Bonitz, Hewitt Named USILA Honorable Mention All-Americans

Navy men’s lacrosse players Jackson Bonitz (Jr / D / Shrewsbury, Pa.) and Max Hewitt (Jr / M / Denver, Colo.) were among the 96 Div. I student-athletes to garner All-America recognition it was announced by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) on Thursday afternoon. Both honorable mention selections, Hewitt is a first-time honoree, while Bonitz has earned USILA All-America honors in each of the last two years. Navy has now secured an All-American in 97 of the 101 years in which the awards have been handed out.

A three-year starter at close defense for the Mids, Bonitz also earned Honorable Mention All-America kudos this spring from USA Lacrosse Magazine All-American, as well as Inside Lacrosse. The three-time All-Patriot League standout (2nd team in 2021, 1st team in 2022, ’23), once again led a defensive unit that saw Navy rank 11th nationally and second in the Patriot League in scoring defense (10.44 GPG). The Mids held 7 of their 16 opponents to single digits this spring, including 4 of their last 7 (Holy Cross 8, Boston U. 8, Lafayette 6, Bucknell 9).

Bonitz produced a team-high 22 caused turnovers, a mark that is tied for eighth on Navy’s single-season takeaways list. He is only the seventh different Navy player to reach 20 caused turnovers in a single season. Meanwhile, he is just the fifth player in school history to reach 50 caused turnovers in a career. He stands fifth on the all-time list with 50, trailing record holder Matt Rees (2014-17) by 34.

After earning First-Team All-Patriot League honors this spring, Bonitz became just the 14th player in program history to earn All-Patriot League honors at least 3 times and the first since Greyson Torain in 2017, ’18 and ’19. Additionally, he is Navy’s sixth close defenseman / long-stick midfielder to be a three-time All-Patriot League selection and the first since Chris Fennell and Matt Rees in 2015, ’16 and ’17.

Hewitt, who joined Bonitz as the only two players to start all 16 contests this spring, led Navy in scoring with 36 points on 24 goals and 12 assists. He is only the eighth different midfielder in school history to score 30 points multiple times in a career, joining Greyson Torain (2017-18-19), Ryan Wade (2018-19), Graham Gill (2004-05), Jamie Slough (1992-93-94), Brian Keith (1989-90), Glen Miles (1984-86) and Mike Chanenchuk (1977-78-79). His 36 points this spring are the 12th most by a midfielder in program history, while his 32 points scored a year ago are tied as the 22nd most.

A 2023 First-Team All-Patriot League selection, Hewitt played a key role throughout the season and in particular when injuries began to take a toll, including to his fellow starting linemates Patrick Skalniak (Sr / Dallas, Texas) and Dane Swanson (Jr / St. Mary’s City, Md.). Hewitt elevated his play and recorded 15 points (12G, 3A) during the Mids’ four-game winning streak late in the season that included wins over nationally-ranked programs Boston U. and Loyola. He produced a team-high 10 multi-point games this season, including a team-best 7 multi-goal contests to go along with a pair of multi-assist games. He led the team in points in 6 games and goals 5 times.

2023 USILA Major Award Winners

Lt. Raymond J. Enners Award (presented to the nation’s best player) – Brennan O’Neill, Duke
Lt. Col. Jack Turnbull Memorial Award (presented to the nation’s top attackman) – CJ Kirst, Cornell
Lt. j.g. Donald MacLaughlin Jr. Award (presented to the nation’s top midfielder) – Thomas McConvey, Virginia
William C. Schmeisser Award (presented to the nation’s top defenseman) – Gavin Adler, Cornell
Ens. C. Markland Kelly Award (presented to the nation’s top goalkeeper) – Liam Entenmann, Notre Dame

2023 USILA All-Americans

First Team
Attack – Brennan O’Neill, Duke / CJ Kirst, Cornell / Tucker Dordevic, Georgetown / Connor Shellenberger, Virginia
Midfield – Thomas McConvey, Virginia / Matt Campbell, Villanova / Sam Handley, Penn
Short-Stick Defensive Midfield — Payton Rezanka, Loyola / Chet Comizio, Villanova
Long-Stick Midfield — Roy Meyer, Boston University / Ethan Rall, Rutgers
Defense — Gavin Adler, Cornell / Brett Makar, Maryland / Owen Grant, Delaware / Kenny Brower, Duke / Cade Saustad, Virginia
Goalkeeper — Liam Entenmann, Notre Dame
Faceoff – Jake Naso, Duke

Second Team
Attack – Pat Kavanagh, Notre Dame / Xander Dickson, Virginia / Coulter Mackesy, Princeton
Midfield – Graham Bundy Jr., Georgetown / Alexander Vardaro, Princeton / Shane Knobloch, Rutgers / Eric Dobson, Notre Dame
Short-Stick Defensive Midfield — Connor Maher, North Carolina / Beau Peterson, Princeton
Long-Stick Midfield — John Geppert, Maryland
Defense — Will Bowen, Georgetown / Ajaz Zappitello, Maryland / Alex Mazzone, Johns Hopkins
Goalkeeper — Jack Fracyon, Penn State / Knox Dent, Army
Faceoff – Mike Sisselberger, Lehigh

Third Team

Attack – Tye Kurtz, Delaware / Matt Brandau, Yale / TJ Malone, Penn State / Chris Lyons, Yale
Midfield – Matt Traynor, Penn State / Brian Tevlin, Notre Dame / Garrett Leadmon, Duke
Short-Stick Defensive Midfield — Dante Trader Jr., Maryland / Ben Ramsey, Notre Dame
Long-Stick Midfield — Tyler Carpenter, Duke
Defense — Chris Fake, Notre Dame / Mason Woodward, Marqueete / AJ Pilate, Army
Goalkeeper — Matt Knote, UMass / Will Mark, Syracuse
Faceoff – Petey LaSalla, Virginia / Luke Wierman, Maryland / Justin Wietfeldt, Michigan

Honorable Mention
Attack – Russell Melendez, Johns Hopkins / Payton Cormier, Virginia / Josh Zawada, Michigan / Michael Boehm, Michigan / Joey Spallina, Syracuse / Dyson Williams, Duke / Chris Kavanagh, Notre Dame / Brian Minicus, Georgetown / Andrew McAdorey, Duke / Ross Scott, Rutgers / Scott Cole, Lehigh / Vince D’Alto, Boston University
Midfield – Cole Kirst, Syracuse / Jake Morin, Army / Evan Plunkett, Army / Kyle Long, Maryland / Kevin Winkoff, Penn State / Matt Collison, Johns Hopkins / Thomas Greenblatt, Binghamton / Max Hewitt, Navy
Short-Stick Defensive Midfield — Grayson Sallade, Virginia / Piper Bond, Penn / Brett Martin, Johns Hopkins, Evan Zinn, Virginia / Grant Haus, Penn State / Dylan Hess, Georgetown
Long-Stick Midfield — Will Donovan, Notre Dame / Jack Stuzin, Yale / B.J. Farrare, Penn / Troy Hettinger, Jacksonville
Defense — Cole Kastner, Virginia / Scott Smith, Johns Hopkins / richard Checo, Lehigh / Jack Posey, Penn State / Cam Wyers, Loyola / Wilson Stephenson, Duke / Bobby Van Buren, Ohio State / Jackson Bonitz, Navy / Jake Piseno, Albany, Grant Ammann, High Point
Goalkeeper — Michael Gianforcaro, Princeton / Chayse Ierlan, Cornell
Faceoff – Zach Cole, Saint Joseph’s / Will Coletti, Army