ALBANY, N.Y. – For the fourth time in his career, University at Albany alumnus Blaze Riorden has been named by the Premier Lacrosse League as the Oren Lyons Goalie of the Year.
 

BLAZE RIORDEN ?? Your 2023 Goalie of the Year@BRiorden10 | @PLLChaos pic.twitter.com/1dDhWg3TRt

— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) September 2, 2023

Riorden won the Goalie of the Year award in each of the first three seasons of the PLL's existence, and ceded the award for the first time last year to Kyle Bernlohr of the Whipsnakes LC before reclaiming it this season.  In 2021, Riorden was also named league MVP and MVP of the championship game.
 
Riorden was also a finalist for the Jim Brown Most Valuable Player award and the Brendan Looney Leadership Award.  Three other Great Danes were finalists for their respective awards: Connor Fields for the Eamon McEneaney Attackman of the Year, Troy Reh for the Brodie Merrill Long Stick Midfielder of the Year, and TD Ierlan for the Paul Cantabene Face-Off Athlete of the Year.
 
In 2023, Riorden led the Chaos LC to a 5-5 record and a five-seed in the PLL playoffs.  He led the league with 135 saves, and ranked second with a .595 save percentage while adding 24 ground balls and two caused turnovers.  For good measure, Riorden recorded four assists in the Chaos' nine regular-season games.
 
The 2023 PLL postseason begins September 4 in Foxborough, Mass.  Riorden's and Reh's Chaos LC will play Ierlan's Redwoods LC in the first of three quarterfinal games.  Elijah Gash and the Whipsnakes LC will play the defending champion Waterdogs LC in the second game.  Fields and the Archers LC won the regular season title and earned a bye into the semifinal round and will play either the Chaos or the Redwoods.