WMVO Good Times Great Oldies
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — For the second straight season, the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) named three Kenyon College men’s lacrosse team players to the organization’s All-America Team. On Thursday, the USILA announced that Thomas Nelson was named to the 2024 All-America Third Team, while David Chintala and Rollins Heath earned All-America status as Honorable Mention selections.
After not having three USILA All-Americans in the same season since 1957, a trio of Owls have earned the honor in back-to-back years. Last season, Heath and Nelson were named to the USILA All-America Team as honorable mentions, making the pair the second Kenyon duo to earn consecutive All-America awards since Robert Heaps and Dave Cronin went back-to-back in 1972 and 1973.
Nelson added to his impressive list of awards over the last two seasons. The junior jumped from an honorable mention to the All-America Third Team after a season that also saw him secure a second straight All-America Second Team selection by USA Lacrosse. The face-off specialist also won the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Specialist of the Year award and represented the Owls on the all-conference first team. Nelson was just one of five face-off specialists to slot onto the top three USILA All-America teams, and he earned his place by posting a .681 winning percentage that paced the NCAC and ranked seventh in the nation. His 271 face-off wins in 398 tries set a Kenyon record and ranked 11th amongst DIII players, and he also garnered a program-record 189 ground balls. His 9.95 ground balls per game ranked 16th in Division III.
Heath hauled in a second straight All-America honor after an impressive campaign that saw him rank second on the team with 49 points. The junior impacted multiple areas of the game, racking up the team’s third-most goals (30) and second-most assists (19) while ranking behind only Nelson in ground balls (52). The midfielder earned All-NCAC Second Team honors this season, and he joins Nelson as one of just eight Kenyon men’s lacrosse players to earn multiple All-America awards.
Chintala collected his first All-America award after a stellar sophomore season. He led the Kenyon attack with 72 points, setting career-best marks with 57 goals and 15 assists. Chintala ranked second in the NCAC in goals and fourth in goals per game (3.00), pacing an Owls offense that ranked second in the league in scoring (13.84) and first in assists (7.42). Additionally, the attackman’s 45 ground balls ranked third behind Nelson and Heath. In the Kenyon single-season record book, Chintala’s 2024 campaign ranks second in goals and tied for third in points.
The trio helped Kenyon compile a 13-6 overall record this season, including a 6-2 mark in NCAC play, and the Owls advanced to the NCAC Tournament Championship game for the third straight season.
