By: Brayden Peters
BROCKPORT, N.Y. - Nick Askin continues to make history for the Brockport Golden Eagles men’s lacrosse team, breaking the record for the most points in a season. This is the third program record he has broken this year. He previously broke the record for most goals in a game with 10 and most goals in a season. Going into his final year, Askin never thought something like this would happen.
“It never crossed my mind, nor was it my goal,” Askin said. “My goal was to come here and give it everything I had to help this team win and progress in the right direction. It just so happened that I was able to break some records on the way.”
After recording five goals and two assists against Plattsburgh State, Askin broke the record by seven points. The previous record was 53 points, which he tied in Brockport’s matchup with Oneonta April 13.
Askin has a total of 63 points as of April 20. He has recorded 57 goals and six assists this season.
This is only Askin’s first season at Brockport after he transferred from Lake Erie College, a Division II school. The Geneva native previously made a name for himself with the Storm at midfield.
In his freshman year, Askin was named G-MAC Freshman of the Year and earned second team all-conference honors. This was after he totaled 25 goals and 11 assists for 36 points in 14 games.
In the 2023 season, he would suffer a season ending leg injury after only one game. In that game, Askin posted two goals and two assists for four points.
Due to the injury, he was forced to change to attack when he joined the Golden Eagles. Askin rehabilitated in the offseason, which he credits for his eventual return to the field.
“My best advice to athletes who are coming off an injury is to focus in on rehab,” Askin said. “Rehab helps with confidence and ability to handle different situations. Rehabbing doesn’t end when you’re cleared. You need to continuously rehab until you are done with the sport. Lastly, trust yourself, and play with confidence.”
Askin has gotten some help this year thanks to his younger brother, Nate Askin. He currently has 15 goals and 10 assists for 25 points in 13 games.
He was part of the reason why Nick Askin wanted to come to Brockport in the first place. Nate Askin was not surprised by his brother’s achievements this season.
“He’s a dog,” Nate Askin said. “I knew he was going to come and do that. He’s just a natural scorer…he just doesn’t need space. He can just pull that thing and it’s going wherever he wants it…It’s actually pretty crazy.”
Watching Nick Askin this season impressed Brockport head coach Colin Cornaire, who has seen a lot of talent during his coaching career. Before coming to Brockport last season, Cornaire was the offensive coordinator for the Geneseo Knights.
“He’s such a different, unique kind of player,” Cornaire said. “He’s definitely the best shooter I’ve ever coached. There’s some really good offensive guys at Geneseo that I’ve coached. It’s just the way he attacks the game, the way he shoots. One of the most lethal shooters, I think, in the entire nation across any division.”
Askin is the current leader in points and goals in the SUNYAC conference. He is also eighth in career goals in Brockport history. He is projected to end the season with 62 goals and 6 assists for 68 points. With his accomplishments, Askin is one of the major faces of Brockport’s men’s lacrosse and will leave a legacy on the program.
“It’s truly unreal,” Askin said. “Especially to look back on my journey. Like two years ago, I would have never said that I would be playing Brockport lacrosse and doing what I’m doing now…It’s truly storybook to think that 15 years from now I can come back here and I can reflect on my 2024 season and see some of my friends and teammates.”
Askin will look to add to his points total when Brockport hosts Potsdam on Saturday for Senior Day. His name will be called as Askin is a graduate student and will be hanging up the cleats after this season.
Still in the playoff hunt, Askin and the Golden Eagles will need to earn a victory over Potsdam on Saturday. With that win, and an Oswego State victory over Oneonta, Brockport will clinch their spot in the SUNYAC postseason. Faceoff is scheduled for 12 p.m.