Fairfield University men’s lacrosse great Greg Downing ‘07 was selected among 23 players to participate in the 2015 U.S. Men’s Indoor National Team, as announced by U.S. Lacrosse.
Downing spent his collegiate career at Fairfield University starting in 2004 until his graduation in 2007. In his first year at Fairfield, Downing averaged 2.36 points per game as he finished with 33 points, 10 assists and 23 goals for the season to earn Rookie of the Year in 2004 by the Great Western Lacrosse League.
In his sophomore campaign, Downing improved dramatically as he earned more playing time and increased his play as he averaged 2.88 points per game to finish the season with a total of 46 points, 14 assists and 32 goals. Behind Downing’s great play, the Stags finished the season 11-5 and went on to the Great Western Lacrosse Championship and the National Collegiate Athletic Association Men’s Lacrosse Championship Tournament. After a breakout year, Downing was recognized as he was named to the All-Great Western Lacrosse League First Team and the All-New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association First Team.
Heading into both the 2006 and 2007 season, Downing was selected for the Tewaaraton Trophy Preseason Watchlist, which is given to the nation’s most outstanding NCAA lacrosse player. Although the Stags struggled to pick up wins that season, Downing continued to work hard to improve every facet of his game and lead his teammates. Downing continued to improve year by year, especially in his third year at Fairfield which earned him the Great Western Lacrosse League Offensive Player of the Year at the end of the season and All-Eastern College Athletic Conference First Team Honors, which he received this same honor the following season.
Downing ended his Fairfield career on a good note as he had yet another solid season and became an United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association All Star. Once again, Downing was named into the All-New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association first team for the second time in his career. After his career as a Stag was over, Downing became the first-ever Stag to be chosen in the Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft as the sixth overall pick by the Los Angeles Riptide in 2007 and remains Fairfield’s only first round pick in program history. Downing was also selected in the fourth round in the 2007 National Lacrosse League expansion draft by the Boston Blazers. In 2013, Downing received a huge honor as he was inducted into the Fairfield Alumni Association Athletic Hall of Fame.
Downing is now a member of the Boston Cannons of Major League Lacrosse and with the Georgia Swarm of the the National Lacrosse League. Downing and Team USA will compete in the Federation of International Lacrosse World Indoor Championship from Sept. 18-27 in Onondaga Nation and Syracuse, New York.
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