UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – For the first time since week two of the 2020 season (February 18) and just the third time ever since the Big Ten began awarding weekly position group honors in 2015, the conference offices have announced a sweep of the weekly men’s lacrosse awards. Nittany Lions Reid Gills, Preston Hawkins, Kyle Lehman, and Alex Ross took home the specialist, freshman, offensive player, and defensive player of the week honors, respectively, after the team’s 19-7 win over Cornell. It marks the first time in Penn State program history that PSU swept the Big Ten weekly honors. Only Maryland and Ohio State have done it before.
No. 7 Cornell, which entered this past weekend as the nation's third best team at the faceoff, was bullied at the X by the tandem of Reid Gills and Colby Baldwin. Gills posted an impressive faceoff win percentage over 80 percent, far exceeding the Nittany Lions average this season. The 18 team wins at the dot mark the most surrendered by the Big Red since February 25, 2025, and just the fourth time Cornell has lost the faceoff battle since that date. Gills alone went 13-for-16 at the faceoff, scooping nine groundballs. In addition to being named the Big Ten’s Specialist of the Week, Gills was also recognized nationally as part of the USILA Team of the Week.
Hawkins allowed just six goals from the reigning national champions, posting the lowest goals allowed average of his career. In the contest, the freshman made nine saves for a 60.0 save percentage. A threat out of the cage as well, he caused a pair of turnovers on picked passes, and scooped five groundballs, tied for the most by any Penn State non-faceoff athlete in the game.
Lehman led the Penn State offense this past weekend, pushing the Nittany Lions to a fourth non-conference win. The junior posted six goals and dished an apple for seven points on the day, marking the most by a Nittany Lion since Matt Traynor in the 2025 NCAA Quarterfinals. A gritty attackman, two of Lehman six tallies came unassisted. The attacker also scooped a pair of groundballs in the outing.
Ross captains a stingy Penn State defense that has analytically seen one of the best turnarounds in college lacrosse. His unit allowed just seven goals from the Big Red on their 40 possessions and had the nation's best defensive efficiency this week. Ross's unit allowed just two shots the entire first quarter, helping his team to a 7-0 lead after the first 15. Continuing to be a threat in transition, the senior tallied his second point of the season, this time on an assist. Defensively, he accounted for four groundballs and three caused turnovers.
UP NEXT
The quartet and the rest of the team is on the road this week for a neutral site battle against North Carolina in Charlotte, North Carolina on Saturday, March 14. Faceoff is set for 6:30 p.m. on the Corrigan Sports Network.
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