SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – Two hundred and ninety-eight student-athletes have been selected to the 2026 New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (NEILA) All-Academic Teams, announced by the organization on Thursday morning.

Graduate students Jack Leach (Pembroke, Mass.) and Tony Samiotes (Hampstead, N.H.) and seniors David Cook (Upton, Mass.), Jason Dernier (Marshfield, Mass.), Jon Elliott (Upton, Mass.), and Kevin Wood (Danvers, Mass.) have garnered 2026 NEILA All-Academic Team accolades.

Members of the teams are nominated by head coaches in Divisions I, II, and III and are student-athletes who have excelled both in the classroom and on the field throughout their men's lacrosse careers.

Nominees must be seniors or graduate students with no remaining eligibility, or have no plans to use any remaining eligibility at a New England institution. Student-athletes must also possess a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and be impact players for their respective teams.

Babson College led all institutions with 15 student-athletes earning the honor. Reigning national champion Tufts University had 14 players earn All-Academic status, while Amherst College followed with 13 honorees.

Overall, 59 different colleges and universities were represented across all three divisions. The 59 Division I honorees represented 11 different institutions, while 37 student-athletes from nine Division II schools and 202 players from 39 Division III institutions earned regional academic recognition.

2026 NEILA ALL-ACADEMIC TEAMS