BOSTON – University at Albany men's lacrosse student-athletes Ryan Doherty, Max Neeson, and CJ Schwarz have all earned America East weekly awards, the conference announced Monday morning. Doherty was named the league's Offensive Player of the Week, Neeson was named the Defensive Player of the Week, and Schwarz was named the Face-Off Specialist of the Week.
 
Doherty led the Great Danes' attack with a game-high five points, including four goals and an assist. He tacked on two caused turnovers and a ground ball in the team's narrow 9-8 victory over NJIT. He proved to be the difference-maker in the final frame, netting the game-winning goal with less than four minutes remaining to seal the win and keep UAlbany's conference record unblemished.
 
Neeson anchored a defensive unit that held the Highlanders to just two goals in the second half, finishing the day with three caused turnovers and three ground balls. His aggressive play was critical down the stretch, repeatedly disrupting NJIT's offensive sets and helping the Great Danes secure the perfect regular season mark.
 
Schwarz dominated at the X, winning 12 of his 16 face-off attempts (75%) and picking up a team-high six ground balls. His consistency provided UAlbany with critical extra possessions throughout the contest, including a perfect performance in the second quarter to help the Great Danes maintain momentum.
 
The top-seeded Great Danes return to Casey Stadium this week as hosts of the 2026 America East Championship. The action kicks off Thursday with a semifinal doubleheader, featuring No. 2 Bryant against No. 3 Vermont at 4:00 p.m., followed by the Great Danes taking on No. 4 UMBC at 7:00 p.m. The winners of Thursday's matchups will meet for the conference title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, May 2, at 1:00 p.m.
 
Semifinal and Championship tickets are on sale now. Fans may purchase all-session passes or single-game tickets online. Semifinal tickets include admission to both games on Thursday. All session passes include admission to both semifinal games and the championship game. Click here to purchase your tickets today!
 
Season ticket holders who wish to secure their regular season seat locations may do so by logging into their online Ticket Return account, selecting "2026 AE MLAX Playoffs," and following the purchase instructions. Fans are encouraged to add parking during checkout.
 
Parking will be available in the Broadview lot for both the semifinal and championship rounds. Additional parking in the Dutch lot will be opened as needed once Broadview approaches capacity. Playoff parking passes will be available in both digital and print-at-home formats.
 
Stay up to date with UAlbany men's lacrosse by following the team on X (@UAlbanyMLax), Instagram (@ualbanymlax), and Facebook for all of the latest news and highlights throughout the year.