BOULDER (5/27/11) - Five University of Colorado men’s lacrosse players were named 2011 All-Americans in the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association. Seniors A.J. Blackburn, Ryan Burt and Tyler Padzik and sophomores Jack Cranston and Hap Knowles all received All-America honors.
Blackburn’s 39 goals and 21 assists earned him first team All-America accolades at attack. He was named a second team All-American in 2010 while picking up honorable mentions in 2008 and 2009. Blackburn was named to the All-Conference second team at attack in the Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Conference this season. He was named to the conference's first team the previous three years.
Cranston received second team All-America honors after scoring 21 goals and picking up six assists this season. Cranston, who was making his debut with the Buffs in 2011 after transferring from the University of Vermont, was also named first team All-Conference at midfield in the RMLC in 2011.
Defenseman Burt and long stick midfielder Knowles' excellent defensive play earned them third team All-America awards. Knowles and Burt finished one-two on the team in ground balls with Knowles scooping up 74 balls while Burt picked up 60. Also this season, Knowles was named first team All-Conference at LSM in the RMLC and was named the conference's Defensive Player of the Year. Burt was also named first team All-Conference at defense this season.
Padzik, one of the squad's four team captains, was an honorable mention All-American at defensive midfielder. He was also an All-Conference honorable mention in the RMLC this season as well.
Colorado finished the season at 11-6 and tenth in the MCLA Mag Adidas Poll after losing 10-9 to Boston College in the first round of the MCLA National Championships at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo., on May 17.
