VESTAL, N.Y. – After completing its first week of games for the 2026 season, the Binghamton men's lacrosse team has already received its first weekly award, as Connor Winters was named Goalkeeper of the Week by the America East Conference on Monday.
 
This is the third time in Winters' career that he has been named Goalkeeper of the Week after the award was created by the America East before the start of the 2025 season. Winters previously received the honor on March 31 and April 28 of that year. Previously, he was also named the conference's Defensive Player of the Week three times between 2023 and 2024 (March 20, 2023, April 17, 2023, and April 8, 2024).
 
In Binghamton's season opener at Lafayette on Feb. 10, the graduate student from Webster, N.Y., stopped 15 shots, caused one turnover and collected one ground ball for the Bearcats while allowing 10 goals. His most notable moment in that game, however, came while he was on offense. With just over a minute left in the third quarter, Winters received the ball from behind his own goal. After moving up the field with it while spinning around a defender, Winters caught the Leopards with their netminder outside of his goal. Winters proceeded to shoot the ball into the empty net from 70 yards away for his second collegiate goal. His first tally came against Merrimack on March 18, 2023.
 
In Binghamton's next game at home against St. Bonaventure on Feb. 14, Winters remained consistent as he made 13 saves and collected two ground balls while giving up 10 goals against the Bonnies.
 
Winters, who serves as one of Binghamton's team captains, leads the America East in both save percentage (.583) and goals against average (10.00). He is also tied for the league lead in saves per game at 14.00.
 
Binghamton has another two games lined up this week. First, the Bearcats travel up the road to Loudonville, N.Y., to face Siena at 2 p.m., on Tuesday at Hickey Field. Then, Binghamton hosts Marist at the Bearcats Sports Complex at noon on Saturday. The first 100 fans entering the Bearcats Sports Complex that day receive a beanie as part of Binghamton's Beanies with the Boys promotion. Admission to all of Binghamton's home games this season is free on behalf of Station 45 American Chop House.
 
Station 45 American Chop House is the presenting sponsor of Bearcats Men's Lacrosse.