Buffaloes Capture NCBS National Championship with Dominant 22-9 Victory

The Buffaloes entered Saturday's National Collegiate Box Series Championship Game with no shortage of motivation.

A year after falling to the Dramingos in the NCBS title game, the Buffaloes returned to the championship stage looking to finish the job. Standing in their way was an old UCBLL rival from Rochester, the Hawkeyes—a team that had already handed the Buffaloes their only loss of the tournament earlier in the week.

This time around, there would be little doubt.

The Buffaloes put together their most complete performance of the tournament when it mattered most, overwhelming the Hawkeyes with their transition game and cruising to a convincing 22-9 victory to capture the 2026 NCBS National Championship at Frank Ritter Arena on the campus of RIT.

Buffalo set the tone early, jumping out to a 4-1 advantage after the opening quarter. The floodgates opened in the second. The Hawkeyes had no answer for the Buffaloes in transition, as defensive stops seemingly turned into fast-break opportunities in an instant. Buffalo poured in eight goals during the quarter to take a commanding 12-3 advantage into halftime.

The Buffaloes showed no signs of slowing down coming out of the break, adding six more goals in the third quarter. The Hawkeyes found some offensive life of their own with six goals in the frame, but the deficit proved far too large to overcome.

With the championship firmly in their grasp, the Buffaloes were able to control the pace and run clock throughout much of the fourth quarter while still finding the back of the net four more times. On the other end of the floor, Buffalo's defense and goaltending slammed the door, holding the Hawkeyes scoreless over the final 13 minutes to put the finishing touches on a 22-9 championship victory.

Obrigh Tallchief led the Buffaloes on the biggest stage of the tournament, recording four goals and four assists for eight points in the championship game. Jack Wenham matched him with eight points of his own on three goals and five assists. Blayze Becker recorded four goals and three assists, while Brody Himelein added three goals and three assists. Daylin John (1+4) and Conner Vaughn (2+3) each finished with five points.

Buffaloes rookie Bryce Privateer added two goals and an assist and was presented with the game ball by the coaching staff as the team's standout player of the championship game. In net, Jackson Pragle shut the door when called upon as the Hawkeyes struggled to generate the offense needed to climb back into the game.

Playing for 43

While Saturday's victory completed the Buffaloes' pursuit of a championship, the week carried a meaning much greater than wins and losses.

Throughout the tournament, the Buffaloes played in memory of former teammate Noah Snyder, who tragically passed away shortly after the 2025 NCBS Championships. Noah's No. 43 jersey hung proudly on the Buffaloes bench for every game of the tournament, keeping their teammate alongside them throughout their championship run.

When the final seconds disappeared from the clock Saturday, Buffaloes captain and Noah's longtime friend Obrigh Tallchief made sure No. 43 was part of the celebration.

Tallchief brought Snyder's jersey onto the floor as the Buffaloes celebrated their national championship and carried it with him as he accepted the championship trophy. It was a fitting and emotional tribute to a beloved member of the Buffaloes, Six Nations and Marquette University lacrosse communities—and to a teammate who remained part of the Buffaloes every step of the way.

Buffaloes Among Tournament's Best

Tallchief capped his fourth NCBS tournament with another standout performance throughout the week. He finished third in the tournament with 14 goals and 20 points while leading all players in caused turnovers. Kyle Gonsiorek finished third in caused turnovers, while both Gonsiorek and Tallchief tied for fourth in the tournament with 34 loose balls apiece over six games.

Conner Vaughn also established himself among the tournament's top offensive performers. Vaughn's 11 goals ranked eighth, his seven assists tied for fifth, and his 18 total points placed him sixth overall.

Pragle finished second among tournament goaltenders with 118 saves despite appearing in just four games. The Buffaloes also received strong play from backup goaltender Brendan Dee, who went a perfect 2-0 in his two starts, earning round-robin victories over Vermont and the Paper City Oaks. Together, Pragle and Dee provided Buffalo with steady goaltending throughout its six-game championship run. 

As a team, the Buffaloes finished the tournament with an NCBS-best 84 goals while surrendering a tournament-low 57. Those defensive numbers were even more impressive considering Buffalo played six games and faced 383 shots — the most of any team in the tournament and 50 more than the next-closest team.

From an opening-day victory over Paper City to avenging their lone tournament loss against the Hawkeyes when the championship was on the line, the Buffaloes finished the week with a 5-1 record.

More importantly, they finished the job they came to Rochester to accomplish.

The Buffaloes are 2026 NCBS National Champions.