Liberty League announces 2016 Men's Lacrosse Awards
The Liberty League has announced its 2016 All-League awards for men's lacrosse as voted by league coaches. The major award winners and all-league teams are listed below.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Conor Healey, Jr., Attack, St. Lawrence University
St. Lawrence junior Conor Healey was selected as the Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year as St. Lawrence advanced to the Liberty League semifinals for the second straight year. Healey piloted the Saints’ offense as he led the team with 39 goals and 38 assists for 79 points. The junior attackman recorded a point in all but one game this season. Healey also averaged a league-best 2.38 assists per game and 4.81 points per game, ranking him among the top-twenty in Division III for both categories.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Matt Hossack, Sr., Longstick Midfielder, Rochester Institute of Technology
RIT senior Matt Hossack was selected as the Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive year after helping the Tigers to their fifth straight Liberty League regular-season and tournament titles. Hossack anchored a defense that held opponents to 7.94 goals per game while leading the league in ground balls (41.8) and caused turnovers per game (11). Individually, he paced league leaders with 105 ground balls (5.8 per game) and was ranked among the top-ten in caused turnovers with 23 (1.28 per game). He also had a hand in the Tigers’ offense, netting 12 goals and dishing out 12 assists for 24 points.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: James Thomas, Fr., Midfielder, Vassar College
Vassar College freshman midfielder James Thomas was selected as the Liberty League Rookie of the Year. Despite missing the first four games of the season due to injury, Thomas made an impact in his first year in a Brewers uniform. He finished the year third on the team in goals (24) and points (36). A three-time Rookie of the Week selection, he also chipped in 12 assists and 18 ground balls.
COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR: Head Coach Mike Mahoney; Assistant Coaches Tom Ryan and Stefan Basile
St. Lawrence head coach Mike Mahoney and his staff earned Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year honors. Mahoney, who is assisted by Tom Ryan and Stefan Basile, directed St. Lawrence to a program-best 15 wins (15-2) and a fifth straight appearance in the Liberty League tournament. The Saints had one of the league’s top offenses this season as they ranked second in goals (14.35) and assists per game (11.06). They also allowed a league-low 7.23 goals per game. St. Lawrence will be making its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2009 via an at-large berth.
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE FIRST TEAM
A- Conor Healey, Jr., St. Lawrence
A- Ryan Lee, Sr., RIT
A- Chad Levick, Jr., RIT
A- Breanainn McNeally, Jr., RPI
A- Jeremy Vautour, Sr., St. Lawrence
M- Braden Wallace, Sr., RIT
M- Matt Hall, Jr., RPI
M- Ryan St. Croix, Jr., Clarkson
M- Charlie DuPrey, Sr., St. Lawrence
LSM- Matt Hossack, Sr., RIT
SSM- Thomas Stanton, Sr., Union
FO- Alec Dietsch, Jr., St. Lawrence
D- Jack Roberts, Sr., St. Lawrence
D- John Phillips, Sr., RPI
D- Jakob Krzyston, Sr., RIT
D- Lance Lonergan, Jr., Union
GK- Ryan Fisher, Sr., St. Lawrence
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE SECOND TEAM
A- Noah Parson, Sr., Vassar
A- Kyle Sterzin, Sr., RIT
A- Ryan DaRin, Jr., Clarkson
A- Kevin Mulvey, Sr., Skidmore
M- Jay Vakiener, So., RIT
M- Andrew Jarrett, Jr., St. Lawrence
M- Cam Slatton, Sr., Union
M- Matthew Gilman, So., RPI
LSM- Sean Hanley, Sr., Union
SSM- Billy Gibbs, Sr., RPI
FO- Steven Ricci, Jr., RIT
D- Patrick Hannigan, Jr., RIT
D- Caleb Kane, Jr., St. Lawrence
D- Sam Funnell, Sr., Bard
D- Connor Hill, Sr., RPI
GK- David Gibbs, Jr., RPI
GK- Nick Nesbitt, Jr., RIT
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE HONORABLE MENTION
A- Peter Richardson, Jr., Union
A- Nolan Stauffer, Sr., Union
M- James Thomas, Fr., Vassar
M- Jake Weidner, Jr., RPI
M- Alec Suleskey, Sr., RIT
M- Liam Moriarty, Jr., Vassar
M- Jon Fairbanks, Jr., St. Lawrence
LSM- Blake Frasca, So., RPI
SSM- Alec Dietsch, Jr., St. Lawrence
SSM- Dan LoBosco, Sr., RIT
FO- Tom Lawton, Jr., Union
D- Keith Mierzwa, Sr., Clarkson
D- Josh Harris, Sr., RIT
D- Adam Johnson, Sr., Union
D- Steel White, Jr., St. Lawrence