UALBANY MEN’S LACROSSE HELPS THREE TEAMS TO TOP-SIX FINISHES IN 2016 U19 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

UAlbany Sports Info

COQUITLAM, B.C. – Current personnel of the UAlbany men’s lacrosse team made their mark in the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) U19 World Championships in Canada last week, helping three different teams to top-six finishes.

UAlbany players Chaunce Hill and Colyn Lyons helped the Iroquois Nationals earn the bronze medal in the Blue Division, tying its highest-ever finish in the U19 games. Zack Ornstein earned a place on the FIL Presidents Team, leading Team Israel to a sixth place finish after winning the Red Division. 

In addition, UAlbany assistant coach Merrick Thomson served as the offensive coordinator for Team Canada, which picked up the silver medal after falling in a heartbreaker to Team USA 13-12 in the championship game.

For the Iroquois Nationals, Hill and Lyons each played on the defense and assisted the team in defeating Team Australia 20-8 in the third place game. Hill, who also took faceoffs, played in all seven games with eight loose balls and an assist. Lyons also played in all seven games on defense, picking up six loose balls.

Ornstein served as the primary faceoff man and a midfielder for Team Israel, which was making its first-ever appearance in the U19 tournament. He finished with four goals, three assists and, when they were recorded in games, a 67% faceoff winning percentage.

Thomson coached the offense for Team Canada as the team scored 84 goals in six games, averaging 14 per game. The team’s only defeats came to the eventual first place finisher Team USA. Hill, Lyons and Ornstein all enter their sophomore year for UAlbany in the 2017 season while Thomson, a 2007 UAlbany alum, enters year two as an assistant coach with the Great Danes.