The National Collegiate Box Series (NCBS) National Championship is coming to Frank Ritter Arena in Rochester, NY. The world’s best college box lacrosse players will converge on the campus of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) from Aug. 6-9 to battle for the prestigious NCBS Cup. The event is presented by the United States Box Lacrosse Association (USBOXLA).
“From Denver University’s Trevor Baptiste to Jack Hannah and now Notre Dame’s Jake Taylor, the NCBS is the proving ground for tomorrow’s lacrosse stars,” said USBOXLA founder and president Shaydon Santos. “We are thrilled to finally bring this event to Rochester, NY, the campus of RIT, and their historic lacrosse program. Our goal is to make the NCBS Championship Series as accessible as possible for American collegiate players who cannot deny the benefits and thrill of elite-level box lacrosse.”
Tickets are $5 for kids and $10 for adults and can be purchased on-site. Seats are also available online at www.rittickets.com. Fans can park in Lots N, G, and H, which are across from Ritter Arena’s Lot D. The games will also be streamed live on NLL+.
The Rochester Hawkeyes enter the tournament as the defending champions. In 2024, the Hawkeyes won the national championship, earning a thrilling 14-13 overtime victory in Utica, NY. The team is coached by Knighthawks players Dan Coates, Ryland Rees, and Taylor Jensen, along with veteran box coaches Jordan Jarvis and Brenden Dobbins.
The Hawkeyes’ roster features past Section V standouts and college All-Americans. Team captain Conner Fingar, who hails from Penn Yan, was a 2024 draft pick of the hometown Rochester Knighthawks.
“It is pretty surreal to think that this group is going to their fourth straight Collegiate Box Nationals,” said Coates. “Our team has really enjoyed getting to compete against the other top box programs from around the U.S. Every year, it seems like the quality of play is getting that much better as more players are investing in the box game.”
“To have the Nationals in Rochester, in our backyard, is a great opportunity for not only our players but their families and friends as well,” he added. “Hopefully, we can get a lot of green and gold at Ritter Arena!”
“I am very excited to be back behind the bench for the Hawkeyes,” said Rees. “This team has been a pleasure to work with over the past couple of years. It has been amazing to see the dedication and commitment these guys have made to learn and grow as a team.”
This year’s event features teams from collegiate box lacrosse leagues from Colorado (CCBLL), Connecticut (CTCBLL), Upstate New York (UCBLL), California (CACBLL), Philadelphia (GPCBLL), and the DMV (Delaware-Maryland-Virginia area).
In 2025, the National Championship will be played in the 2,100-seat Ritter Arena, on the campus of RIT. The university is home to one of the premier lacrosse programs in the country. The RIT Tigers men’s lacrosse team has won two national titles, made 16 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, and advanced to five championship games under head coach and former Knighthawks Jake Coon (head coach) and Shawn Wilkins (assistant coach).
“We are really excited to be hosting the collegiate box championships this coming year in Ritter Arena at RIT,” said Coon. “The box game has had such a huge influence and impact on so many of our players, both in youth and throughout high school. It is wonderful to see them carrying it on with the collegiate box league and continuing to grow their skill set.”
RIT has produced over a dozen NLL players, including Rochester Knighthawks Brad Gillies and Taylor Jensen, and former Upstate Collegiate Box Lacrosse League standout and current Las Vegas Desert Dog Luke Pilcher. Current RIT Tigers Liam Wheeler, Jackson McEnerney, Ian Dinga, Nate Senez, Cade Ratliff-Kailbourne, Clifford Gaston, and Sam Bennett have all played in the UCBLL.
