2025 Men’s Lacrosse Season Preview

2024 record: 16-3 (4-1 Heart)
Starters returning/lost: 4/6
Letterwinners returning/lost: 14/15

Top Returners
Breck Putzier, Sr., Minneapolis, Minn.
(First-Team All-America, 67 goals, 75 assists)
Max Standage, Sr., Gilbert, Ariz.
(Second-Team All-America, 11 goals, 70 ground balls)
Kenny Bohney, Jr., Moorhead, Minn.
(Third-Team All-America, 38 goals, 11 assists)
Nate Blasingame, Sr., Portland, Ore.
(Letterwinner, 19 goals, 26 assists, 86 face-off wins)

Key Players Lost 
Collin Baliva
(All-America)
Boston Romero
(All-America)
Eric Garigan
(All-America)
Ryan Swarts
(All-America)
Wyatt Christensen
(All-America)

Top Newcomers
Connor Russell, Jr., Grand Haven, Mich.
Bryce Campbell, Jr., Boise, Idaho
Garrett Katrana, Fr., Parker, Colo.
Everett Breniser, Fr., Centennial, Colo.

Despite having three All-Americans back on the field, the Statesmen men's lacrosse team will have a very new look as it seeks to stay in national contention heading into the 2025 season.

Sixth-year head coach Luke Christiansen led William Penn to a 16-3 record (4-1 Heart) last spring.  The navy and gold won its first-ever Heart of America Athletic Conference Championship, earning their first trip to the NAIA National Invitational in program history.

Returning All-Americans Breck Putzier (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn., Exercise Science), Max Standage (Sr., Gilbert, Ariz., Public Accounting), and Kenny Bohney (Jr., Moorhead, Minn., Exercise Science) headline a crew looking to get back to nationals.  Of note, this is the first year that men's lacrosse is a Championship sport in the NAIA after several seasons in Invitational status.
 
Faceoff Specialist

Nate Blasingame (Sr., Portland, Ore., Business Management) took a big step forward in 2024, but will be asked to be even more productive this year.  He was 86-for-136 (63.2%) in faceoffs, while also posting 19 goals and 26 assists.  Outside of the circle, the senior will serve in the offensive midfield as well.

Kameron Brown (So., Woodinville, Wash., Business Management) has also improved since his freshman campaign and will figure into even more faceoffs.  He finished 53-for-82 (64.6%) last season.

Bryce Campbell (Jr., Boise, Idaho, Exercise Science) is also in the conversation in his inaugural WPU campaign.

Attacker

The most prolific offensive player in William Penn history, Putzier is back for one more ride.  He will pace the Statesmen up top after scoring 142 points in 2024 with 67 goals and 75 assists.

The senior was not only a First-Team All-American, but also the Heart's Player and Offensive Player of the Year last spring.

The role of Max Taylor (Jr., Minneapolis, Minn., Business Management) is expected to increase after he scored 37 goals (six assists as well) a year ago.

Freshman Garrett Katrana (Parker, Colo., Industrial Technology) has impressed the coaching staff as well and will be in consideration for plenty of minutes.

Offensive Midfielder

In addition to Blasingame, Bohney is also going to play an integral part in the offense.  The scorer of 38 goals with 11 assists, Bohney was a 2024 Third-Team All-American.

Newcomer Everett Breniser (Fr., Centennial, Colo., Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management) will add depth to the position.

Defensive Midfielder

Blake Cyboron (Jr., Council Bluffs, Iowa, Industrial Technology) and Max Barr (So., West Des Moines, Iowa, Business Management) both have experience, but will now be tasked to be the primary defenders in the middle of the field.  Each individual got into the offense a bit last spring with Barr scoring five goals and one assist, while Cyboron had four tallies with one helper.

Incoming freshmen Thomas Ratt (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management) and Nate Levy (Lynwood, Wash., Biology) are projected to make an impact as well.

Long Stick Midfielder

The tallest player on the squad at 6-7, Standage will use his length, along with his athleticism and skill, to guide the Statesmen at the long stick midfield slot.  He had impressive 2024 numbers on both ends, recording 70 ground balls and 21 caused turnovers along with 11 goals and four assists.

Defender

Returners Bradley Howell (Jr., Layton, Utah, Psychology), with two letters and a previous all-Heart honor, and Marcus Davis (Sr., Sacramento, Calif., New Media), with three letters and an all-league award, will pace a relatively young crew in the final line of defense.

Howell tops all returners with 24 caused turnovers (16 ground balls), while Davis recorded 15 caused turnovers and 21 ground balls.

Garrett Tooke (Fr., Parker, Colo., Industrial Technology) makes his collegiate debut and will play a factor as well.

Goalkeeper

New names and new numbers will stand in the cage this spring as newcomers Connor Russell (Jr., Grand Haven, Mich., Applied Computer Science), Matt Hollenbaugh (Fr., Saugus, Calif., Sports Management), and aptly named Cage Fontana (Fr., Colorado Springs, Colo., Business Management) all vie to be the starter.

Schedule

The Statesmen begin the season Monday against Michigan-Dearborn in Beverly Hills, Mich. with a game the next day against Madonna at the same site.  WPU will open its four-game home season on March 17 against Clarke.

William Penn, which is ranked No. 5 to start the year, is projected to win the Heart, which now includes 10 teams.