2014 Men's Lacrosse All-Conference and Award Winners Announced
The Empire 8 Athletic Conference has announced the Player, Goalie, Rookie and Coach of the Year awards for the 2014 men’s lacrosse season. The awards are voted on by the conference coaches.
Junior face-off specialist Drew Simoneau has been named the Player of the Year for the second straight season. He started all 18 games he appeared in, posting a team-high 230 groundballs and a face-off percentage of .679. His 12.72 ground balls per game led the conference and ranks first in Division III. He ranks 10th in Division III in face-off percentage. Simoneau is the first player in E8 history to earn the yearly award twice.
Goalie of the Year: Jamie Campagna, St. John Fisher
Jamie Campagna started all 14 games he played in for the Cardinals in 2014 and amassed a 10-4 overall record and 5-1 conference mark. He ranks 12th in Division III in goals-against average (6.58) and a save percentage (.627). He had seven games in which he produced double-digit save totals, including a career-best of 19 in a game against No. 1 nationally-ranked RIT. Overall he played 793 minutes in net and recorded 146 saves. Campagna is the first goalkeeper from Fisher to earn the E8 honor.
Rookie of the Year: John Januszkiewicz, Ithaca
Ithaca attack John Januszkiewicz was named the Rookie of the Year after a breakout season. Januszkiewicz started all 18 games for the Bombers, ranking third on the team with 53 points (38 goals, 15 assists). He also totaled 33 groundballs and seven caused turnovers. Januszkiewicz had five games with four or more goals, including a season high six against Utica. Januszkiewicz is the fourth Bomber to earn the award and first since 2006. Previous winners include Brian Weil (2002), Dennis Butler (2004) and Mike Centineo (2006).
Coach of the Year: Jeff Long, Ithaca
Ithaca head coach Jeff Long has been named Coach of the Year for the fifth time in his career, gaining his previous awards in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2008. In his 27th season at the helm, he has guided his team to a current 14-4 overall record and an NCAA tournament appareance. The Bombers went undefeated, 6-1, in conference play and won the Empire 8 Championship for the third time.
Sportsman of the Year
One member of each team was named that institution’s representative on the 2014 Sportsman of the Year Team. Empire 8 emphasizes that "Competing with Honor and Integrity" is an essential component of a student-athlete’s experience in conjunction with an institution’s educational mission. These honorees have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportsmen.