Men’s Lacrosse Cleans Up CCC Postseason Awards

Posted: May 10, 2023

BEVERLY, Mass. — Fourteen members of the Endicott men's lacrosse team have received Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) postseason honors, as announced by the league office earlier today.

The Gulls claimed five of the seven major awards that the conference doles out and 13 All-CCC selections among the league's first, second, and third teams.

Domenic Russo (Northborough, Mass.) was named the CCC Offensive Player of the Year, while Joe Connor (Barrie, Ontario) garnered Defensive Player of the Year honors to highlight the squad.

Ethan Cupples (Marshfield, Mass.) also earned Short-Stick Specialist of the Year accolades, Domenic Valera (Fitchburg, Mass.) was voted as the league's Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and Eric Hagarty '10 M'11 rounded out the list of award winners with Coach of the Year laurels.

The remaining award winners for the Gulls included:

ALL-CCC FIRST TEAM

A — Nick Pagluiso (Shelton, Conn.)
A — Domenic Russo (Northborough, Mass.)
M — Max Kesicki (Katonah, N.Y.)
M — Domenic Valera (Fitchburg, Mass.)
G — Tim Luciano (Westport, Conn.)
D — Joe Connor (Barrie, Ontario)
SS — Ethan Cupples (Marshfield, Mass.)
FOM - Thomas Barker (Needham, Mass.)

ALL-CCC SECOND TEAM

D — Jackson Burns (Salem, N.H.)
LSM — Matt Cawley (Westwood, Mass.)

ALL-CCC THIRD TEAM

A — Nick Graap (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.)
M — Nate Cuttitta (Williston, Vt.)
D — Ned LaVallee (Hingham, Mass.)

MAJOR AWARD WINNERS

DOMENIC RUSSO | SR. | NORTHBOROUGH, MASS.
Offensive Player of the Year | All-CCC First Team

In 18 games played this season, Russo compiled 54 goals and seven assists for 61 points.

His CCC ranks include: points (6th), goals (2nd), man-up tallies (4th), shots (3rd), shots on goal (6th).

Russo was lethal in conference-only games as the senior attack paced the league in goals (36), man-up tallies (5), shots (77), and shots on goal (77), while also ranking second in points (38).

This is his first CCC Offensive Player of the Year award and ninth overall in program history (first since 2015).

JOE CONNOR | GR. | BARRIE, ONTARIO
Defensive Player of the Year | All-CCC First Team

Connor played a major role in the Gulls leading the conference in goals against average (GAA), throughout the entire season (9.61) and in conference-only games (6.25, only team under 9.00).

Individually, Connor notched two assists, 52 ground balls, and 25 caused turnovers. He also was responsible for defending most opponents' top goal scorer or best playmaker, routinely holding them to season-lows in all three scoring categories.

This is his first CCC Defensive Player of the Year honor and the program's eighth (first since 2018).

ETHAN CUPPLES | SO. | MARSHFIELD, MASS.
Short-Stick Specialist of the Year | All-CCC First Team

Cupples registered three goals, 30 ground balls, and nine caused turnovers in 18 games played on the season for the Gulls.

The Gulls led the league in scoring defense at 9.50 goals-allowed per game, which ranked them 50th in all of NCAA Division III. Individually, Cupples recorded 27 ground balls and six caused turnovers on the season.

This is his first CCC Short-Stick Specialist of the Year award and fifth overall in program history (first since 2019).

DOMENIC VALERA | SR. | FITCHBURG, MASS.
CCC Scholar-Athlete | All-CCC First Team

Valera currently sports a 3.86 cumulative grade point average (GPA) as a marketing major at Endicott.

The First Team All-Conference honoree is completing his degree in business marketing and currently holds a 3.85 GPA.

He has picked up numerous academic honors including selections to the NEILA All-Academic Team, the CCC Academic All-Conference Team, and the Endicott Dean's List.

Valera is also a member of the National Honor Society and winner of the Senior Mary Sullivan PBVM Medal. Valera also won the St. Michael's Book Award. His volunteer activities include working with Team IMPACT, Saints Against Hunger United Meal Prep, and as an elementary after-school tutor. He has also helped out at the Red Cross blood drive.

On the field, Valera produced 23 goals and 24 assists for 47 points in 18 games played.

He also scooped up 20 ground balls and caused eight turnovers.

Valera is the fourth CCC Scholar-Athlete of the Year in program history.

ERIC HAGARTY '10 M'11 | HEAD COACH | EIGHT YEAR
Coach of the Year

Hagarty led Endicott to a 13-5 overall record and a perfect 8-0 mark in league play this season.

In conference-only games, the Gulls paced the league in goals (146), goals per game (18.25), most successful clears (166, .902, 25th nationally), goals against (50), GAA (6.25), and save percentage (.632).

Hagarty is 74-52 overall (.587) and 50-5 in CCC play (.909) in his eight seasons (2016-present) at the helm of the program.

During that span, Endicott has won two conference championships.