Isaac Paparo

Photo by: Jon Crispin

Photo by: THOM KENDALL FOR UMASS ATHLETICS

Photo by: Thom Kendall - UMass Athletics

Photo by: Thom Kendall - UMass Athletics

Photo by: Thom Kendall - UMass Athletics

Position:
Close Defense
Height:
5-7
Weight:
170
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Westport, Conn.
High School:
Staples

Pronunciation

• Isaac puh-PAR-oh

International and Professional Competition

• Selected to the Israel National Team for the 2018 FIL World Championship
• Named a 2018 FIL World Championship Team MVP for his part in Israel finishing seventh among the 46 participating teams
• Drafted into Major League Lacrosse by the Dallas Rattlers (3rd round, 22nd overall)
• Drafted into the Premier Lacrosse League by Whipsnakes LC (3rd round, 16th overall)
• Signed to play with Whipsnakes LC on May 15, 2019

2019 • Senior

• Tewaaraton Award Nominee (April 25, 2019; one of only 25)
• Inside Lacrosse All-America First Team (Long-Stick Midfield)
• USILA All-America Second Team (Long-Stick Midfield)
• USILA Academic All-America
• NEILA All-Region First Team (Close Defense)
• All-CAA First Team (Close Defense)
• All-CAA First Team (Long-Stick Midfield)
• All-ECAC First Team (Long-Stick Midfield)
• USILA North-South Senior All-Star Game
• NEILA All-Academic Team
• CAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll
• Inside Lacrosse Preseason All-America Third Team (Close Defense)
• NEILA Preseason All-Region First Team (Close Defense)
• Preseason CAA Co-Player of the Year
• CAA Player of the Week (March 18)
• CAA Player of the Week (April 16)
• Started all 15 games at close defense and also held a long-stick midfield role during clear and ride situations as well as during faceoffs
• Posted a single-season career high of 65 groundballs and added a CAA-leading 31 caused turnovers
• Also provided 10 points on the season via seven goals and three assists
• Had at least one groundball in every game, multiple in 14 and five or more in six outings
• Earned a minimum of one caused turnover in 14 of 15 games, with multiple in 11
• Started the year with five groundballs, three caused turnovers and one assist against Army (2/9)
• Scored once and notched three groundballs with two caused turnovers in the comeback win at Harvard (2/23)
• Forced three turnovers and scooped up two groundballs during the game at No. 4 Yale (3/2)
• Had seven groundballs with three caused turnovers during the win at Albany (3/5)
• Provided two goals including the eventual game-winner, seven groundballs and a pair of caused turnovers against UMass Lowell (3/12)
• Added another seven-groundball game, created four turnovers and handed out an assist in the win over Utah (3/17)
• Converted once and secured four groundballs during the 14-7 win over Brown (3/23)
• Tallied twice, scooped up five groundballs and provided two caused turnovers at Hofstra (4/6)
• Caused two turnovers and nabbed four groundballs against Fairfield (4/20)
• Closed his career with three groundballs, two caused turnovers and one assist in the CAA Championship Semifinal game against Drexel (5/2)

2018 • Junior

• CAA Player of the Year
• USILA All-America Honorable Mention (Close Defense)
• Inside Lacrosse All-America Honorable Mention (Close Defense)
• Jewish Sports Review All-American Team (Close Defense)
• NEILA All-Region First Team (Close Defense)
• All-CAA First Team (Close Defense)
• Tewaaraton Award Watch List
• CAA All-Championship Team
• NEILA Preseason All-Region First Team (Close Defense)
• CAA Preseason All-Conference (Close Defense)
• ECAC Academic Honor Roll
• CAA Commissioner's Honor Roll
• Finished his junior campaign with 45 groundballs, 25 caused turnovers and 13 points via five goals and eight assists
• Was the highest scoring long-pole player across the CAA with his single-season best totals for points, goals and assists
• Earned multiple groundballs in 10 games and had at least one caused turnover in 14 appearances
• Spread his 13 points across 10 games played, with multiple points versus Hartford, Hofstra during the regular season meeting and No. 5 Yale in the NCAA Tournament
• Produced six of his 13 points in the last four games of the season, and had at least one point in eight of the final 10 games
• Named team tri-captain (Jake Lisauskas, Shane Rinkus)
• One of only three Minutemen during head coach Greg Cannella's tenure to be named a captain during his junior season (Buddy Hoffman in 1995 and Ryan Izzo in 2014)
• Started the season with five groundballs, three caused turnovers and one goal at No. 16 Army (2/10)
• Had two caused turnovers and a groundball during the 17-3 win over NJIT (3/10)
• Posted five groundballs, two caused turnovers and an assist in the victory at UMass Lowell (3/14)
• Dished out a pair of assists, caused two turnovers and collected four groundballs during the win over Hartford (3/17)
• Notched three caused turnovers and as many groundballs during the win at Brown (3/24)
• Scored once, caused a turnover and grabbed four groundballs at Drexel (3/31)
• Grabbed three groundballs, caused a turnover and dished out an assist at Delaware (4/6)
• Caused two turnovers and grabbed one groundball in the win over Towson (4/14)
• Posted a career-best seven groundballs and three caused turnovers during the 11-4 win at Fairfield (4/21)
• Had a groundball, caused turnover and a pair of assists during the win over Hofstra (4/27)
• Scored on his lone shot and scooped up two groundballs during the 2018 CAA Championship Game victory over Towson (5/5)
• Posted a pair of goals and a groundball during the NCAA Championship First Round game at No. 3 seed and No. 5 nationally ranked Yale (5/12)
• Was the first UMass long-stick player with multiple goals in a game since Ryan Hollenbaugh had two against Drexel in the CAA Championship Game on May 5, 2012

2017 • Sophomore

• NEILA All-Region Second Team (Close Defense)
• All-CAA Second Team (Close Defense)
• CAA All-Championship Team
• CAA Commissioner's Honor Roll
• CAA Preseason All-Conference Honorable Mention (Close Defense)
• Appeared in all 15 games, including 10 starts at close defense after he appeared as one of the primary long-stick midfielders over the first five games
• Set the UMass men's lacrosse record for caused turnovers in a season with 33 (NCAA officially began recognizing caused turnovers in 2010)
• Also had 46 groundballs, the most among non-faceoff specialists on the team
• Had one point on the season, a goal against Fairfield (4/15)
• Earned multiple groundballs in 14 of 15 appearances and two or more caused turnovers during 11 contests
• Opened the season with two groundballs and as many caused turnovers against Army (2/11)
• Posted a career high six groundballs and caused two turnovers at No. 20 Ohio State (2/18)
• Debuted at close defense against UMass Lowell (3/15) with three caused turnovers and two groundballs
• Set a career high with four caused turnovers and had three groundballs in the win at Hartford (3/18)
• Inverted his numbers in the next game with four groundballs and three caused turnovers against Brown (3/25)
• Had five groundballs and tied his career best with four caused turnovers at No. 7 Hofstra (4/22)
• Totaled another four-caused turnover game with as many groundballs in the CAA Championship Semifinal Round (5/4) upset of No. 14 Hofstra (5/4)
• Ended the season with four groundballs and two caused turnovers at No. 12 Towson during the CAA Championship Game (5/6)

2016 • Freshman

• All-CAA Second Team (Long-Stick Midfield)
• CAA All-Rookie Team (Long-Stick Midfield)
• Inside Lacrosse Top-25 Freshman of the Year (No. 25)
• Made his first season a productive one on both ends of the field with 27 groundballs, six caused turnovers and five points (two goals, three assists)
• Averaged 2.1 groundballs per game, tied with Shane Rinkus for the most among long-stick midfielders
• Collected two groundballs against No. 11 Ohio State (2/20)
• His five points are the most for a long-stick midfielder since Jake Deane had nine in 2006
• Earned his first collegiate goal and assist during the overtime game with No. 14 Harvard (2/27) to go with two groundballs and a caused turnover
• Totaled two groundballs and a caused turnover against Hartford (3/1)
• Tallied two groundballs, a caused turnover and one assist at No. 7 Brown (3/5)
• Recorded two groundballs against No. 15 Albany (3/8)
• Had a groundball and caused turnover against No. 10 North Carolina (3/12)
• Posted a personal-best three groundballs as a long-stick midfielder at No. 20 Penn State (3/19)
• Secured two points on a goal and assist to go along with two groundballs at Delaware (4/2)
• Totaled a career-high four groundballs and caused a turnover against No. 7 Towson (4/9)
• Corralled four groundballs at Fairfield (4/16), which tied his career-high set the week prior versus Towson (4/9)

Before Massachusetts

• Four-year letterwinner for Staples High School and head coach Paul McNulty
• Reached the Connecticut Class L state finals as a sophomore and junior and quarterfinals as a senior
• Earned all-America honors as a senior alongside all-Connecticut, All-FCIAC, MSG Varsity All-State and MSG Varsity All-Metro
• Also took home the Bob Scott Award in recognition of service to his team, school and community as a senior
• 2014 all-Connecticut second team, All-FCIAC Honorable Mention, Westport News MVP, MSG Varsity All-Metro Team Honorable Mention and Norwalk Hour All-Area
• Won the Staples High School Student-Athlete Award in 2015
• Holds Staples' all-time record for most groundballs with 327
• Ended his senior season with 65 groundballs, 10 goals and an assist from his long-stick midfield spot
• Recorded 160 groundballs, nine goals and two assists as a junior after he scooped up 72 GBs and dished out an assist as a sophomore
• Began his scholastic playing days with 30 groundballs and a pair of goals in 2012
• Also played for the Bulldogs club team
• Earned academic honors at Staples High School as a junior and senior

Personal