LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) has announced its Division III All-America teams and award winners, and Washington and Lee sophomore
Tyler Spano highlighted eight totals players recognized as the Face-off Player of the Year.
Spano also earned a spot on the USILA All-America First Team, while senior
Hillis Burns made the second team and junior
Elliot Cohen landed on the third team. This marks each players' second All-America citation this postseason after USA Lacrosse Magazine picked Cohen to its first team, Spano to the second team and Burns to the third team. Rounding out the selections on the honorable mentions were seniors
Joey Allen and
Jack Elliott and juniors
Chris Datz,
James Haley and
Jay O'Keefe.
Spano, a preseason Second Team All-America player by the USILA, established himself as one of the top face-off specialists in the country this season by winning 298-of-411 face-offs to rank fifth in Division III in face-off percentage (.725). He finished just three face-off wins shy of breaking his own program record for draws won in a season, while recording the fourth-best single-season percentage in program history. Spano also added 10 points on the offensive end this season on six goals and four assists after earning USILA All-America Honorable Mention last season.
Burns closed out a stellar career in the Blue and White with a team-leading 72 points on 41 goals and a team-best 31 assists. Prior to the season, Burns received three Preseason All-America citations, including third team from the USILA, before his 72 points, 22 ground balls and four caused turnovers landed him on the All-ODAC First Team. With a third consecutive 70-point season, Burns finished third in program history in career points (248), sixth in goals (152) and ninth in assists (96).
Cohen, a preseason Second Team All-America pick by the USILA, followed up a strong sophomore season in 2024 that saw him named a Second Team All-American by the IMLCA and USILA with an impressive junior campaign in which he tallied 13 points, three caused turnovers and 32 ground balls. His offensive output came on six goals and seven assists, highlighted by scoring the game-ending, championship-clinching goal in overtime against Lynchburg in the ODAC title game. Cohen ended the season on a four-game streak of two or more ground balls and at least one point.
Allen earned his second All-ODAC Second Team citation in three seasons behind 42 points on 28 goals and 14 assists this season. Allen ranked third on the team in points and goals, and fourth in assists, while adding 19 ground balls and four caused turnovers. A consistent performer for the W&L offense, Allen recorded a point in 17 games this season with 12 multi-point performances.
Elliott was another key contributor for the W&L offense this season on his way to his second consecutive All-ODAC First Team. He has produced 38 points on 27 goals and 11 assists in the midfield, while adding 24 ground balls and six caused turnovers. After a slow start to the season, Elliott found his form over his last 17 games with at least one point in 15 of those contests, including multiple nine times in that stretch.
Datz was one of the anchors of the W&L defensive unit and earned a spot on the All-ODAC First Team. Datz started all 21 games for the Blue and White this season, caused 19 turnovers and got to 60 ground balls, second most on the team. A 2024 Second Team All-ODAC pick, Datz had two goals to his credit this season and saw his defensive prowess highlighted in March when he was named ODAC Defensive Player of the Week and to the USILA Team of the Week following a 12-ground ball, six-caused turnover weekend in a pair of wins at the Callum Robinson Mustang Classic.
Haley, a USA Lacrosse Magazine All-America Honorable Mention this season, turned in a 71-point junior season with a team-high 50 goals to go along with 21 assists. Haley also scooped up 47 ground balls and caused six turnovers while logging five or more points in eight games this season. A Second Team All-ODAC performer, Haley was also named the ODAC Offensive Player of the Week three times this season and made the All-ODAC Tournament team.
O'Keefe slid into the starting lineup for the Generals this season and performed at a high level throughout the season. Starting all 21 games, O'Keefe led the Generals and was sixth in the ODAC with 31 caused turnovers, plus the fifth-most ground balls (46) on the team this season. O'Keefe caused multiple turnovers in nine games this year, including a career-high seven against Lynchburg in the ODAC championship game. O'Keefe also had two points this season on a goal and an assist.
The Generals posted a 17-4 overall record this season, the second-most wins in a season in program history, while winning their 13th ODAC Tournament title and making an NCAA Championship Round of 16 appearance for the third straight year.
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.
