There is no single reason why the Hofstra University Pride are the last undefeated team in all NCAA Div. 1 men’s field lacrosse, but Josh Byrne certainly is a major contributor.
A sniper with the Western Lacrosse Association’s Burnaby Lakers during the summer, Byrne continues to rip up the scoring charts in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), helping his squad build a 10-0 case as the regular season nears a close and playoffs approach.
The six-foot-three New Westminster native counted four goals and an assist to lead the Pride past Delaware 11-9, giving Byrne six games where he’s scored three or more goals this season.
While one player in the CAA has 32 goals, Byrne’s 29 over 10 games gives him a league-leading 2.90 average. It also earned him the CAA’s Men’s Lacrosse Player of the Week award for the second time this season.
Coupled with a 15-game consecutive point streak, the senior attackman has 59 goals and 95 career points with Hofstra, since joining the program in 2016.
The Pride are pleased to sit second in the NCAA Div. 1 field lacrosse rankings, knowing there is room for improvement. Over the past seven weeks, the No. 1-ranked team followed up being named to the top spot with a loss.
Six weeks ago, Byrne was named the CAA player of the week.
In his rookie season with the Lakers last year, he recorded
eight goals and 21 assists in 11 games, and ramped it up in the playoffs by posting 10 goals and 14 assists in seven contests, as Burnaby pushed the Victoria Shamrocks to seven games in the semifinal.
