Granville, Ohio –The North Coast Athletic Conference unveiled its 2025 All-NCAC men's lacrosse teams this week, and Denison was well-represented across all three teams. Grant Larson and Khari Freeman earned major postseason honors, with Larson being named NCAC Specialist of the Year for the second time in his career and Freeman taking home NCAC Newcomer of the Year honors after a stellar debut season. In addition, four Denison players received First Team All-NCAC recognition for the first time: senior midfielders Jack Hines and Collin Murphy, sophomore defenseman Charlie Haight, junior goalkeeper Andrew Albert, and junior short-stick defensive midfielder AJ Boxler. Also earning a First Team All-NCAC nod for the second consecutive year was Tommy Quinson. The Big Red had strong showings on the Second and Third Teams, with Charlie Pellegrino earning Second Team honors as a defenseman and Kevin Berutich recognized as a Third Team attackman.
Larson, a junior from Aurora, Colorado, earned his second career NCAC Specialist of the Year award after another dominant season at the faceoff x. He won 73-of-97 faceoffs (.753) in conference play, recording at least six faceoff wins in every NCAC game and posting four double-digit performances. Larson also collected five or more ground balls in six of Denison's eight conference matchups, including a season-high nine against Oberlin on March 23. Over 19 games this season, he won 162-of-274 faceoffs (.591) and picked up 106 ground balls. The 2023 NCAC Newcomer of the Year, Larson earned first-team All-NCAC honors for the second time and was named All-NCAC for the third time overall.
First-year long-stick midfielder Khari Freeman, from Uniondale, New York, was named the NCAC Newcomer of the Year, becoming the 10th Denison player to win the award and the first since Larson in 2023. In eight conference games, Freeman totaled 10 ground balls, six caused turnovers, three goals, and one assist. In 19 games, he finished his debut season with 32 ground balls, nine caused turnovers, four goals, and two assists.
Hines, a senior from Charlotte, North Carolina, has put together an outstanding four-year career at Denison, totaling 107 points with 82 goals and 25 assists across 77 games. A consistent offensive contributor, the senior midfielder tallied double-digit goals in each of his four seasons, highlighted by a career-best 38 points (27 goals, 11 assists) as a senior in 2025. He also contributed 25 ground balls, forced five turnovers, and appeared in three game-winning goals.
Murphy, a senior from Sudbury, Massachusetts, emerged as a key offensive weapon for Denison during his two-year career, finishing with 41 points on 27 goals and 14 assists over 36 games. After a limited role as a first-year in 2024, the senior midfielder broke out in 2025 with 24 goals and 12 assists, starting 14 games and posting a standout .400 shooting percentage. Murphy was also highly efficient, placing nearly 70% of his shots on goal (.692 SOG%) and contributing 28 ground balls during his career.
Haight, a sophomore from Portland, Oregon, anchored Denison's defense over two seasons, appearing in 39 games with 26 starts and collecting 59 ground balls and 36 caused turnovers. A physical and reliable presence on the back line, Haight started every game in 2025 and ranked among the team leaders in caused turnovers. Though he contributed modestly on offense (one goal, one assist), his impact was felt most in his ability to disrupt opposing offenses.
Boxler, a junior from Westport, Massachusetts, carved out a key role as a short-stick defensive midfielder over three seasons. He appeared in 40 games, recorded 34 ground balls, and 13 caused turnovers. Known for his gritty, defensive-minded play, Boxler added a pair of assists and his first career goal during the 2025 season.
Albert, a junior from Weston, Connecticut, was a consistent last-line defense for the Big Red throughout the 2025 season. His 181 saves, 160 goals allowed, and save percentage of .531 earned him a spot on the First Team All-NCAC roster after he earned a second-team nod in 2024.
The final First Team All-NCAC recipient was senior attacker Tommy Quinson from Devon, Pennsylvania. Quinson led the Big Red in scoring with 50 goals and was second on the team with 29 assists, totaling a career-high 79 points during the 2025 season. This marks the second time Quinson has earned first team honors, and in 2023 was named as a third-team all-conference player.
On the Second Team, junior defenseman Pellegrino was recognized for his steady presence on the back line, tallying 11 ground balls and 16 caused turnovers.
On the Third Team, junior attackman Berutich earned honors after a standout offensive season in which he recorded 21 goals and 35 assists. A dynamic playmaker, Berutich averaged nearly three points per game and played a central role in Denison's attack.
The Denison Big Red travel to Salisbury, Maryland, to take on Dickinson College on Saturday, May 10 at 3 p.m. Learn more about the tournament here.
