Four Blue Jays Named to NEILA All-Academic Team
SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – Graduate student Brycen Kennedy (Southington, Conn.) and seniors Freeman Johnson (Swanzey, N.H.), Quinn Perkins (Norwich, Conn.) and Nick Pestrichello (Newington, Conn.) of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) men's lacrosse team have been selected to the 2026 New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (NEILA) Division III All-Academic Team, the organization announced on Thursday.
Members of the NEILA All-Academic Teams are nominated by head coaches in Divisions I, II and III and are comprised of student-athletes who have excelled both in the classroom and on the field over the course of their men's lacrosse careers. Nominees must have senior or graduate student standing with no eligibility remaining or plans to use their eligibility in New England, a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale, and be an impact player for their team.
In total, the four Blue Jays were among 202 Division III players representing 39 different institutions to earn recognition on this year's teams, including 26 student-athletes from the Great Northeast Athletic Conference. Babson led Division III with 15 honorees, followed by defending national champion Tufts University with 14 student-athletes and Amherst College with 13 honorees.
Follow USJ Athletics
For the latest on University of Saint Joseph athletics, follow the Blue Jays on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Fans can also download the USJ Front Row Mobile App and subscribe to our Newsletter and Text Alerts. #FearTheFlock #GoBlueJays