Empire 8 Announces 2008 Men's Lacrosse All-Conference Team
April 29, 2008
ROCHESTER, NY – The Empire 8 announced its Men’s Lacrosse All-Conference team with senior attack Matt Nelligan of conference champion Ithaca College being named the 2008 Empire 8 Men’s Lacrosse Player of the Year and freshman goalie Dave Decker of Stevens Institute of Technology being selected 2008 Empire 8 Goalkeeper of the Year.
Nelligan, who earned first-team all-conference honors for the third time, leads the Bombers with 46 goals and is second on the team with 66 points. He scored six goals in the Empire 8 championship tournament, including four in the title game.
Decker has posted an 8-4 record with 148 saves and a .664 save percentage in 13 games. He was injured in the first quarter of the conference tournament semifinals after making three saves and allowing only one goal.
Freshman attack Vito DeMola of Hartwick College earned Rookie of the Year honors after pacing the Hawks with 40 goals and 52 points.
Four other Ithaca players were named to the all-conference first team, including three repeat selections. Senior midfielder Craig Lepiane, who has tallied 43 goals, joined senior long-stick midfielder Brandon Rose and junior defenseman Neth Wiedemann as repeat first-team selections. Rose has recorded 111 ground balls and 41 caused turnovers, while Wiedemann ranks second on the team in both categories. Senior Logan Bobzien was also named to the first team and leads the Bombers with 71 points and 40 assists.
Jeff Long was chosen as Coach of the Year for leading the Bombers to the Empire 8 title and their second straight trip to the NCAA Division III Men’s Lacrosse Championship.
Five players from runner-up Rochester Institute of Technology garnered first-team honors this season, including three-time first-team selections Andrew Ruocco and Jacob Tuller. Ruocco is a midfielder who leads the Tigers with 35 goals and 55 points, while Tuller joined classmate Phil Davenport as first-team choices on defense.
Senior short-stick specialist Jacob Brunner of the Tigers earned first-team honors for the second straight year. Senior midfielder Dan Rago, who has scored 32 goals, was also named to the first team.
Senior Aaron Civalier of Nazareth College was selected as a first-team all-conference attacker after leading the Golden Flyers with 29 goals and 42 points.
Senior attack John Dolny of Stevens was chosen to the first team and leads the Ducks with 35 points on 21 goals and 14 assists.
2008 Empire 8 Men’s Lacrosse Awards
Player of the Year: Matt Nelligan, Ithaca College
Goalkeeper of the Year: Dave Decker, Stevens Institute of Technology
Rookie of the Year: Vito DeMola, Hartwick College
Coach of the Year: Jeff Long, Ithaca College