SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Air Force’s Brandon Dodd and Braden Host have been named the Southern Conference men’s lacrosse offensive and defensive players of the week, respectively, after helping the Falcons top No. 5 Duke to open the season on Saturday. The awards are selected by the league office.
 
Dodd and Host were also named to the USILA DI Team of the Week on Tuesday. For the USILA's release, click here.

Dodd had quite the career debut, as the freshman from Logan, Utah, scored four goals and added four assists for an eight-point day in Air Force’s 14-13 win at the fifth-ranked Blue Devils. Three of Dodd’s assists came in the first quarter as the Falcons began to dig out of a 5-0 hole, and all four of his goals came in the second half, including the eventual game-winner with 48 seconds left. Dodd’s eight points tie for seventh in a game in SoCon history and are the most ever registered against Duke by an Air Force player.
 
Host faced 47 shots in his season debut, with the junior from Aurora, Colorado, stopping 17 of them to lead the Falcons on defense. His 17 saves tied for second-most in his career, trailing only the 19 he had against then-No. 2 Yale last season and equaling the 17 he had against then-No. 8 Denver in his 2019 season opener. Host, who also picked up a pair of ground balls against Duke, posted a .567 save percentage on the day.
 
Air Force (1-0), which beat Duke for the third time in the last four meetings, returns to action Saturday when it hosts in-state rival and top-10 foe Denver. The Pioneers enter the contest ranked No. 9 by the USILA and No. 8 in the Nike/US Lacrosse Top 25.
 
Other offensive nominees: Landon Trout (Bellarmine), Anders Erickson (Furman), Tyler Hendryks (High Point), Evan Tyler (Jacksonville) and Sean Goldsmith (Mercer).
 
Other defensive nominees: Alec Van de Bovenkamp (Furman), Parker Green (High Point) and Ashton Wood (Mercer).
 
2020 Southern Conference Men’s Lacrosse Players of the Week
Offense
Feb. 4      Brandon Dodd, Air Force
 
Defense
Feb. 4      Braden Host, Air Force