St. John's University Athletics
Brian Kelly and Bobby Seel Named to Preseason All-BIG EAST Team
1/23/2025 12:06:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
The seniors become the first Johnnies to be tabbed to the league’s preseason team since 2021
NEW YORK – St. John's lacrosse seniors Brian Kelly and Bobby Seel were named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team, the conference announced on Thursday.
Both scoring threats eclipsed the 40-point mark in 2024 to earn spots on the postseason All-BIG EAST teams for the first time in their careers, helping guide Red Storm to its best record since 2019. Kelly became the first Johnnie elected to the First Team since Eric DeJohn earned first-team honors in 2016. Seel was tabbed to the second team.
Kelly picked up his third straight 40-point season in 2024, leading the Red Storm with 29 goals and 44 points. The Red Hook, N.Y., native added 15 assists and recorded multiple points in 11 games.
Serving as team captain for the first time in 2024, Kelly also earned a BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week award and was named to the USILA Division I National Team of the Week last season following his five-point effort against Marquette on March 30. His 1.93 goals per game was seventh-best in the conference in 2024.
The attackman enters 2025 with 136 points, seventh most in St. John's lacrosse history, and is the second Red Storm player since the program's reinstatement in 2005 to reach 40 points in each of his first three seasons, joining Mike Madsen.
Seel burst onto the scene last season, setting new career-bests with 41 points, 25 goals and a team-best 16 assists.
The Garden City, N.Y., product recorded at least one point in all 15 games for the Red Storm this season, finding the back of the net in 14 of them. Seel racked up multiple points in 12 games, including a career-best six points on four goals and two assists in the Red Storm's 13-6 triumph over Binghamton on March 9, earning him a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll.
During BIG EAST play last season, Seel ranked fifth in the conference in assists per game, tallying 1.4 per outing and 10th in points per contest with 2.6.
Kelly and Seel become the first St. John's players elected to the Preseason All-BIG EAST squad since Madsen in 2021 and are the first to earn the distinction under third-year Head Coach Justin Turri. The Red Storm was selected tied for fifth in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll. Six-time defending BIG EAST Champion Georgetown was selected first. The full preseason coaches' poll and All-BIG EAST Team are below.
2025 Men's Lacrosse Preseason All-BIG EAST Team and Coaches' Poll
BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Ryan Bell, Providence, Sr., M
BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Jimmy Freehill, Denver, Sr., D ^
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team *
Jimmy Freehill, Denver, Sr., D ^
Mic Kelly, Denver, Sr., M
Malcolm Kleban, Denver, R-Sr., GK
Casey Wilson, Denver, Sr., SSDM ^
Aidan Carroll, Georgetown, Gr., A^
Ty Banks, Georgetown, So, D^
Anderson Moore, Georgetown, So., GK ^
James Ball, Georgetown, Gr., FOS
Patrick Crogan, Georgetown, Jr., M
Bobby O'Grady, Marquette, Sr., A
Ryan Bell, Providence, Sr., M ^
Richie Joseph, Providence, Jr., A ^
Brian Kelly, St. John's, Sr., A
Bobby Seel, St. John's, Sr., M
Matt Licata, Villanova, Gr., A ^
Jack Shoemaker, Villanova, Jr., D
^denotes unanimous selection
*due to a tie, 16 players on the All-BIG EAST Team
BIG EAST Preseason Men's Lacrosse Coaches' Poll
First-place votes in ( )
1. Georgetown (5) 25 pts.
2. Denver (1) 20
3. Villanova 16
4. Providence 15
5. St. John's 7
5. Marquette 7
