Liberty League announces 2018 Men's Lacrosse Awards
The Liberty League has announced its 2018 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: Kyle Killen, Senior, Attack, Rochester Institute of Technology
For the second straight year, a senior from RIT has been recognized as the Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year. During the regular season, RIT senior Kyle Killen paced the league in points (73), points per game (7.56), goals (63) and goals per game (3.94). He also handed out ten assists and registered at least a point in all 16 games. Killen helped the Tigers win their seventh straight Liberty League title and during the tournament, the four-time Offensive Player of the Week selection, netted seven goals and dished out two assists for nine points. In the championship game, he broke RIT’s single-season scoring record of 69 goals totaling 70 on the year.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Eli Salama, Senior, Longstick Midfielder, Rochester Institute of Technology
RIT senior Eli Salama was named Defensive Player of the Year and it is the fourth consecutive year a RIT player has received the honor. Salama and the Tigers have posted an undefeated record of 18-0, including an unblemished mark of 9-0 in Liberty League play en route to their seventh straight league title. He is part of a defense that held opponents to 8.17 goals per game. Individually, he caused a team-best 28 turnovers and scooped up 44 ground balls. Salama also had a hand in the offense with 20 points with 10 goals and 10 assists.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Connor Brumfield, Attack, Ithaca College
Ithaca first-year Connor Brumfield was selected as the Rookie of the Year. In the Bombers first season with the Liberty League, Brumfield helped the squad to its first Liberty League championship game appearance and the team will be making its 12th appearance in the NCAA tournament via an at-large bid. In his first year with Ithaca, he piloted the offense with a team-best 45 points, scoring 33 goals and adding 12 assists in 16 games. He tallied points in all but two games this season and he was among the league’s top-ten in goals per game (8th, 2.06).
COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR: Rochester Institute of Technology – Head Coach Jake Coon; Assistant Coaches Shawn Wilkins, Donny Moss and Tyler Russell
RIT head coach Jake Coon and his staff were named Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year in a vote by the league’s head coaches. Coon, who is assisted by Shawn Wilkins, Donny Moss and Tyler Russell guided the Tigers to an undefeated mark of 18-0 through the regular season and league tournament. RIT is among the top-five in Division III for scoring as the Tigers are averaging 17.67 goals per game. RIT will be making its ninth straight appearance and the program’s 20th overall appearance in the NCAA tournament. Since joining the Liberty League in 2011-2012, the Tigers have won seven consecutive Liberty League championships and over the last five seasons have posted a 97-7 overall record.
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE FIRST TEAM:
A- Kyle Killen, Sr., RIT (unanimous)
A- Conor Caffrey, Jr., St. Lawrence (unanimous)
A- Zach Lukas, Sr., RPI (unanimous)
A- Jordan Dow, Sr., St. Lawrence
M- Shawn Nally, Jr., RIT (unanimous)
M- Conner Crossen, Jr., Ithaca
M- Lucas Bastarache, Jr., RPI
M- Josh Della Puca, Jr., Ithaca
LSM- Eli Salama, Sr., RIT
SSM- Ben Tackett, Sr., RIT (unanimous)
FO- Nate Farrell, Sr., RIT
D- Alex Maruna, So., RIT (unanimous)
D- Sam Boehle, Sr., St. Lawrence (unanimous)
D- Winston Wenham, Gr., Ithaca
D- Keaton Ackermann, Jr., RPI
G- Walker Hare, So., RIT
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE SECOND TEAM:
A- Conor Bartlett, So., Clarkson
A- Jordan Cooper, Sr., Union
A- JT Kelly, Jr., RPI
A- Connor Brumfield, Fr., Ithaca
M- Aidan Milburn, Sr., RIT
M- Hayden Frey, Fr., Union
M- Ryan Barnable, Fr., RIT
M- Matthew Gilman, Sr., RPI
LSM- Alex Miller, Fr., Skidmore
SSM- Brendan King, Jr., Ithaca
FO- Ryan Gabriel, So., Clarkson
D- Aaron McCartney, So., Ithaca
D- Liam St. Croix, So., Clarkson
D- Trevor Smyth, Sr., RIT
D- Tyler Burns, So., St. Lawrence
G- Sam Bebout, Sr., Union
ALL-LIBERTY LEAGUE HONORABLE MENTION:
A- Ryan Tandy, So., RIT
A- Brendan Halloran, Sr., Skidmore
M- Sam Groves, Sr., Clarkson
M- Jack Curry, Sr., Skidmore
M- Harrison Koch, So., St. Lawrence
M- Jason Shlonsky, Fr., Skidmore
M- James Thomas, Jr., Vassar
M- Blake Burnley, Sr., Bard
LSM- Sean Seaberg, Jr., Ithaca
LSM- Tom Feenstra, Sr., RPI
LSM- Sam Sweeney, Sr., St. Lawrence
LSM- Josh Willis, Jr., Union
SSM- Zachary Ettinghausen, Jr., St. Lawrence
FO- Alex Newhouse, Jr., Union
FO- Matthew Lowery, So., Vassar
D- Quinn Fettig, Jr., RPI
D- Peter McKinlay, Jr., Union
D- William Baffuto, Jr., Bard
D- Michael Nourse, Sr., Clarkson
D- Logan Hart, Jr., Skidmore
G- Parker Smith, Sr., RPI