PERRY, N.Y. – It was a highly successful season on the field for the Towson University men's lacrosse program and the USILA All-America Committee took notice.
Three Tiger standouts, Jack Adams, Ryan Drenner and Mike Lowe, earned All-America Honors following the 2016 season. Adams was named Third Team All-America as a short-stick defensive midfielder, while Drenner and Lowe earned Honorable Mention plaudits as an attackman and close defenseman, respectively.
The three Towson players represent the most Tigers to earn mention on the USILA All-America list since 2003 when two players, Ryan Obloj and current assistant coach/defensive coordinator Dan Cocchi picked up Honorable Mention Accolades while Adam Baxter was a Third-Team selection.
Backboned by the three All-America honorees, Towson enjoyed one of the best seasons in program history as the Tigers collected a record 16 wins en route to their first appearance in the NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship Quarterfinals since 2003. Towson captured its Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) record sixth tournament title as Towson made its 13th appearance in the NCAA Division I Tournament.
At 6-3, 200 pounds, Adams was a force on the defensive end of the country's top unit. Backed by Adams, the Tigers held opponents to just 7.26 goals per game, ranking first in NCAA Division I in that category. The Freeland, Maryland native often marked opponents top midfielders, and occasionally found himself guarding an attackman. The Hereford High School product was nonplused by his matchups and played shut-down defense. He forced 12 opponent turnovers while snapping up 11 turnovers. Despite a mismatch in sizes, Adams only drew four penalties for just three minutes. The rising senior helped Towson clear at nearly 90 percent this season while helping the man-down unit limit opponents to just 15 extra-man goals this season. Adams earned accolades from the Towson University Athletic Department as well, as he was named the Towson Male Athlete of the Year at the Department's Golden PAWS event, hosted by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
The Tigers' top offensive threat this season, Drenner capped his junior campaign with 56 points on 33 goals and 23 assists. The Westminster, Maryland product helped the Tigers surpass the 200-goal mark for the first time since 2001. Named CAA Co-Player of the Year, Drenner was an efficient shooter, scoring on 57.9 percent of his shots on goal, while also logging three game-winning goals and one extra-man strike. Drenner played penalty free lacrosse in 2016 and caused two turnovers in the riding game. Enjoying his Black & Gold career following his playing days at Westminster High School, Drenner was named First-Team All-CAA and earned a spot on the league's All-Academic Team.
A four-year staple along the backline, Lowe played in 70 games during his Towson career. A shut-down defender the Monrovia, Maryland native stripped opponents 48 times since 2013, including a career-best 21 this season. Both his career and season totals rank fifth in the program records since the 2002 season. The former Urbana High School standout anchored a defense that will likely finish the 2016 athletic year ranked first in goals allowed per game, while the Tiger defense was ranked in the top 10 nationally in the last two seasons. Lowe snapped up 111 career groundballs, including 47 during his final season. The close defenseman graduates with four career points to his name, including two this season thanks to an assist and a transition goal on the road at CAA foe Massachusetts. Following an outstanding performance during the 2016 CAA Men's Lacrosse Championship, Lowe was selected as the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, in addition to being the first-ever Tiger to earn CAA Player of the Week as a close defenseman.
- TowsonTigers.com –
