Kurtz named PAC Newcomer of the Year

Nine earn All-PAC

5/8/2025 9:10:00 PM

TRAFFORD, Pa.--Westminster College freshman Ethan Kurtz (Hummelstown, Pa., Lower Dauphin) was named the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Men's Lacrosse Newcomer of the Year Thursday evening, headlining a group of nine players to earn All-PAC honors.

The league's nine head coaches determined, by vote, this year's All-PAC teams and annual award winners.

Kurtz is Westminster's second men's player to claim an annual award from the PAC. Carter Hall (2015-19) was selected as the PAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2019. An attacker, Kurtz was named PAC Newcomer of the Week three times this season (Feb. 24, March 3, March 10). An Honorable Mention All-PAC pick, he has started all 18 games this year. This season, Kurtz has 49 goals and 16 assists for 65 points. He has five game-winning goals, seven man-up goals, 11 ground balls and two caused turnovers. Kurtz is currently tied for sixth in the PAC in goals (49).

Seniors Gavin Jones (Henrico, Va., Douglas S. Freeman) and Brody McGuinness (Heber City, Utah, Wasatch), along with junior Jahiem Hawkins (Huntington Station, N.Y., Huntington), were Second Team All-PAC selections. Graduate students David Evangelista (Pittsburgh, Pa., Chartiers Valley) and Jimmy Sentz (Catonsville, Md., Loyola Blakefield), sophomore Anthony Trella (Coraopolis, Pa., Moon) and freshmen Tanner Crosby (Park City, Utah, Park City), Nolan Grieshaber (Rocklin, Calif., Rocklin) and Kurtz were named Honorable Mention All-PAC.

Jones, a midfielder, was recognized by USA Lacrosse as a Division III Preseason All-America selection on Feb. 5. Named the PAC Offensive Player of the Week twice (Feb. 24, April 21) this year, he leads the PAC with a single-season program record 66 goals and ranks second in points with a program-record 92 (66G, 26A). He was named to the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Division III Team of Week in late February after finishing with seven points on five goals and two assists in Westminster's season-opening victory at Wittenberg University. Jones, a two-time First Team All-PAC (2023, 2024) selection, is the program's all-time goals leader, with 191, and points leader, with 262. He has appeared in 68 career games, making 52 starts.

McGuinness, a long-stick midfielder, was named Second Team All-PAC for the third time in his career (2022, 2023). He has racked up 73 ground balls and 28 caused turnovers while scoring six goals and assisting on six others this season. McGuinness' 85 caused turnovers rank second among the program's all-time leaders while his 214 ground balls are the third-most in program history. His 25 points (13G, 12A) are the most scored by a defensive player in program history.

Hawkins, a short-stick defensive midfielder, was named Honorable Mention All-PAC for the third-straight year. He was named PAC Specialist of the Week on Feb. 24 and PAC Defensive Player of the Week on April 14. In 18 appearances this season Hawkins registered 57 ground balls and a had a team-high 35 caused turnovers, the second-most in program history. He also added a goal and six assists.

Evangelista, a defender, was recognized as Division III Preseason All-America selection by the USILA this year. This is his second-straight year named an Honorable Mention All-PAC. Evangelista started in all 18 games this season, totaling 34 ground balls and 30 caused turnovers. His 61 career caused turnovers rank fifth-most in program history.

Sentz, a midfielder, was named Honorable Mention All-PAC for the second-straight season. He started in all 18 games this season, finishing with 77 points on 40 goals, including a team-best 11 man-up scores, and 37 assists. Sentz's 37 assists are the third-most in the league this year, and second-most in program history, while his 77 points (40G, 37A) are fifth-most in the PAC. He has appeared in 71 career games, with 46 starts. Sentz owns a program-record 85 assists while his 111 career goals are second-most in program history.

Trella, an attacker, earned his first career All-PAC award. A starter in all 18 games this season, he finished with 39 points on seven goals and 32 assists, the fifth-most in the league. Trella has three points in each of his last six games.

Crosby, a defender, started 17 of Westminster's 18 games this year. He currently has 26 ground balls and 20 caused turnovers.

Grieshaber, a goalkeeper, was named the PAC Defensive Player of the Week twice (March 24, April 38). He ranks third in the PAC in save percentage (.537) and sixth in both goals against average (11.21) and saves per game (10.17). A starter in all 18 games, he owns a 10-8 overall record and 5-3 mark in league action. Grieshaber has totaled 183 saves, 27 ground balls, one caused turnover and one assist this year.

Both Jones and McGuinness were named to the PAC All-Tournament team. Senior defender Geoffrey Worsey (Frederick, Md., Tuscarora) was named to the PAC Sportsmanship Team. The PAC Sportsmanship Teams were established to recognize student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through demonstrated acts of sportsmanship and ethical behavior and are an ongoing effort to recognize and encourage positive sportsmanship among all PAC teams.

Up Next:
Westminster will wrap up its season on Sunday by hosting Goucher College in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Championship title game. The opening faceoff from the UPMC Sports Complex is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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