NASHUA, N.H. – The Rivier University men's lacrosse team was well-represented in the 2025 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) regular season awards, announced Tuesday by the conference office. The Raiders collected three major honors and placed eight student-athletes across the All-Conference teams.
Graduate student Michael Ference was named GNAC Offensive Player of the Year after leading the conference with 52 assists and ranking fifth in total points with 81. The two-time GNAC Player of the Week tallied 29 goals and 52 assists during the regular season. His 360 career points are the most in program history. Nationally, Ference ranks 11th in NCAA Division III in assists per game (3.06) and 48th in points per game (4.76). He was also selected to the GNAC First Team at attack.
Graduate student Adam Hailey earned GNAC Defensive Player of the Year honors after leading a defensive unit that paced the GNAC in fewest goals allowed per game and ranked second nationally in scoring defense (6.41 goals per game). Hailey recorded 39 caused turnovers and 47 ground balls, ranking third in the GNAC and 43rd in Division III in caused turnovers per game (2.18). He was also named to the GNAC First Team at defense.
Graduate student Sawyer Gagnon was named GNAC Goalkeeper of the Year following a dominant season in net. Gagnon posted a 6.99 goals-against average, ranking second in Division III, and a .618 save percentage, fifth-best nationally. He made 165 saves over 15 starts and finished with a 14-1 record, marking the most wins in a single season of his collegiate career. The Gorham, Maine native also earned GNAC Goalkeeper of the Week honors three times this season. For his efforts, he was selected to the GNAC First Team at goalkeeper.
Graduate student Coby Mercier joined them on the GNAC First Team at midfield after registering 25 goals and 32 assists. He ranked fifth in the GNAC in assists and tied for 11th in total points. Mercier surpassed both 100 career goals and 100 assists this season, ranking second in program history in career points (235), trailing only Ference.
Senior midfielder Chris Heitmiller earned Second Team honors after scoring 37 goals and adding 24 assists for 61 total points. He ranked 11th in the GNAC in goals, 12th in assists, and ninth in overall points. Senior Joseph O'Reilly was also named to the GNAC Second Team at short-stick defensive midfield, contributing 20 caused turnovers and playing a key role on the defensive end throughout the season.
Junior defender Scott Miller received Third Team recognition after recording 16 caused turnovers and 29 ground balls. Sophomore Owen McDuffie rounded out Rivier's award winners with a Third Team nod as a faceoff specialist. McDuffie won 123 of 214 faceoffs, ranking eighth in the GNAC in total faceoffs won and third in faceoff percentage (.575). His 71 ground balls currently rank ninth all-time in single-season team history.
Rivier will make its NCAA Division III Championship debut on Wednesday, May 7, when the Raiders host Maine Maritime in the First Round at Joanne Merrill Field. The opening faceoff is set for 4:00 p.m.
