North Bay, ON – The Nipissing Men's Lacrosse team capped a fantastic 2025 season with the announcement of players and staff earning Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association (CUFLA) major awards and All-Canadian Team honours.
Jason Knox was named 2025 Outstanding Attack of the Year and a member of the All-Canadian Team by CUFLA. Knox was a workhorse for the Lakers, playing in 13 games, scoring 40 goals, 34 assists – good for a tie-2nd place finish in the league with 74 points. Knox, hailing from Huntsville, Ontario, finished the season with a 2nd-place 5.69 pts/game in league scoring. Jason potted 7 power play goals, 1 shorthanded goal, 4 game winning goals, 16 unassisted goals, and 9 hattricks for the Lakers.
Knox was a key piece of the Lakers offensive attack in 2025 and is a very deserving recipient of this major award.
Zach Tarr was named Outstanding Midfielder of the Year and a member of the All-Canadian Team by CUFLA. Tarr was another instrumental part of Nipissing's success in 2025. Tarr finished the season with 39 goals, 35 assists, good for 74 points and a tie for 2nd-place in league scoring. The Milton, Ontario product racked up 5.29 pts/game, ranked 5th in the league. Zach scored 6 power play goals, 1 shorthanded goal, had 3 game winning goals, and 16 unassisted goals. Tarr tied teammate Jason Knox with 9 hattricks.
Tarr's selection as Midfielder of the Year caps off an impressive season in CUFLA action.
Callum Jeffrey was named Outstanding Shortstick Defensive Midfielder, as well as an All-Canadian, in the 2025 CUFLA End of Season awards. From Scarborough, Ontario, Jeffrey scored 8 goals and added 5 assists this season for the Lakers, an impressive stat line for a primarily defensive position on the field. Jeffrey appeared in 14 games for Nipissing, adding 1 power play assist, 1 shorthanded assist, 1 game winning goal, 3 unassisted goals, 1 overtime game winner, and 1 hattrick. Jeffrey was a stalwart for the Lakers defence this season, confidently moving the ball around and applying pressure on the opposition's attack.
Callum is a well-deserved All-Canadian and recipient of the Defensive Midfielder award.
The Nipissing Lakers Coaching Staff was named the 2025 CUFLA Coaching Staff of the Year for the 2025 season. The Lakers are led by Head Coach Jason Rudge, Assistant Coach Keagan Legere and Assistant Coach Josh Laporte. Rudge, Legere and Laporte led the Lakers to a 10-4 record for the 2025 season, good for 2nd in the league. Nipissing had a +31 goal differential, scoring 176 goals in 14 games. The Lakers finished an impressive 2025 season with a 2nd place finish at the Baggataway Cup.
Nipissing Head Coach Jason Rudge said in an interview "Having that winning mindset all year is hugely important. Getting a taste of playoff lacrosse success was fantastic for the guys, although it was tough seeing the opponent celebrate at the end of the final game. We were undefeated at home in 2025, going 6-0, which is a massive advantage for us... I'm excited about the program that we are creating, and we're excited for 2026 and beyond."
Nipissing's coaching staff is ready and looking towards 2026 as another big year for the program, with roughly 95% of the 2025 roster returning next season for the Lakers.
#GoLakers
