Friday, May 1
Jacksonville, FL
4:00 pm MT
Air Force Academy
vs
(2) Utah
Lacrosse Takes on (2)Utah in ASUN Playoffs Friday Afternoon
4/30/2026 11:54:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
ASUN SEMIFINALS
(3) Air Force (6-7, 4-1) vs. (2) Utah (9-4, 4-1)
6 pm ET, Friday, May 1
Rock Stadium – Jacksonville, Fla.
The ASUN Championship will be hosted by Jacksonville, May 1-3, at Rock Stadium. No. 3 Air Force, the returning ASUN Tournament champions, will compete against No. 2 seed Utah in the second semifinals game, Friday at 6 pm ET. Top-seeded Jacksonville and No. 4 seed Mercer will go head-to-head in the first semifinals game at 3 pm ET.
A Brief History
The Falcons and Utes are meeting for the 11th time since Utah joined Division I lacrosse and for the third time in ASUN postseason action. Air Force leads the all-time series, 6-4.
The Falcons had the final say in the regular season as well as in last season's tournament, besting Utah in the ASUN Championship game, 11-10. Seven of the 10 all-time games, and the last four games, were each decided by a one goal differential. The Falcons are 1-1 against the Utes in the post season.
Last weekend, Air Force battled to a gritty 14-13 overtime win against ASUN rival and then-undefeated front-runner No. 18 Utah at Ute Field. AF's all-time leading goal scorer Caelan Driggs was the man of the day, scoring seven goals including the final tying goal in regulation and the overtime game-winning goal. He attempted a season-high 14 shots on the game, nine of which were on goal. The performance marked Driggs' seventh hat-trick-plus game this season. He averaged 4.4 goals per game in conference action.
Junior defenseman Charlie Pyfer and senior LSM Cole Cunningham were instrumental in the ground ball battle, picking up 19 balls between the two of them; 10 and nine for personal season-bests, respectively. The Falcons collectively picked up a season-high 40 ground balls. Cunningham led the defense with three caused turnovers. Both defenders scored goals; Pyfer notched one in each half while Cunningham scored in the second quarter.
A Look at the Utes
Utah, the preseason favorite to win the league, will take the field under the command of Andrew McMinn in his fifth season at the helm of the program. In each of his four prior seasons, McMinn has led the Utes to at least a share of the ASUN regular season championship with two outright titles (2022, '23), two conference tournament crowns (2023, '24) and a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances (2023, '24).
The Utes lead the nation in points per game (25.92), assists per game (9.75), caused turnovers per game (12.75), ground balls per game (40.00), and scoring offense (16.17).
Utah boasts two ASUN Player of the Year athletes in Ryan Stines (OPOTY) and Nikko DiPonio (DPOTY). Stines (37g, 25a) and national scoring leader Luke McNamara (57g, 5a, 4.60 gpg) lead the offensive charge.
DiPonio is second in the nation in caused turnovers per game (2.75) and 19th in the nation in ground balls per game (6.08). Kloeckl is second in the league, 21st in the nation in face off win percentage (.588).
Stines and DiPonio were among the 11 players selected nationally in the second round of additions to the Tewaaraton Award Watch List. This marks the second year in a row that Stines has been named to the Tewaaraton Watch List
Peaking at the Right Time
After relatively quiet first half of the season— six goals in the first six games, Caelan Driggs has 30 goals in the last six games (5.00 gpg) and averaged 4.40 goals per game in ASUN Conference play. His scoring tear was highlighted by a career high eight goals against Providence and a stellar seven-goal performance to win the season finale at #18 Utah. Driggs has scored a hat trick in all-but-one ASUN game and has seven hat trick-plus games this season.
Driggs Nabs All-Time Goals Record
Senior attacker Caelan Driggs has 135 career goals, the most by any Falcon to play the game. He became the program's all-time goals three weeks ago, taking the torch from Air Force great Mike Crampton who has 127 from 2011-14. Driggs has 163 career points for the fifth most in the record book.
Coach Wilson Tabbed Back-to-Back Coach of the Year
Air Forces' Bill Wilson was named Coach of the Year after turning a 2-6 non-conference start into a four-game winning streak highlighted by an upset overtime win against #18 Utah in the season finale. The win propelled the Falcons to a share of the ASUN regular season title for the third straight season. The honor marked Wilson's second straight.
ASUN All-Conference Awards
Eight Falcons earned All-Conference nods with four making the First Team, one making the Second Team, and three on the All-Freshman team.
Senior LSM Cole Cunningham earned his second First Team honor while classmate and co-team captain Caelan Driggs was selected to the First Team as well, one-upping his Second Team selection from last season. Cunningham leads the squad in caused turnovers (22) and ground balls (65) while Driggs lead the team in goals (38) and points (49).
Senior midfielder Cole Rassas and junior defenseman Charlie Pyfer round out the First Team selections with their first post season awards. Rassas racked up 14 goals and 14 assists while Pyfer caused 14 turnovers and scooped up 43 ground balls.
Christian Schweiger, Jack Gounaris, and Ben Heidt earned spots on the 13-man All-Freshman team. Schweiger, the second leading scorer on the team, concluded the regular season with 26 goals and 15 assists. Heidt, the fifth-leading scorer, finished with 16 goals and a pair of helps. Gounaris' presence on the defense yielded the freshman 10 caused turnovers and 16 ground balls.
Senior midfielder Luke Vrsansky was the only Falcon selected to the Second Team. Vrsansky, a 2023 All-Freshman selection, concluded the regular season with 15 goals and seven assists.
Cunningham Moves Up in the Record Book
C1C Cole Cunningham has moved up to sixth in all-time ground balls (195) and cracked into the all-time top 10 for caused turnovers (51). His 85 ground balls last season were enough for sixth in single-season ground balls.
A Look Ahead
The winner of Air Force-Utah and Jacksonville-Mercer will play for the championship and automatic NCAA berth on Sunday at 1pm ET.
Driggs Wins Second Player of the Week Nod
Air Force's Caelan Driggs earned the Player of the Week honor after leading the Falcons to an overtime win against No. 18 Utah and a share of the 2026 ASUN Men's Lacrosse Regular Season Championship. He netted seven goals including the game winner with a .643 shooting percentage. The weekly honor was the second for Driggs this season.
(3) Air Force (6-7, 4-1) vs. (2) Utah (9-4, 4-1)
6 pm ET, Friday, May 1
Rock Stadium – Jacksonville, Fla.
The ASUN Championship will be hosted by Jacksonville, May 1-3, at Rock Stadium. No. 3 Air Force, the returning ASUN Tournament champions, will compete against No. 2 seed Utah in the second semifinals game, Friday at 6 pm ET. Top-seeded Jacksonville and No. 4 seed Mercer will go head-to-head in the first semifinals game at 3 pm ET.
A Brief History
The Falcons and Utes are meeting for the 11th time since Utah joined Division I lacrosse and for the third time in ASUN postseason action. Air Force leads the all-time series, 6-4.
The Falcons had the final say in the regular season as well as in last season's tournament, besting Utah in the ASUN Championship game, 11-10. Seven of the 10 all-time games, and the last four games, were each decided by a one goal differential. The Falcons are 1-1 against the Utes in the post season.
Last weekend, Air Force battled to a gritty 14-13 overtime win against ASUN rival and then-undefeated front-runner No. 18 Utah at Ute Field. AF's all-time leading goal scorer Caelan Driggs was the man of the day, scoring seven goals including the final tying goal in regulation and the overtime game-winning goal. He attempted a season-high 14 shots on the game, nine of which were on goal. The performance marked Driggs' seventh hat-trick-plus game this season. He averaged 4.4 goals per game in conference action.
Junior defenseman Charlie Pyfer and senior LSM Cole Cunningham were instrumental in the ground ball battle, picking up 19 balls between the two of them; 10 and nine for personal season-bests, respectively. The Falcons collectively picked up a season-high 40 ground balls. Cunningham led the defense with three caused turnovers. Both defenders scored goals; Pyfer notched one in each half while Cunningham scored in the second quarter.
A Look at the Utes
Utah, the preseason favorite to win the league, will take the field under the command of Andrew McMinn in his fifth season at the helm of the program. In each of his four prior seasons, McMinn has led the Utes to at least a share of the ASUN regular season championship with two outright titles (2022, '23), two conference tournament crowns (2023, '24) and a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances (2023, '24).
The Utes lead the nation in points per game (25.92), assists per game (9.75), caused turnovers per game (12.75), ground balls per game (40.00), and scoring offense (16.17).
Utah boasts two ASUN Player of the Year athletes in Ryan Stines (OPOTY) and Nikko DiPonio (DPOTY). Stines (37g, 25a) and national scoring leader Luke McNamara (57g, 5a, 4.60 gpg) lead the offensive charge.
DiPonio is second in the nation in caused turnovers per game (2.75) and 19th in the nation in ground balls per game (6.08). Kloeckl is second in the league, 21st in the nation in face off win percentage (.588).
Stines and DiPonio were among the 11 players selected nationally in the second round of additions to the Tewaaraton Award Watch List. This marks the second year in a row that Stines has been named to the Tewaaraton Watch List
Peaking at the Right Time
After relatively quiet first half of the season— six goals in the first six games, Caelan Driggs has 30 goals in the last six games (5.00 gpg) and averaged 4.40 goals per game in ASUN Conference play. His scoring tear was highlighted by a career high eight goals against Providence and a stellar seven-goal performance to win the season finale at #18 Utah. Driggs has scored a hat trick in all-but-one ASUN game and has seven hat trick-plus games this season.
Driggs Nabs All-Time Goals Record
Senior attacker Caelan Driggs has 135 career goals, the most by any Falcon to play the game. He became the program's all-time goals three weeks ago, taking the torch from Air Force great Mike Crampton who has 127 from 2011-14. Driggs has 163 career points for the fifth most in the record book.
Coach Wilson Tabbed Back-to-Back Coach of the Year
Air Forces' Bill Wilson was named Coach of the Year after turning a 2-6 non-conference start into a four-game winning streak highlighted by an upset overtime win against #18 Utah in the season finale. The win propelled the Falcons to a share of the ASUN regular season title for the third straight season. The honor marked Wilson's second straight.
ASUN All-Conference Awards
Eight Falcons earned All-Conference nods with four making the First Team, one making the Second Team, and three on the All-Freshman team.
Senior LSM Cole Cunningham earned his second First Team honor while classmate and co-team captain Caelan Driggs was selected to the First Team as well, one-upping his Second Team selection from last season. Cunningham leads the squad in caused turnovers (22) and ground balls (65) while Driggs lead the team in goals (38) and points (49).
Senior midfielder Cole Rassas and junior defenseman Charlie Pyfer round out the First Team selections with their first post season awards. Rassas racked up 14 goals and 14 assists while Pyfer caused 14 turnovers and scooped up 43 ground balls.
Christian Schweiger, Jack Gounaris, and Ben Heidt earned spots on the 13-man All-Freshman team. Schweiger, the second leading scorer on the team, concluded the regular season with 26 goals and 15 assists. Heidt, the fifth-leading scorer, finished with 16 goals and a pair of helps. Gounaris' presence on the defense yielded the freshman 10 caused turnovers and 16 ground balls.
Senior midfielder Luke Vrsansky was the only Falcon selected to the Second Team. Vrsansky, a 2023 All-Freshman selection, concluded the regular season with 15 goals and seven assists.
Cunningham Moves Up in the Record Book
C1C Cole Cunningham has moved up to sixth in all-time ground balls (195) and cracked into the all-time top 10 for caused turnovers (51). His 85 ground balls last season were enough for sixth in single-season ground balls.
A Look Ahead
The winner of Air Force-Utah and Jacksonville-Mercer will play for the championship and automatic NCAA berth on Sunday at 1pm ET.
Driggs Wins Second Player of the Week Nod
Air Force's Caelan Driggs earned the Player of the Week honor after leading the Falcons to an overtime win against No. 18 Utah and a share of the 2026 ASUN Men's Lacrosse Regular Season Championship. He netted seven goals including the game winner with a .643 shooting percentage. The weekly honor was the second for Driggs this season.
Players Mentioned
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