Eight HPU MLAX Panthers Receive All-SoCon Accolades

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Led by junior Dan Lomas’ selection as Offensive Player of the Year, the High Point University men’s lacrosse team had eight players earn All-Southern Conference honors, the league announced Tuesday.

Junior Jamie Piluso joined Lomas as First Team All-SoCon selections. Meanwhile, senior Pat Farrell, redshirt-junior Harris Levine, junior Matt Thistle and sophomore Michael LeClair were named as Second Team All-SoCon honorees. Freshman T Moyer and Connor Robinson garnered All-Freshman recognition to round out HPU’s postseason accolades.

First Team Selections
Dan Lomas | Junior | Attack | Burlington, Ontario
Led the SoCon with 38 goals and finished the regular season with 41 points… second straight season to win offensive player of the year honors after winning the Atlantic Sun’s award last year … became the first Panther to eclipse 100 career goals in the win over Furman… rounded out the regular season on a high note with six goals in the 10-9 win over Bellarmine on Saturday, April 25… was the league’s preseason Offensive Player of the Year selection.

Jamie Piluso | Junior | Midfielder | Ridgewood, N.J.
Chosen as the SoCon’s top face-off specialist… ranks 12th in the nation with a .588 face-off percentage… leads the conference with 6.50 ground balls per game… earned SoCon Defensive Player of the Week on April 28… only player to win the conference’s weekly offensive and defensive award after winning offensive player of the week on March 31.

Second Team Selections
Matt Thistle | Junior | Attack | Chelmsford, Mass.
Led the conference in points per game for the second straight season with 3.57 ppg… ranks second in the league with 1.50 assists per contest… scored seven points in the season-opening win over Delaware.

Michael LeClair | Sophomore | Attack | Elkridge, Md.
Finished the regular season tied for third in the SoCon with 3.29 points per game… led the conference with 1.57 assists per outing… leads HPU with 46 points… produced back-to-back six-point performances against Mercer (March 24) and Air Force (March 31).

Pat Farrell | Senior | Defense | Jamison, Pa.
Is fourth in the league and 12th in the nation with 1.71 caused turnovers per game… set an HPU record with eight caused turnovers against Sacred Heart on Feb. 21… was HPU’s first Major League Lacrosse draftee.

Harris Levine | Redshirt-Junior | Longstick Midfielder | Louisville, Ky.
Is third on the team with 33 ground balls… tallied six points (2g, 4a) on the year… has caused seven turnovers… posted a goal, an assist and five ground balls at VMI on April 17.

All-Freshman Team Selections
T Moyer | Freshman | Midfield | Baltimore, Md.
Compiled nine assists and four goals so far in his first collegiate campaign… posted his first goal and first assist against Duke on Feb. 7… registered a goal and two assists in the win at Jacksonville on April 4.

Connor Robinson | Freshman | Midfield | New Westminster, British Columbia
Fourth on the team with 17 points (15g, 2a)… second in the SoCon with six man-up goals… broke through for four goals in the win over Air Force on March 21.

The Panthers will return to action for postseason play on Thursday at 7:30 against Mercer in the SoCon semifinals in Richmond, Va.

2015 Men’s Lacrosse Awards

Offensive Player of the Year
Dan Lomas, Jr., Attacker, High Point

Defensive Player of the Year
Brendan Hynes, So., Defender, Richmond

Freshman of the Year
Reilly McDermott, Goalie, Furman

Coach of the Year
Dan Chemotti, Richmond

All-SoCon First Team
Attack
Austin Shanks, Bellarmine
Dan Lomas, High Point
J.P. Forester, Richmond

Midfield
Tucker Cisseau, Bellarmine
Kenny Meinsen, Furman
Mitch Goldberg, Richmond

Defense
Colin Hart, Bellarmine
Austin Curtis, Jacksonville
Brendan Hynes, Richmond

Goalkeeper
Benny Pugh, Richmond

Faceoff Specialist
Jamie Piluso, High Point

Longstick Midfielder
Taylor Stuart, Bellarmine

All-SoCon Second Team
Attack
Matt Thistle, High Point
Michael LeClair, High Point
Chris Baxa, Mercer

Midfield
Tim Geran, Mercer
Quint Miller, Jacksonville
Alex Hatem, Richmond

Defense
Pat Farrell, High Point
Colin Massa, Mercer
Ryan Dennis, Richmond

Goalkeeper
Mike Nugent, Mercer

Faceoff Specialist
Peter Moran, Richmond

Longstick Midfielder
Harris Levine, High Point

All-Freshman Team
Reilly McDermott, Furman
T Moyer, High Point
Connor Robinson, High Point
Jackson Kleintz, Mercer
Matt Quinn, Mercer
Eric Haehl, Richmond
Wesley Sanders, VMI