Nine Buckeyes Earn Big Ten Postseason Honors
4/22/2026 4:00:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Big Ten Conference announced its 2026 men's lacrosse postseason awards Wednesday with nine members of the Ohio State men's lacrosse program earning recognition.
Cullen Brown is the 2026 Big Ten Men's Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year. The senior close defenseman has been an integral part of the Buckeye defense that has earned a nation-best 7.08 goals against average. He led non-faceoff players with 22 ground balls in Big Ten regular season games and caused a conference-best 13 turnovers in five conference games. The Silver Spring, Md. native broke the program's career caused turnover record this season after setting the single season record last year.
Brown is the Buckeyes' second Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in the 11 years of Big Ten men's lacrosse conference. Robby Haus previously won the award in 2016 as a senior. Brown is the fifth Buckeye to earn a Big Ten position player of the year award.
Ohio State is the most represented program on the 2026 All-Big Ten teams with five on the first and second team combined and eight overall including the freshman team. The team is one of three with multiple first team honorees in Brown and junior goalie Caleb Fyock. The Buckeyes lead the way with three second team members – senior short stick defensive midfielder Blake Eiland, junior defenseman Kyle Foster and junior faceoff specialist Jack Oldman. Ohio State's three representatives on the freshman team – attackman Khalif Hocker, FOGO Matt Mayfield and midfielder Jake Struck – also lead the conference.
Fyock is a first team honoree for the second consecutive season. He was a key piece in the Buckeyes holding four of five Big Ten opponents to under 10 goals in the regular season. Fyock finished conference play with an 8.97 goals-against average and a .543 save percentage. He currently leads the country with a 7.40 goals-against average in 13 games played this season.
Oldman has picked up a conference-high 34 ground balls this season and is second in the league with a .582 faceoff win percentage in Big Ten play. Eiland and Foster helped the Buckeyes to a program-record goals-against average in Big Ten games (8.57). Foster has 12 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers on the year. Eiland has added 16 ground balls and three caused turnovers.
In his first season, Mayfield has worked in tandem with Oldman to help the Buckeyes become one of three Big Ten programs with an over 50 percent faceoff win percentage in conference games. Hocker and Struck have both made their way into the starting lineup for the Buckeyes in their first season. Struck has 12 points and six goals on the year, with points in four of five Big Ten games. Hocker has tallied 17 points in 12 games in 2026.
Senior long stick midfielder Griffin Liedel is the team's 2026 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient. Liedel has played every game at LSM for the Buckeyes this season and has recorded 15 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers.
2026 BIG TEN MEN'S LACROSSE AWARDS
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Cullen Brown, Sr., D, Ohio State
ALL-BIG TEN FIRST TEAM
Caleb Fyock, Jr., G, Ohio State
Cullen Brown, Sr., D, Ohio State
ALL-BIG TEN SECOND TEAM
Blake Eiland, Sr., SSDM, Ohio State
Jack Oldman, Jr., FO, Ohio State
Kyle Foster, Jr., D, Ohio State
ALL-BIG TEN FRESHMEN TEAM
Khalif Hocker, A, Ohio State
Matt Mayfield, FO, Ohio State
Jake Struck, M, Ohio State
Cullen Brown is the 2026 Big Ten Men's Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year. The senior close defenseman has been an integral part of the Buckeye defense that has earned a nation-best 7.08 goals against average. He led non-faceoff players with 22 ground balls in Big Ten regular season games and caused a conference-best 13 turnovers in five conference games. The Silver Spring, Md. native broke the program's career caused turnover record this season after setting the single season record last year.
Brown is the Buckeyes' second Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in the 11 years of Big Ten men's lacrosse conference. Robby Haus previously won the award in 2016 as a senior. Brown is the fifth Buckeye to earn a Big Ten position player of the year award.
Ohio State is the most represented program on the 2026 All-Big Ten teams with five on the first and second team combined and eight overall including the freshman team. The team is one of three with multiple first team honorees in Brown and junior goalie Caleb Fyock. The Buckeyes lead the way with three second team members – senior short stick defensive midfielder Blake Eiland, junior defenseman Kyle Foster and junior faceoff specialist Jack Oldman. Ohio State's three representatives on the freshman team – attackman Khalif Hocker, FOGO Matt Mayfield and midfielder Jake Struck – also lead the conference.
Fyock is a first team honoree for the second consecutive season. He was a key piece in the Buckeyes holding four of five Big Ten opponents to under 10 goals in the regular season. Fyock finished conference play with an 8.97 goals-against average and a .543 save percentage. He currently leads the country with a 7.40 goals-against average in 13 games played this season.
Oldman has picked up a conference-high 34 ground balls this season and is second in the league with a .582 faceoff win percentage in Big Ten play. Eiland and Foster helped the Buckeyes to a program-record goals-against average in Big Ten games (8.57). Foster has 12 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers on the year. Eiland has added 16 ground balls and three caused turnovers.
In his first season, Mayfield has worked in tandem with Oldman to help the Buckeyes become one of three Big Ten programs with an over 50 percent faceoff win percentage in conference games. Hocker and Struck have both made their way into the starting lineup for the Buckeyes in their first season. Struck has 12 points and six goals on the year, with points in four of five Big Ten games. Hocker has tallied 17 points in 12 games in 2026.
Senior long stick midfielder Griffin Liedel is the team's 2026 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient. Liedel has played every game at LSM for the Buckeyes this season and has recorded 15 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers.
2026 BIG TEN MEN'S LACROSSE AWARDS
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Cullen Brown, Sr., D, Ohio State
ALL-BIG TEN FIRST TEAM
Caleb Fyock, Jr., G, Ohio State
Cullen Brown, Sr., D, Ohio State
ALL-BIG TEN SECOND TEAM
Blake Eiland, Sr., SSDM, Ohio State
Jack Oldman, Jr., FO, Ohio State
Kyle Foster, Jr., D, Ohio State
ALL-BIG TEN FRESHMEN TEAM
Khalif Hocker, A, Ohio State
Matt Mayfield, FO, Ohio State
Jake Struck, M, Ohio State
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