SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – Graduate student goalkeeper Sawyer Gagnon and senior attackman Michael Zapatka and Rivier men's lacrosse assistant coaches Ruppy Hailey and Drew Hailey are set to represent the Rivier men's lacrosse program in the 2025 New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (NEILA) East-West Senior All-Star game as members of Team East, the NEILA announced on Thursday afternoon.
The game will take place on Friday, May 30, at Providence College with the opening face-off scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
The Raiders concluded their season as Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Champions for the first time in program history and advanced to the NCAA Championship Second Round, eventually falling to No. 8 Bowdoin.
After leading Rivier to their first GNAC Championship and first NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship berth, assistant coaches Ruppy Hailey and Drew Hailey will serve as head coach and assistant coach, respectively, for Team East.
Gagnon ended his collegiate career with a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Goalkeeper of the Year selection. The Gorham, Maine native started in 17 games and posted a 15-2 record with 191 saves, yielding a .584 save percentage. The Raiders defense, backstopped by Gagnon, was the second-best in the GNAC, allowing 54 goals in conference play.
Zapatka started in all 19 games for the Raiders. The Newington, Conn. native finished third on the team with 63 points, coming by way of 35 goals and a career-high 28 assists. Zapatka's seven points (3-4-7) earned him a GNAC Men's Lacrosse Tournament Most Valuable Player nod.
