Navy men's lacrosse head coach
Joe Amplo announced today that rising seniors
Kyle Fairbanks (Potomac, Md.) and
Patrick Skalniak (Dallas, Texas) have been selected by their teammates to serve as team captains for the 2023 season.
Fairbanks is coming off his first season as a starter at close defense and one in which he was the recipient of the Coach Willis P. Bilderback Award presented to the team's top defensive player. He helped orchestrate a defensive unit that currently stands 12th nationally and #2 in the Patriot League in scoring defense, allowing 10.13 goals per game. Navy held 6 of its 15 opponents to single digits this spring, earning victories in each of the six. Navy's defense held three-consecutive opponents to 6 or fewer goals (5 by Mercer, 6 by Hofstra, 6 by Manhattan), marking the first time the Mids have achieved that mark since holding six-straight foes to 5 or fewer goals in 2008. Fairbanks closed out the season tied for fourth on the team with 12 caused turnovers, while grabbing 22 ground balls.
Fairbanks was also recognized this spring for excellence in the classroom. He was among 12 student-athletes named to the 2022 Academic All-Patriot League Men's Lacrosse Team. Fairbanks owns a 3.87 cumulative grade-point average in Cyber Operations and has been named to the Dean's and Commandant's Lists five times, while also earning Superintendent's List accolades once. He has twice been named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll and is expected to again earn that honor this spring. He currently ranks among the top 13 percent of his class (1,051 students) in both Academic and Overall Order of Merit.
A two-time First-Team All-Patriot League midfielder, Skalniak led the Mids in 2022 with 48 points on a team-best 28 goals and 20 assists. He closed out the season as one of just five midfielders in the program's 115-year history to reach 40 points in a single season with his 48 points tying Ryan Wade (2019) as the third most by a Navy midfielder. Skalniak joined forces with fellow Navy midfielders
Dane Swanson (So / St. Mary's City, Md.) and
Max Hewitt (So / Denver, Colo.) this spring to become the first trio in school history to each reach 30 points (Swanson 21-17=38 / Hewitt 20-12=32). Skalniak was named a 2022 Honorable Mention All-American by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association, Third-Team All-American by USA Lacrosse Magazine and a Honorable Mention All-American by Inside Lacrosse.
Skalniak, who has started 28 of the 29 games Navy has played over the last 3 years, has produced a point in all 29 contests (22 gms with a goal / 23 gms with an assist). He heads into his senior campaign having amassed 82 points on 45 goals and 37 assists. He needs 18 points to become the 37th player and 11th midfielder in school history to reach 100 for their career.
### Go Navy ###
