Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Towson University Athletics

Scoreboard

Now Loading: Men's Lacrosse
Koby Smith at Practice

Men's Lacrosse John Stark

Smith Named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year

RICHMOND, Va. -- For a second-straight season, Towson University men's lacrosse player Koby Smith has been selected as the CAA Defensive Player of the Year. The Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) made the announcement Thursday morning as part of its annual preseason honors and predicted order of finish.

Smith, who was recently named USILA Preseason All-America Second Team, is joined by Delaware's Charlie Kitchen, who was the league's Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.

The CAA also announced its predicted order of finish, as voted by the league's head coaches. UMass was picked first with 25 points, including five of the six first-place nods. Delaware was second with 19 points, followed by Drexel's 17 points and the outstanding first-place vote. Towson and Hofstra tied for fourth with 12 points while Fairfield was picked sixth with five points.

Smith, who was on the Tewaaraton Trophy Watch List the shortened season in 2020, was one of three Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) student-athletes mentioned in the Preseason All-America honors. Jeff Trainor (UMass) was a Third Team pick as a midfielder while Reid Bowering (Drexel) was an Honorable Mention attackman.

Hailing from nearby Lutherville, Maryland, Smith was an Inside Lacrosse Media All-America Third Team selection last season and was a USILA Second Team All-American in 2019. Smith played and started in five games last spring, missing one to a lower body injury. 

One of the top shut-down defenders in Division I, Smith has caused 36 turnovers in his career, while grabbing 78 ground balls. A threat in transition, the Loyola Blakefield product has 17 career points, including 10 goals and seven assists. Last season, Smith stuck No. 11 Johns Hopkins for two goals while adding two assists in the contest.

The Preseason All-CAA team, which included two at-large positions, was comprised of attackmen Dylan Beckwith (Fairfield), Reid Bowering (Drexel), Chris Connolly (UMass), Charlie Kitchen (Delaware), Ryan Tierney (Hofstra), midfielders Collin Mailman (Drexel), Taylor Strough (Fairfield), and Jeff Trainor (UMass), longstick midfielder Michael Altmann (Hofstra), faceoff specialist Brian Herber (Hofstra), defensemen Sam Eisenhardt (UMass), Sean Quinn (Drexel), Koby Smith (Towson), and netminder Bobby Casey (Hofstra).

The Tigers open the 2021 season on the road at No. 6 Virginia on Saturday Feb. 6. It will be the first meeting between Towson and the Cavaliers since the 2010 campaign. 

2021 CAA Men's Lacrosse Predicted Order of Finish
1) UMass (5) - 25
2) Delaware - 19
3) Drexel (1) - 17
t4 Towson - 12
t4 Hofstra - 12
6) Fairfield - 5
 
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Charlie Kitchen, Delaware
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Koby Smith, Towson
 
Preseason All-CAA Team
Player, Team Position Class Hometown/High School (Last)
Dylan Beckwith, Fairfield Attack Graduate Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh
Reid Bowering, Drexel Attack Graduate Coquitlam, British Columbia/Archbishop Carney
Chris Connolly, UMass Attack Senior Glastonbury, Conn./Xavier [Trinity-Pawling (N.Y.)]
Charlie Kitchen, Delaware Attack Graduate Marlton, N.J./St. Augustine Prep
Ryan Tierney, Hofstra Attack Senior Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa
Collin Mailman, Drexel Midfield Senior York, Pa./York Suburban
Taylor Strough, Fairfield Midfield Senior Davidsonville, Md./South River
Jeff Trainor, UMass Midfield Graduate Billerica, Mass./Memorial
Michael Altmann, Hofstra Long-Stick Mid Graduate Severna Park, Md./Chesapeake Senior
Brian Herber, Hofstra Face-Off Specialist Senior Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown East
Sam Eisenstadt, UMass Defense Senior Needham, Mass./Needham
Sean Quinn, Drexel Defense Junior Summit, N.J./Seton Hall Prep
Koby Smith, Towson Defense Senior Lutherville, Md./Loyola Blakefield
Bobby Casey, Hofstra Goalie RS-Senior Farmingdale, N.Y./Farmingdale
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Koby Smith

#26 Koby Smith

D
6' 0"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Koby Smith

#26 Koby Smith

6' 0"
Senior
D