(Story courtesy of Colorado College Athletic Communications)
LOUISVILLE, Ky., - Anders Erickson and Billy Hutchison, who helped lead the Colorado College men's lacrosse team to a 13-4 record and the program's first-ever appearance in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Division III Championship, were named Honorable-Mention All-Americans by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association.
Erickson, who was named Offensive Player of the Year by the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, led the Tigers with 42 goals, 44 assists and 86 points. With a goal and an assist in the NCAA quarterfinal game at No. 3 RIT, he climbed into third place on the program's single-season points list.
Erickson also is third in in single-season assists and tied for 14th in single-season goals. He became just the second player in program history to record 40 or more goals and assists in the same season, joining Mike Alkaitis, who had 45 goals and 40 assists in 1990, on the exclusive list.
During his debut season as a Tiger, Erickson struck for a season-high seven goals and set up four others in the 22-8 victory over Adams State University. During the 31-11 victory over Southwestern University in the SCAC Championship game, he recorded five goals and six assists to set the tournament and championship-game record with 11 points and share the mark for assists with junior attackman Elliot Nelson.
Hutchison, the SCAC's co-Defensive Player of the Year, anchored CC's defense that ranks first in the conference with 10.15 goals-against average and a .825 success rate when playing a man down. In the second round of the NCAA tournament, the Tigers held Centre College to its fewest goals this season during the 19-6 victory.
The two-time co-captain ranked second on the team with 13 caused turnovers and was sixth with 33 ground balls, both of which are career highs. Despite playing a variety of positions throughout his career, including close defense during his final two seasons, Hutchison finished his career ranked No. 11 with 33 caused turnovers and No. 21 with 83 ground balls.
This season, Hutchison matched his career high of three caused turnovers during both regular-season victories over Southwestern, and recorded a season-best four ground balls against Colorado Mesa University and again in the SCAC championship game.
Erickson and Hutchison are the 15th and 16th Tigers to be recognized by the USILA and their honors mark the fifth time CC has had two or more players named honorable-mention All-Americans during the same season.
Colorado College's list of recipients includes Jon Gottesfeld (1992), Niels Maumenee (1996), Andrew Denatale (1999), Andrew Giaimo (2005), Hunter Combs (2008), Zach Hoisington, (2010, 2011), Steve Rijo (2013), Chase Murphy (2013, 2015, 2016), Jack Kreitler (2014), Henri Halle (2015), Tim Jenkins (2015), Austin Davie (2016, 2017), Parker Woo (2017) and Robbie Stern (2018). Andrew Harwood earned the distinction from Inside Lacrosse in 2020.
