Brennan O'Neill Named 2024 USA Lacrosse D-I Men's Preseason Player of the Year

Duke attackman Brennan O’Neill is the USA Lacrosse Division I Men’s Preseason Player of the Year, USA Lacrosse Magazine announced Thursday. O’Neill also secured Preseason Attackman of the Year honors.

What a 2023 it was for O’Neill, who set career highs in goals (55) and assists (42), led Division I in points (97) and hauled home a Tewaaraton Award for his trouble during the college season. The senior attackman has more than lived up to the ample advance billing he received coming out of Long Island, and he could join Matt Danowski, Justin Guterding and Jordan Wolf — Duke lacrosse royalty — as the only Blue Devils with 300 career points before 2024 is through. 

“The way Brennan has handled all of it is really remarkable,” Matt Danowski said. “A lot of kids can’t. A lot of kids wouldn’t. In the age of name, image and likeness and being self-absorbed and doing things for clicks or trying to build your brand maybe more than trying to build your game, he just wants to win. He just wants to play lacrosse and have fun and compete with his friends. I don’t think there’s anybody like him in that regard, and I don’t know if there will be anybody like him to follow.”

The NCAA Division I runner up last year, Duke will lean on O’Neill as well as others to get over the hump and capture the first NCAA title for the program in a decade.

Continue below to see the three other players with preseason positional recognition.

PRESEASON ATTACKMAN OF THE YEAR 

Brennan O’Neill, Duke 

O’Neill set career highs in goals (55) and assists (42), led Division I in points (97) and won the Tewaaraton Award. He then scored five goals against Canada in the gold medal game of the World Lacrosse Men’s Championship to secure most outstanding player honors for the tournament. 

PRESEASON MIDFIELDER OF THE YEAR 

Eric Dobson, Notre Dame 

The 6-foot-5, 235-pounder was part of the Fighting Irish’s constellation of stars en route to their first national title, depositing 34 goals and adding 11 assists. The Floridian scored four times in the NCAA semifinals against Virginia before collecting a pair of goals on Memorial Day against Duke. He’ll once again benefit both from his own ample skill and the attention star attackman Pat Kavanagh demands from defenses. 

PRESEASON DEFENSEMAN OF THE YEAR 

Kenny Brower, Duke 

The returning first-team All-American has started all 61 games in his career with the Blue Devils, and he’s back for a fifth season in the hopes of helping Duke win its first national title in a decade. Brower was a lockdown defender the day he walked onto campus, but his ability to develop into an excellent team defender is arguably the most impressive development in his career. An adept communicator, Brower will surely be heard from in his college swansong. 

PRESEASON GOALIE OF THE YEAR 

Liam Entenmann, Notre Dame 

Coming into the season, there should be less argument about who the best goalie in Division I is than any other position group. Entenmann posted a .570 save percentage last season, made at least 10 stops in each of his last 14 games, won the Kelly Award as the goalie of the year and topped it off with an 18-save showing in the national title game to earn the NCAA tournament’s most outstanding player honors. Who’s up for an encore from the graduate student?