SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Air Force attackman Ethan Grandolfo and Richmond goalkeeper Jack Rusbuldt have been named the Southern Conference men’s lacrosse offensive and defensive players of the week, respectively, for all games April 13-19. The awards are selected by the league office.
 
Grandolfo had eight points in the Falcons’ 18-4 win over VMI on Saturday, scoring six goals and adding two assists to tie for fourth in program history in single-game points and goals. The sophomore from Wilton, Connecticut, netted a hat trick in the first quarter alone, adding two more goals in the second quarter before completing the double hat trick early in the fourth. Grandolfo leads Air Force with 18 goals on the season, while his six Saturday were a season high for any Falcon player.
 
Rusbuldt had solid day in goal for the Spiders as Richmond downed Jacksonville 14-7 in a battle of 3-0 SoCon squads. The graduate student from Richmond, Virginia, made 11 saves on the day and allowed just six goals in 57:38 of work, with his .647 save percentage a season high. His efforts helped limit the Dolphins, who entered the game receiving votes in the Inside Lacrosse national poll, to just seven goals, less than half of their 15.0 per-game average through their first three league games.
 
Air Force (3-7, 2-2 SoCon) hosts High Point (4-5, 3-1) on Saturday at 11 a.m. MT / 1 p.m. ET. Richmond (5-4, 4-0) visits Mercer (4-6, 1-2) the following day at 11 a.m. ET. The Spiders are ranked 14^th in the USILA/Dynamic Coaches poll and 15^th in the Inside Lacrosse and Nike/US Lacrosse Magazine polls.
 
Other offensive nominees: Christian Della Rocco (Bellarmine), Collin Hoben (High Point), Sean Goldsmith (Mercer) and Dalton Young (Richmond).
 
Other defensive nominees: Jason Rose (Air Force), Eric Rubak (Bellarmine) and Grant Ammann (High Point).
 
2021 Southern Conference Men’s Lacrosse Players of the Week
Offense
Feb. 16             Jack Dolan, R-Jr., M, Jacksonville
Feb. 23             Asher Nolting, Sr., A, High Point
March 2            Will McCarthy, Sr., M, Mercer
March 9            Ryan Lanchbury, Sr., A, Richmond
March 16          Dalton Young, So., A, Richmond
March 23          Ryan Lanchbury, Sr., A, Richmond
March 30          Dalton Young, So., A, Richmond
April 6               Asher Nolting, Sr., A, High Point
April 13             Matt Stagnitta, 5th, A, Jacksonville
April 20             Ethan Grandolfo, So., A, Air Force
 
Defense
Feb. 16             Ashton Wood, Jr., FO, Mercer
Feb. 23             Braden Host, Sr., GK, Air Force
March 2            Jack Rusbuldt, Gr., GK, Richmond
March 9            Colin Kelley, So., GK, Mercer
March 16          Jacob Griffin, Jr., FO, Richmond
March 23          Jacob Griffin, Jr., FO, Richmond
March 30          Nathan Kapp, R-Fr., FO, Jacksonville
April 6               Ashton Wood, Jr., FO, Mercer
April 13             Jason Yoquinto, GK, R-Jr., Jacksonville
April 20             Jack Rusbuldt, Gr., GK, Richmond