2014 All-CCC Men's Lacrosse Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) announced their annual All-CCC Men's Lacrosse Teams and #14 Endicott, the top seed in the upcoming conference tournament, earned five of the six major awards and 13 overall all-conference honorees including seven First Team nods. The Gulls set a program record with 13 All-CCC winners under 17th-year head coach and CCC Coach of the Year Sean Quirk and his staff.
Quirk, now a three-time CCC Coach of the Year after winner the award previously in 2004 and 2006, saw his 2014 squad generate a program-record 15.13 goals per game while ranking nationally among NCAA Division III institutions in turnovers per game (third), scoring offense (12th), points per game (13th), scoring margin (13th), winning percentage (14th), clearing percentage (14th), and assists per game (14th). Quirk led Endicott to the program's 300th victory since its inaugural season in 1996 in the season opener victory over #13 Stevens and helped the Blue and Green to a 3-2 record against NESCAC opponents this season. In 17 seasons, Quirk owns a 225-91 (.712) overall record with a 115-11 (.913) record in conference games.
After winner Rookie of the Year honors in 2013, sophomore goalie Cameron Bell (Falmouth, Maine) was named CCC Defensive Player of the Year after earning three CCC Defensive Player of the Week and one ECAC Defensive Player of the Week awards. Bell ranked second in the league with a 7.81 goals-against average with 157 saves (.586). The keeper lowered his goals-against average by 1.52 and upped his save percentage from .549 to .592 from his freshman to sophomore season. Bell had a miniscule 4.80 GAA in conference games with a .651 save percentage. Nationally, the sophomore ranks among NCAA DIII players in goals-against average (36th) and save percentage (43rd). Endicott has now won back-to-back CCC Defensive Player of the Year awards after Sam Ozycz won in 2013.
Junior midfielder Harrison Cotter (Lordship, Conn.) is having a standout season for the Gulls as he is Endicott's first CCC Offensive Player of the Year since 2008, when Nick Cosco won the award. He was recently named CCC and ECAC Offensive Player of the Week and Lacrosse Magazine DIII Player of the Week. Nationally, Cotter ranks among NCAA DIII players in goals per game (17th) and points per game (43rd), while ranking fifth in the CCC in points (60) and third in goals (47). The junior set career-highs in several statistical categories including goals, points, ground balls (42), caused turnovers (9), and is currently tied for his career-high of 12 assists. The midfielder had five game-winning goals this season including one against Western New England to help secure the top seed in the CCC Tournament, one apiece against NESCAC foes Connecticut College and Bowdoin, and three in total against CCC teams.
Freshman attacker Colin Bannon (Westport, Conn.) becomes the second straight CCC Rookie of the Year winner from Endicott after his teammate, Bell, won the award in 2013. Bannon is a four-time CCC Rookie of the Week honoree this season and has scored the most goals (40) as a rookie since Endicott Hall of Famer Rick Riccio scored 50 back in 1998. The attacker netted four game-winning goals this season, three against CCC teams and one in the season-opening upset over No. 13 Stevens in which he scored five goals. He scored a season-high six goals and nine points in Endicott's top-seed clinching win over Western New England. Bannon is ranked fifth in goals (40) and seventh in points (58) in the CCC.
Graduate student midfielder Peter Erickson (Yarmouth, Maine) has been an outstanding two-way player who set a career-high with 10 caused turnovers with just four turnovers on the season. Erickson posted 16 points on seven goals and nine assists with 25 groundballs playing in all 16 of the Gulls regular season games. He consistently matched up defensively against opposing team's dodging midfielders. Endicott finished the 2014 regular season with a perfect 8-0 conference record (13-3 overall).
Seven of Endicott's 2014 All-CCC honorees are repeat winners including First Teamers Bell, Cotter, and Erickson. The other six are being recognized on the All-CCC for the first time in their collegiate careers.
Joining Bell, Cotter, and Erickson on the All-CCC First Team is senior defenseman Breck Merritt, now a three-time first team all-conference player, who caused 28 turnovers with 47 ground balls. Junior defender Chris Cooney (Cranston, R.I.), a first-time All-CCC winner, was also named to the First Team as he stepped into a major role for the Gulls this season and produced with 23 caused turnovers and 25 ground balls. Junior long-stick midfielder Will Farfalla (Glen Rock, N.J.) turned in an impressive season having his stick in 11 turnovers with 21 ground balls while scoring two goals on the year.
Junior attackers Kyle Weber (West Hartford, Conn.) and Nick Pinciaro (Beverly, Mass.), after earning Honorable Mention in 2013, were both named to the All-CCC Second Team. Weber ranked third on the Gulls in points (54), goals (37), and assists (17) while Pinciaro finished the regular season top-five on the team with 24 goals, 17 assists, and 41 points. Junior midfielder Joshua Tordik (Sayville, N.Y.) also moved from Honorable Mention last spring to All-CCC Second Team in 2014 after posting a team-high 26 assists with 13 goals.
First time All-CCC winners for Endicott also include freshman face-off specialist Tommy Hughes (Coram, N.Y.) and junior midfielder Jeremy Morgan (Lake Panamoka, N.Y.) who were both named Second Teamers. Hughes won 63.3% of his face-offs with 166 ground balls and in his freshman season was named CCC Rookie of the Week twice. Morgan had a career-year in his junior campaign, scoring 26 goals with 14 assists for 40 points. Morgan had a standout game against NESCAC foe Middlebury in which he scored six goals with an assist while he earned CCC Player of the Week early in the season.
Endicott's final All-CCC winner is junior defenseman Ian Knechtle (New Canaan, Conn.) who was named Honorable Mention after registering 16 caused turnovers and 23 ground balls in his first season in the Blue and Green. Knechtle was previously named the All-CCC First Team as a long-stick midfielder when he was sophomore at Gordon.
