Noah Richard is the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year

MILWAUKEE – Marquette University senior Noah Richard is the 2019 BIG EAST Conference Defensive Player of the Year, while Nick Grill, Tanner Thomson and John Wagner each earned all-league honors, the BIG EAST announced on Wednesday afternoon.

Richard is the league's unanimous selection at long-stick midfielder on the All-BIG EAST First Team after earning the same honors as a junior in 2018. The West Chester, Pa., native recorded 71 ground balls and caused 23 turnovers as a senior, while posting eight points on four goals and four assists. His season ground ball total is just two shy of Zachary Melillo's program record and fourth this year in the BIG EAST.

Richard ends his career fourth in MU history in ground balls (163) and third in caused turnovers (49) and is one of only two players in MU history to achieve both marks (2016 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year Liam Byrnes is the other).

Grill and Thomson each make their first team debuts alongside Richard this season after second team honors in previous years. Grill, who was a second team selection as both a freshman and sophomore in 2017 and 2018, picked up 31 ground balls and caused 18 turnovers while starting all 14 games at close defense. He joins Byrnes, Zachary Melillo and his brother B.J. Grill as the only players in MU history to garner three All-BIG EAST postseason honors.

Thomson finished second on the Golden Eagles with 38 points but led the squad in scoring with 26 goals as a redshirt senior. The Toronto native started the season on attack before moving back into the midfield midway through the year. Thomson ends his MU career fifth in program history in points (93) and goals (65) and sixth in assists (28).

Wagner, who was an All-BIG EAST Preseason Team selection, was named to the second team after leading the Golden Eagles with 39 points on 21 goals and a team-high 18 assists. The St. Davids, Ontario native earned first team honors in 2018 and is the reigning BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award winner for men's lacrosse. Wagner ends his Marquette career third in points (109) and goals (77), fourth in assists (32) and second in game-winning scores (seven).

This marks only the second time in program history and the first time since 2015 that Marquette has had three players earn first team all-conference accolades.

Keep up with the Marquette men's lacrosse program through social media by following on Twitter (@MarquetteMLax) and Instagram (@MarquetteMLax) and 'liking' on Facebook (/MarquetteMLax).

2019 Men's Lacrosse All-BIG EAST Teams and Regular Season Awards

Attack Player of the Year
Daniel Bucaro, Georgetown, Sr., A^

Midfielder of the Year
Connor Kirst, Villanova, Jr., M

Defensive Player of the Year
Noah Richard, Marquette, Sr., LSM ^

Goalkeeper of the Year
Tate Boyce, Providence, Sr., G ^

Freshman of the Year
Brett Boos, Denver, Fr., FOS ^

Coaching Staff of the Year
Villanova
(Michael Corrado, Head Coach)

All-BIG EAST First Team
Tate Boyce, Providence, Sr., GK ^
Daniel Bucaro, Georgetown, Sr., A ^
Jake Carraway, Georgetown, Jr., A ^
Ethan Walker, Denver, Jr., A ^
Connor Kirst, Villanova, Jr., M ^
Lucas Wittenberg, Georgetown, Sr., M
Tanner Thomson, Marquette, So., M
Gibson Smith, Georgetown, So., D ^
Dylan Gaines, Denver, Sr., D ^
Nick Grill, Marquette, Jr., D
Noah Richard, Marquette, Sr., LSM ^
Danny Logan, Denver, Jr., SSDM
Brett Boos, Denver, Fr., FOS ^

All-BIG EAST Second Team @
(listed alphabetically)
Matt Campbell, Villanova, Fr., M
T.J. Comizio, Villanova, Sr., SSDM
Nick Hatzipetrakos, Providence, Sr., A
Tim Hinrichs, Providence, Jr., M
Colton Jackson, Denver, Sr., M
Keegan Khan, Villanova, So., A
Patrick Kennedy, Villanova, RS-So., D
Corey McManus, Villanova, So., A
Joe Madsen, St. John's, Jr., A
Mike Madsen, St. John's, Jr., M
Aidan Marron, St. John's, Sr., D
Matt Neufeldt, Denver, RS-Sr., LSM
Colin Squires, Denver, Jr., D
Will Vitton, Villanova, Fr., GK
John Wagner, Marquette, Sr., A

^ - denotes unanimous selection
@ - due to a tie in voting, there are 15 players on the all-conference second team

Noah Richard is the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year

Players Mentioned

Nick Grill

Zachary Melillo

Noah Richard

Tanner Thomson

John Wagner

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