The Robert Morris University men’s lacrosse season came to an unfortunate ending after the team fell to the University of Maryland Terpins in the first round of NCAA tournament by a score of 14-11. This loss came after RMU won the NEC tournament and then defeated the Canisius College Griffins by a score of 12-6 in a play-in game to get into the NCAA tournament.
Given RMU’s historic run of success this year, there are some highlights to look back on.
1. This is Robert Morris’ greatest season to date: Overall the team finished at 13-5, 10-4 in the regular season. The Colonials’ win total was the most in program history. More team history was made when the team reached the NCAA tournament playoffs for the first time in the program’s 12-year history. The team is losing nine seniors as a result of their college graduations, but the incoming class of freshmen who are going to play for the team in the 2019 season will be one to watch. The incoming class will be looking to help bring the team back to the playoffs and to hopefully, take them deeper into the NCAA tournament as well, should RMU return for the second year in a row.
2. RMU ends long losing skid against the Bryant University Bulldogs: The Colonials were able to defeat Bryant University by a score of 12-5 in the NEC tournament semifinal after failing to defeat them in the regular season when they lost by a score of 10-7. The long losing skid dated back to 2012, when their last win was a close 13-12 victory against the Bulldogs. Bryant will be looking to avenge their NEC semifinal loss when they play RMU again next season.
3. Zach Bryant gets drafted by the Ohio Machine: Towards the end of the regular season, defender Zach Bryant was taken 45th overall by the Ohio Machine of Major League Lacrosse in this year’s draft. His selection in the draft made him in the fifth-ever player in the history of the RMU men’s lacrosse program to get drafted by a team in Major League Lacrosse.
3. Alex Heger’s multiple honors: Heger has received three NEC Defensive Player of the Week Honors throughout the 2018 season. Two of those honors came within a three-week span with the third one came later in the season. Heger also was placed on the watch list for the Tewaaratron Award, which looks to honor the most notable male and female lacrosse player in the country. Just recently, Inside Lacrosse Magazine has put Heger’s name as an honorable mention for the Third Team Media All-American recognition. Heger will be entering his senior year at RMU after completing his redshirt-junior season.
The Robert Morris University Colonials have not only impressed on the field this past season, but they have impressed the coaches, other RMU sports teams, the fans, Major League Lacrosse teams, and others as they look to come back next year stronger than ever with their new class of players.
