Sr, D, UMBC
- Elijah Gash, Gr, D, Albany
- Mason Edwards, Sr, SSDM, UMBC
- Dante Trader Jr, So, SSDM, Maryland
- Trevor Yeboah-Kodie,Sr, SSDM, Brown
- Judah Hicks, Sr, LSM, Lehigh
- Malik Sparrow, Sr, LSM, Denver
- Ian Groom, Sr, FO, Hampton
- Dylan Robinson, So, GK, Hampton
Honorable Mention:
- Jonathan Angel, Jr, A, Hampton
- Miles Fawcett, Sr, A, Hampton
- AJ Knox, Sr, A, Hampton
- Khairi Sears, So, A, UMass — Lowell
- Lonnie Jones, Gr, M, Hampton
- Ricky Miezan, Gr, M, Virginia
- Isiah Moran-Weekes, So, M, High Point
- Kohry Reid, Sr, M, Mercer
- Marcus Hudgins, Sr, D, Ohio State
- LaJhon Jones, Sr, D, Rutgers
- Jackson Phillips, Jr, D, Mount St. Mary’s
- Justin Ennis, So, SSDM, Michigan
- Cody Ince, Jr, SSDM, Johns Hopkins
- Isaiah Ricketts, Gr, SSDM, Canisius
- Noah Martin, Jr, LSM, Detroit Mercy
- Konrad Miklaszewski, Fr, LSM, Yale
- Jonathan Stansel, So, FO, Queens
- Aleric Fyock, Sr, GK, Penn State
The depth of talent is broken out by the following classifications:
- 1st and 2nd Team (32): elite players or best black players at their position
- Honorable Mention (18): players emerging as significant for their team
- Unranked (59): players who see the field and have playing time of note
- Roster (59): players who have limited/no playing time, or out on injury
2023 SEASON OVERVIEW
Like 2022, the 2023 season saw lots of activity in the transfer portal, and a number of 6th-year players with extended, COVID-driven eligibility. We also saw the continuing trend of legit two-sport players coming from football. Navy, Maryland, Michigan, and Ohio State specifically had football players step into the lacrosse spotlight. And then there was Ricky Miezan, formerly the decorated captain for Stanford’s D1 football team. Ricky was a highly sought after lacrosse recruit coming out of high school. So in 2023 he chose to head to Virginia for a grad year in their midfield.
A less positive, but consistent trend: attrition. Every year there are players that come on one season, and then disappear from rosters the next. I often wonder…were they supported? Did they fit in? Was the challenge of D1 athletics too much with academic demands, homesickness, etc? NCAA level sports isn’t for everyone, but hopefully programs are proactively trying to nurture these athletes.
For more interesting stats and trends from my research — keep reading. Enjoy!
Positives trends:
- 79% of programs have one or more black player (UMBC and Hampton by far have the most with 8 and 41 respectively). This is slight up from 78% in 2022.
- Black players come from 28 states (+DC) and 3 Canadian provinces. Maryland is now the leader (beating out New York) with 31 players.
- The list includes not just roster or role players, but potential All-Americans and All-Conference performers.
Opportunities:
- 21% of programs have NO black players on the roster, including several top 25 and well-known teams.
- 23 states have no black players in D1.
- Black players still overwhelmingly come through the elite high school and club programs — and hotbed states; so still work to do with opportunities to come from public programs and modest resources.
Interesting stats:
