Conference Carolinas Announces All-Conference Men’s Lacrosse Honors
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