Brian Lake is a college lacrosse defender and long-stick midfielder from Ronkonkoma, New York, who earned recognition at Newberry College. He was named the 2025 South Atlantic Conference (SAC) Defensive Player of the Year after recording 40 caused turnovers and 41 ground balls across 17 games.
His achievements extended beyond conference recognition. USA Lacrosse selected him as a Division II Second Team All-American in 2025, while his performances during the following season brought another All-SAC selection and a reported USILA All-American honour.
Before competing for Newberry, Lake played at Nassau Community College. His collegiate record documents a progression from junior college lacrosse to national recognition at the NCAA Division II level.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Brian Lake |
| Hometown | Ronkonkoma, New York |
| High school | Centereach High School |
| Sport | Men’s lacrosse |
| Playing position | Defender, long-stick midfielder |
| College | Newberry College |
| Previous college | Nassau Community College |
| Notable achievement | 2025 SAC Defensive Player of the Year |
Who Is Brian Lake in College Lacrosse?
Brian Lake is a Newberry College men’s lacrosse player whose defensive contributions earned conference and national recognition during the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
Newberry’s official 2026 roster lists him as a graduate student wearing jersey number 41. Although the university identifies him as a defender, national award announcements classify him as a long-stick midfielder.
Both descriptions are consistent with his documented defensive responsibilities. A long-stick midfielder uses a longer defensive stick and can contribute to defensive possessions, ground-ball recoveries, and transitions between defense and attack.
Lake received his most prominent conference honour in April 2025, when the South Atlantic Conference named him Defensive Player of the Year. His performance also earned him a place on the All-SAC First Team.
His recognition continued in 2026, when Newberry reported another First Team All-SAC selection and subsequent national honours.
Brian Lake’s Lacrosse Journey from Nassau to Newberry
Lake attended Centereach High School in New York before continuing his lacrosse career at Nassau Community College.
Nassau’s official athletics records identify him as a freshman defender during the 2021 season. He appeared again on the college’s 2022 men’s lacrosse roster as a sophomore, wearing jersey number 44.
The Nassau records establish his participation during those two seasons, although they do not provide detailed individual statistics or explain the circumstances of his later move to Newberry.
At Newberry College, Lake competed in NCAA Division II men’s lacrosse, where his defensive performances became central to his individual recognition.
During the 2025 season, he started all 17 games for Newberry and recorded 40 caused turnovers and 41 ground balls.
His college record spans two institutions, with his most extensively documented achievements coming during his time at Newberry.
How Brian Lake Earned the 2025 SAC Defensive Player of the Year Award
On April 30, 2025, Newberry College announced that Lake had been named South Atlantic Conference Defensive Player of the Year.
The award followed a season in which he started all 17 of Newberry’s games and recorded 40 caused turnovers and 41 ground balls.
A caused turnover is credited when a defender forces an opponent to lose possession through a defensive action. Ground balls measure successful recoveries of loose balls, another important part of defensive play.
Lake’s statistics also included one goal and two assists, although his principal contributions came through defensive work.
His 2025 season totals were:
| Statistic | Total |
|---|---|
| Games played | 17 |
| Games started | 17 |
| Caused turnovers | 40 |
| Ground balls | 41 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Assists | 2 |
Newberry recorded 192 caused turnovers as a team during the 2025 season, a total the university reported as the highest in the South Atlantic Conference.
Alongside the Defensive Player of the Year award, he earned First Team All-SAC recognition. The two honours recognised his individual performance within the conference during the same season.
His 2025 USA Lacrosse All-American Recognition
Lake received national recognition shortly after his conference awards.
On May 16, 2025, USA Lacrosse announced its NCAA Division II men’s All-American selections, naming him to the Second Team at long-stick midfielder.
The selection placed him among the players recognised nationally by USA Lacrosse for their performances during the 2025 collegiate season.
His position in the announcement differed slightly from Newberry’s general roster description. The university listed him as a defender, while USA Lacrosse recognised him specifically as a long-stick midfielder.
Both descriptions refer to defensive responsibilities, with the national award identifying his more specific role.
Unlike his conference awards, the USA Lacrosse selection recognised his performance at the national NCAA Division II level.
Brian Lake’s 2026 Season and Second All-SAC Selection
Lake continued representing Newberry during the 2026 season.
On April 28, 2026, Newberry announced that he had earned another First Team All-SAC selection, this time alongside teammates Ryan Morrison and Liam Vollans.
The announcement identified him as a long-stick midfielder and referred to his previous first-team recognition in 2025.
His 2026 cumulative statistics recorded 18 games played and 18 starts. He finished with four goals and three assists, giving him seven points.
Newberry’s cumulative record also credited him with 44 ground balls and 21 caused turnovers.
| Statistic | 2026 cumulative total |
|---|---|
| Games played | 18 |
| Games started | 18 |
| Goals | 4 |
| Assists | 3 |
| Points | 7 |
| Ground balls | 44 |
| Caused turnovers | 21 |
Newberry’s April 28 award announcement reported 41 ground balls and 16 caused turnovers, compared with 44 ground balls and 21 caused turnovers in its later cumulative statistics. The university does not explicitly explain the difference.
Compared with 2025, Lake’s cumulative 2026 record included more goals and assists, while his caused-turnover total was lower.
His second consecutive First Team All-SAC selection nevertheless established continued conference recognition across both seasons.
His 2026 USILA All-American Honour and NCAA Tournament Recognition
Lake’s 2026 season brought another reported national distinction.
On May 22, 2026, Newberry College announced that six of its men’s lacrosse players had received United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-American honours.
The university identified Lake as a USILA Third Team All-American at long-stick midfielder, referring to selections released on May 21.
This recognition came from a different organisation than his 2025 USA Lacrosse Second Team All-American award. Both concerned NCAA Division II lacrosse, but they were separate national selection processes.
The USILA honour was reported by Newberry College, while his earlier USA Lacrosse recognition was confirmed directly by the organisation that made that selection.
Lake also appeared in regional coverage of the 2026 NCAA Division II men’s lacrosse tournament.
On May 15, Long Island Lacrosse Journal included him among Long Island players representing Newberry College in the tournament field. The publication identified his Ronkonkoma background and earlier defensive recognition.
The coverage connected his New York roots with his college lacrosse achievements, although it did not establish his participation in any particular tournament game.
Wingate attackman Vinny Butrico also earned South Atlantic Conference recognition in 2026, receiving the 2026 Offensive Player of the Year award.
From his award-winning defensive season in 2025 to another All-SAC selection and reported USILA All-American recognition in 2026, Lake’s Newberry career included achievements at both conference and national levels.