Jackson Dale named top Fort Collins men’s college athlete for 2025-26

Jackson Dale, a lacrosse player for Taylor University, has been voted the top men’s college athlete from the Fort Collins area for the 2025-26 school year. The decision was reached through a poll conducted by the Coloradoan and Blue Federal Credit Union Summer Series, with Dale securing 45.3 per cent of the vote.

The award comes after a standout 2026 spring campaign in which Dale recorded 45 goals and 66 assists, totalling 111 points. This performance shattered the Taylor University single-season record and earned him third-team NAIA All-American status. His 66 assists led all NAIA players and accounted for 44 per cent of the team’s total 252 goals.

Dale’s statistical dominance extended beyond the current season. He is now first in Taylor University history with 104 career goals, while ranking second in program history with 201 points and 97 assists across three seasons. Prior to his collegiate career, Dale was a varsity contributor for the Poudre School District Stars, helping lead the squad to a 29-6 record from 2022-23, including a Colorado Class 5A semifinal run in 2022.

Runner-up Sam Pease, a baseball player for Northern Colorado, finished with 42.5 per cent of the vote. The poll also included nine other nominees representing various institutions and sports across the region, including Blake Smotherman of the Colorado School of Mines, Jake Eccleston from Louisville, and Will Vasseur of UC-Santa Barbara.

The recognition highlights the continued success of local athletes in higher education, with Dale’s transition from midfielder in high school to attacker in college proving particularly effective. The Coloradoan and Blue Federal Credit Union Summer Series poll serves as a key annual benchmark for local sporting achievement, with the next edition focusing on high school mascots beginning July 22.