Conference Carolinas Announces All-Conference Men’s Lacrosse Honors

Conference Carolinas Announces All-Conference Men’s Lacrosse Honors

Bookmark and Share

High Point, N.C. - Conference Carolinas All-Conference Men's Lacrosse Teams were determined by vote from each head coach of participating institutions. Nominations are collected and then voted upon by ballot and tallied to determine First Team, Second Team, Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, and Coach of the Year award winners. Awards are announced during Conference Tournament Championships.

This year's award winners are as follows:

 

Offensive Player of the Year:

Mike Messenger, Limestone


Sophomore midfielder Mike Messenger burst onto the scene this season with the Saints as he has produced 44 points on 27 goals and 17 assists and added 26 groundballs in helping Limestone to a No. 3 national ranking. A two-time Conference Carolinas Player of the Week selection, the High Point University transfer registered four goals and an assist in a season opening win. He later equaled that production in a win over No. 4 Seton Hill and topped it with four goals and two assists in a Conference Carolinas Regular Season Championship clinching victory over Pfeiffer. He becomes the sixth Saint to earn league Player of the Year honors, and the fifth straight award winner.


Defensive Player of the Year:

Anthony Starnino, Limestone


Senior defenseman Anthony Starnino has established himself as one of the best in the nation at his position and becomes the first Saint to earn Conference Carolinas Defender of the Year in just the second year of the award. This season he has compiled 33 caused turnovers and 41 groundballs to go along with a goal and two assists. He is currently seventh in NCAA DII with an average of 2.36 caused turnovers per game and recorded six caused turnovers and six groundballs against Rollins in February before coming away with eight caused turnovers, three groundballs and an assist in an 8-5 win over No. 4 Tampa on March 22.


Freshman of the Year:

Kevin Reisman, Limestone


Not just the top freshman in Conference Carolinas, freshman faceoff specialist Kevin Reisman has proven to be one of the best in the nation, particularly at the center "X". This season he is an incredible 148-of-215 in faceoffs and has 122 groundballs in just 14 games. Those numbers come out be 8.71 groundballs per game and a .688 winning percentage, both of which are third in NCAA DII. He has won 10 or more faceoffs and reached double-digit groundballs seven times this year, including 19 faceoff wins twice. On March 30 he went an amazing 19-of-20 on faceoffs and collected 19 groundballs, the latter ranking as the most on record by a Saint. He was selected as Conference Carolinas Player of the Week earlier this season following that performance.


Coach of the Year:

J.B. Clarke, Limestone


Limestone head coach J.B. Clarke earns his first Conference Carolinas Coach of the Year honor as he has taken a team with no returning All-Americans to a 13-1 overall record and the No. 3 ranking in the country and guided them to the program's eighth straight Conference Carolinas Regular Season Championship. This season the Saints have defeated four nationally ranked teams, including No. 4 Tampa, No. 4 Seton Hill and No. 8 Merrimack with their lone loss coming by just four goals to No. 1 and defending national champion Le Moyne. Clarke earned his 200th career victory earlier this season against Merrimack and has Limestone positioned for a record extending 15th straight berth in the NCAA DII Tournament




Regular Season Champion:

Limestone College



All-Conference First Team:

Attack

Todd Nakasuji, Limestone

Dan Shields, Mount Olive

Connor Sellars, Belmont Abbey

Midfield

Mike Messenger, Limestone

Steven Tilmon, Pfeiffer

Joshua Williams, Limestone

Scotty Steele, Belmont Abbey

Long Pole Midfielder

Devin Cruz, Belmont Abbey

Michael Triolo, Pfeiffer

Specialist

Kevin Reisman, Limestone

Defense

Anthony Starnino, Limestone

Claymore Wade, Pfeiffer

Glenn Trovato, Limestone

Goalkeeper

Hayden Kirk, Pfeiffer

Patrick Sheridan, Limestone

All-Conference Second Team:

Attack

Matt Shields,Mount Olive

Kyle Rhatigan, Limestone

Tucker Hammock, Pfeiffer

Robert Hope, Pfeiffer

Midfield

Spencer Allen, Pfeiffer

Nico Shewey, Mount Olive

Colton Watkinson, Limestone

Joey McGinley, Belmont Abbey

Long Pole Midfielder

PJ White, Limestone

Sean Shewey, Mount Olive

Specialist

Jamar Peete SR Limestone

Defense

Luke Morris, Mount Olive

Peter Papaleonti, Limestone

David Lehman, Pfeiffer

Goalkeeper

Ross Bowman, Mount Olive