UMBC’s Dante Marinello Earns USILA Scholar All-American Honors After Outstanding Career On and Off the Field

BALTIMORE — UMBC men’s lacrosse standout Dante Marinello has added one of the sport’s highest academic honors to an already impressive collegiate résumé. The senior defender was named a 2026 United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Scholar All-American, recognizing excellence in the classroom, on the field, and within the community. The honor capped a memorable career for one of the Retrievers’ most respected leaders.

Marinello becomes one of a select group of student-athletes across Division I men’s lacrosse to receive the prestigious award. To qualify, players must excel academically while also standing out as elite performers on the field. Candidates are nominated by their coaches and must have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA while earning All-America, all-conference, or other significant athletic recognition.

The award is the latest in what has been an exceptional senior year for Marinello. Earlier this summer he was named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team and the America East All-Academic Team, giving him three major academic honors during the 2026 postseason.

A Leader of the Retriever Defense

Serving as a team captain, Marinello was one of the anchors of UMBC’s defense throughout his career.

The 6-foot defender appeared in 39 career games for the Retrievers and developed into one of the America East Conference’s most dependable defensive players. His consistency, toughness and leadership helped earn him America East Second Team All-Conference honors twice, an impressive accomplishment considering the conference’s annual depth of defensive talent.

During the 2026 season, Marinello routinely matched up against opposing teams’ top offensive threats. His physical play, communication and ability to organize the defensive unit made him an invaluable piece of UMBC’s lineup throughout the season.

While defensemen rarely pile up eye-catching offensive statistics, Marinello’s impact showed up in the team’s defensive success, caused turnovers, ground balls and his ability to erase opposing scorers during key conference matchups.

Excellence in the Classroom

Marinello’s success extended far beyond lacrosse.

He graduated from UMBC with a 3.82 cumulative GPA while earning a degree in Financial Economics, demonstrating the same discipline in academics that he displayed on the field. Balancing one of the nation’s most demanding academic institutions with Division I athletics is no small feat, making the Scholar All-American honor especially meaningful.

Student-athletes at UMBC have built a reputation for excelling academically, and Marinello continued that tradition while emerging as one of the leaders of the men’s lacrosse program.

The Meaning of the Award

The USILA Scholar All-American distinction is one of the highest honors available in college lacrosse.

Unlike traditional All-America teams that focus solely on athletic performance, the Scholar All-American award celebrates the complete student-athlete. Recipients must demonstrate elite play on the field while maintaining outstanding academic achievement and strong character within their campus communities.

That combination perfectly describes Marinello’s four-year career with the Retrievers.

His leadership, consistency and dedication made him one of the program’s most respected veterans, and his accomplishments will leave a lasting legacy for future UMBC players.

Looking Ahead

Although Marinello’s collegiate career has come to an end, his combination of intelligence, leadership and competitive drive should serve him well in whatever comes next, whether in the business world or through continued involvement in lacrosse.

For UMBC, his career serves as another reminder that success isn’t measured only by wins and losses. Producing graduates who excel academically while competing at a high level remains one of the hallmarks of Retriever athletics.

Dante Marinello accomplished exactly that.

His USILA Scholar All-American honor represents the perfect finish to an outstanding career—one defined by leadership, academic excellence and unwavering commitment to the UMBC men’s lacrosse program.