INDIANAPOLIS --- The Tusculum men's lacrosse team averaged 8.93 assists per game to capture the 2017 NCAA Division II National Statistical Championship. The Pioneers were ranked in 10 team statistical categories, while five TC student-athletes were listed individually.
Tusculum finished the season with 134 assists to its credit, which were a new single-season record for the program and the fifth-most in the country.
TC was also second in the nation in man-down defense (.822) and third in man-up offense (.458). Tusculum's 22.60 points per game average was fourth in the country while TC's 13.67 scoring average was seventh-best in NCAA II. The Pioneers were also 10th in fewest turnovers per game (14.20), 13th in winning percentage (.733) and 14th in ground balls per game (32.60).
Senior goalkeeper Kevin Haggerty (Suffern, N.Y.) posted a school single-season record 8.35 goals against average, which was second in the South Atlantic Conference and 14th in the nation. Haggerty was also sixth in the country in save percentage (.584) and 27th in saves per game (10.87).
Senior attacker Ben Boyd (Bel Air, Md.) was 22nd in the nation in goals per game (2.60) and 41st in points per game (3.47). Alexander Kleinberg (Bel Air, Md.) finished 38th in the land in face-off winning percentage (.509), while Joe Edgar (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) was 43rd in ground balls per game (3.93).
Tusculum recorded its best season in school history by posting an 11-4 overall record, including 6-2 in league play to finish tied for second in the South Atlantic Conference. Tusculum advanced to the SAC Semifinal round for a second straight season and earned the program its inaugural national ranking. TC is currently ranked 20th in the nation and has been listed in the top-20 in the last four weeks.