Dominican Lacrosse Standout Earns National Honor

Novato resident Reed Upson, who graduated with honors from Dominican University of California in May as the school’s all-time scoring leader in lacrosse, has been named District 8, NCAA Division II Academic First Team by College Sports Information Directors of America.

Upson, a 6-foot, 185-pound attackman out of Davis Senior High School, achieved a 3.83 grade-point average in business administration this season, his final year with the Penguins.

“This is a great honor to cap an amazing experience for me at Dominican,” Upson said. “This is the product of a lot of hard work and sacrifice. It happened with the support of so many people: my teachers, administrators, my coaches and teammates and classmates and of course my family and friends.”

Upson concluded his four-year career at Dominican with 21 goals and 34 points in his senior season, the fourth best total this year in the Western Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association. He helped the Penguins finish in a first-place tie with a 7-6 overall record, Dominican’s first winning season in the eight-year history of its lacrosse program.

The Dominican career scoring leader also is the first men’s player in WILA history to be named to All District All Academic.

“I’ve applauded Reed’s efforts so many times over the past four years, everyone is probably getting sick of hearing me, “ quipped  Dominican lacrosse coach Ned Webster. “But he really is the perfect example of how hard work can get you everywhere. Now that he’s graduated (with honors), he will go on to do wonderful things, get a solid job, and have an awesome life. It’s been a pleasure watching Reed grow. He will be greatly missed on this team.”

At the beginning his freshman year in Dominican’s School of Business and Leadership in 2008, Upson described himself as an average student.  Not anymore.

In April, Upson was named a Scholar-Athlete award winner for the second year in a row. In addition, he completed six internships while at Dominican,  served  as a student ambassador at the University and participated  in a variety of volunteer activities – all while maintaining magna cum laude status. He also learned to surf in his spare time.

Upson recently accepted a full-time job offer at Warren Capital Corporation in Novato, a boutique specialty finance and investment banking type of firm. That will allow Upson to pursue his passion in wanting to work in a small and fast-growing environment.

For more information on the Dominican lacrosse team, visit www.dominicanathletics.com.