Adelphi one win from first three-peat in Division II men's lacrosse history
Braden Donnellan of Adelphi takes a shot in the third quarter of a NCAA Division II men's lacrosse national semifinal against Molloy on May 17, 2026, in Garden City. Credit: Michael A. Rupolo Sr.
With nine national championships on its resume, Adelphi is already the biggest name, by far, in NCAA Division II men’s lacrosse. But on Sunday, the Panthers have a chance to make history.
If they beat the University of Tampa in this year’s championship game, Adelphi would not only earn its record 10th national title, but it would become the first school to win three consecutive NCAA Division II men’s lacrosse national titles, matching a feat the women’s team accomplished in 2009-11.
And even for a team that expects to win all the time, that would be a big deal.
“It definitely means a lot, just for us as a team,’’ junior attackman Braden Donnellan told Newsday in a telephone interview Friday. “Ever since my first year here, after we won the first national championship [in 2024], it's been almost the standard to get there. So, we're just really excited to be able to play in this game again, and try to get it done.’’
“It’s a blessing to be able to win one national championship in your life,’’ Donnellan’s fellow junior attackman Michael Durnin added. “Not many people can say that. And so, let's say hypothetically, if we win three, it would just be a great accomplishment.
“But… we're focused on winning one national championship right now, in this one game. And then after that, that's when all the history comes in.’’
Adelphi, which beat Tampa, 9-8, in overtime in the final last season, and beat Lenoir-Rhyne in the final in 2024, had seven first team All-Americans in 2026, and nearly swept the individual player awards. They had the Outstanding Player of the Year and Outstanding Midfielder in Kyle Lewis; Outstanding Goalie (Christian Tomei); Defender of the Year (Ries Bower); Long Pole Midfielder of the Year (Carter Linkletter), and Outstanding Attackman (Donnellan).
Donnellan leads the Panthers in scoring this season with 91 points (23 goals, 68 assists) in 18 games, and Durnin leads them in goals, with 56. They, along with their childhood friend, midfielder Danny Fisenne, and seniors Lewis and Noah Gibson powered an offense that averaged 16.6 goals per game, fifth-best in Division II.
Donnellan, from Massapequa and Plainedge High School, Durnin, from Massapequa Park and Massapequa High School, and Fisenne, from Wantagh and Wantagh High School, all played on the same club team, coached by Adelphi associate coach Joe Catalanotti, from the time they were in second grade.
“He had me watching them in 10th grade, saying if we have these guys on our team, we're going to win a national championship,’’ Adelphi head coach Gordon Purdie said of the trio.
According to both Donnellan and Durnin, who currently room together, there wasn’t any kind of pact among the three friends to all attend Adelphi. Durnin, a USILA second team All-American, was focused on coming to Adelphi all along because his older brother, Ryan, went there, and he wanted to play with his brother. Donnellan, a two-time consensus Division II first team All-American and two-time Outstanding Attackman, said he had “a few’’ Division 1 colleges interested in him, but he “always had a really good connection’’ with Catalanotti, and knew some of the Adelphi players.
“I just thought this would be a better fit for me,’’ he said.
A lot of quality players now believe Adelphi is the best fit. While Lewis, who is from Franklin Square and Carey High School, Donnellan, Durnin and Fisenne came in as freshmen, the Panthers are now reloading every year from the transfer portal. Gibson, Bowers, Linkletter and Tomei — none of whom are from Long Island — all came in as transfers to join the party.
“My freshman year it was mostly Long Island kids,’’ Donnellan said. “It still is mostly Long Island kids. But now we’ve got Canadians, kids from out of state that probably would never have heard of Adelphi until these past three years that have happened.’’
“I can't tell you how many recruits right now out of the transfer portal are putting their hand up and saying, ‘Please put a package together that I can afford to go to Adelphi,’’’ Purdie said.
“It's great being the juggernaut,’’ Donnellan said. “I mean, getting the best players at every position, it really does good things for your team.’’
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
