Liberty League announces 2015 Men's Lacrosse Awards
The Liberty League has announced its 2015 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: Ryan Lee, So., Attack, Rochester Institute of Technology
Sophomore Ryan Lee led RIT to its fourth straight Liberty League men’s lacrosse championship title in 2015. He scored the most goals in the league this season (50) and was ranked third in assists (31). The junior attackman averaged 2.78 goals per game and 1.72 assists per game. He also compiled a league-high 81 points and averaged 4.50 points per game. Lee and the Tigers are the most potent offense in all of Division III men’s lacrosse, averaging 18 goals per game. In this year’s league tournament, he recorded six goals and three assists in wins against Clarkson and Union.
Defensive Player of the Year: Matt Hossack, Jr., Longstick Midfielder, Rochester Institute of Technology
Junior Matt Hossack scooped up a team-high 91 ground balls and caused 43 turnovers in 2015 as the Tigers were undefeated through the regular season for the second consecutive season. He was ranked third in the league with 5.06 ground balls per game. Hossack scored ten goals and handed out ten assists this season, after exploding offensively in the Liberty League championship game where he notched six goals on seven shots. He also recorded seven ground balls and three caused turnovers. He was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player for his efforts in the 25-14 win over Union.
Co-Rookie of the Year: Matthew Gilman, Fr., Attack, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
As a freshman, RPI’s Matthew Gilman was among the Engineers top three scorers with 12 goals and 16 assists for 28 points. A two-time Liberty League Rookie of the Week selection, he also recorded nine ground balls and four caused turnovers on the season.
Co-Rookie of the Year: John Palermo, Fr., Midfielder, Bard College
Palermo finished his rookie campaign leading the Raptors in every offensive category. He tallied 23 goals and 10 assists for a total of 33 points. The freshman midfielder had four games with three or more goals this season. In Bard’s first league win in program history over Skidmore, the two-time Liberty League Rookie of the Week selection, scored three goals.
Co-Coaching Staff of the Year: Jake Coon, Rochester Institute of Technology
Head coach Jake Coon and his staff guided the No. 1 Tigers to a 16-0 regular season record for the second consecutive season. RIT captured the Liberty League men’s lacrosse championship for the fourth straight year and leads the nation in offense (18.00 goals per game). This season, Coon won his 100
th career game and currently holds an overall record of 106-14 in his six years with the Tigers.
Co-Coaching Staff of the Year: Mike Mahoney, St. Lawrence
The coaching staff at St. Lawrence led a young Saints team, with 25 underclassmen, to a 9-8 overall record and a 5-2 mark in league play. St. Lawrence reached the Liberty League tournament for the fourth straight year and earned the second seed twice in the last three seasons. The Saints were ranked third in the league in goals per game (12.29) and second in shots per game (41.35).
First Team All-Liberty League:
A- Conor Healey, St. Lawrence, So.
A- Eddie Kiesa, RIT, Sr.
A- Ryan Lee, RIT, So.
A- Charlie Ross, Union, Sr.
M- Kyle Aquin, RIT, Sr.
M- Casey Colligan, RPI, Sr.
M- Ryan St. Croix, Clarkson, So.
M- Allister Warren, RIT, Sr.
LSM- Matt Hossack, RIT, Jr.
SSM- Tom Stanton, Union, Jr.
FO- Connor Hall, Union, Sr.
D- Sam Christiansen, Skidmore, Sr.
D- Zach Moro, RPI, Sr.
D- Jack Roberts, St. Lawrence, Sr.
D- Adam Sands, Union, Sr.
G- Pat Johnston, RIT, Sr.
Second Team All-Liberty League
A- Corey Herrington, Clarkson, Sr.
A- Tommy Hovey, St. Lawrence, Sr.
A- Chad Levick, RIT, So.
A- Breanainn McNeally, RPI, So.
M- Charlie Duprey, St. Lawrence, Jr.
M- Brad Gillies, RIT, Sr.
M- Cam Slatton, Union, Jr.
M- Jake Weidner, RPI, So.
LSM- Malcolm Lynch, St. Lawrence, Jr.
LSM- John Phillips, RPI, Jr.
SSM- Alec Dietsch, St. Lawrence, So.
FO- Dylan Broomfield, Clarkson, Sr.
D- Patrick Hannigan, RIT, So.
D- Jay Krzyston, RIT, Jr.
D- Lance Lonergan Jr., Union, So.
D- J.D. St. Croix, Clarkson, Sr.
G- Stefan Basile, Union, Sr.
Honorable Mention
A- Noah Parson, Vassar, Jr.
A- Peter Richardson, Union, So.
A- Jeremy Vautour, St. Lawrence, Jr.
M- Scott Brekne, Vassar, Sr.
M- Matt Gold, Clarkson, Sr.
M- Liam Moriarty, Vassar, So.
SSM- Austin Case, Clarkson, Jr.
D- Sam Funnell, Bard, Jr.
D- Caleb Kane, St. Lawrence, So.
D- Keith Mierzwa, Clarkson, Jr.
G- Nick Strandholm, Clarkson, Fr.