May 13, 2010
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Five Notre Dame student-athletes have garnered all-league honors as the BIG EAST Conference selected its inaugural men’s lacrosse major award winners and all-conference teams. Junior midfielder Zach Brenneman was a first-team selection, while Scott Rodgers (Sr./G), David Earl (Jr./M), Grant Krebs (Sr./M) and Kevin Ridgway (Jr./D) were second-team picks.
Voting was conducted among the league’s seven head coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own players. Completing the first season of BIG EAST men’s lacrosse, Syracuse won the conference regular-season title with a perfect 6-0 mark. The Orange had the most all-BIG EAST selections with nine.
Villanova’s Paul Webber was picked as the BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year and his bench boss Mike Corrado was tabbed as the BIG EAST Coach of the Year. Sharing the honor, Villanova’s Brian Karalunas and Georgetown’s Chris Nixon were named BIG EAST Defensive Players of the Year. Syracuse’s Chris Daniello was the BIG EAST Attack Player of the Year and his teammate John Galloway was tabbed as the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year.
Brenneman (East Hampton, N.Y./East Hampton) has team-high totals in goals (23) and points (35), while his 12 assists tie him for the lead among all Fighting Irish players. The junior tallied 10 goals and a team-high eight assists in BIG EAST play. Brenneman, a starter in every game during the 2010 campaign, has four hat tricks this season along with a team-best eight-game goal-scoring streak.
Rodgers (Wantagh, N.Y./MacArthur) ranks 10th nationally in goals-against average (8.31) and is 13th in save percentage (.568). The fifth-year senior has a 6-4 record in goal this season and boasts a 21-5 career mark. Rodgers was named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week twice this season (Feb. 22 and April 26). The first honor came after an 11-7 win over No. 2 Duke in which he made a season-high 15 saves.
Earl (Simsbury, Conn./Westminster School) has bolstered the second midfield unit for the Irish by tallying 15 goals and three assists. His 43 ground balls rank third among all Notre Dame players this season. Earl, who has played in all 13 games this season, is tied for the team lead in game-winning goals with two, including an overtime score in a 7-6 victory over Ohio State.
Krebs (Annapolis, Md./St. Mary’s) is a mainstay on Notre Dame’s first midfield unit. He led Notre Dame with 12 goals during BIG EAST play. Overall, Krebs’ 21 goals this season rank second among all Irish players. This is the third straight season that he has registered at least 20 goals for the Fighting Irish. Krebs has four hat tricks this season.
Ridgway (Kensington, Md./Georgetown Prep), a starter in every game this season, is an anchor on the Fighting Irish defense that currently ranks seventh nationally by surrendering just 8.08 goals per game. Notre Dame has allowed seven goals or fewer in six games this season. The stingy Irish defense has held opponents scoreless for an entire quarter seven times this season.
Notre Dame (7-6) will face Princeton (11-4) at 2:30 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, May 16 in the first round of the 2010 NCAA Championship in Princeton, N.J. The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU.
2010 BIG EAST Men’s Lacrosse Awards
BIG EAST Attack Player of the Year
*Chris Daniello, Syracuse, Sr., A/M
BIG EAST Defensive Players of the Year
Brian Karalunas, Villanova, Jr., LSM
Chris Nixon, Georgetown, Sr., D
BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year
Paul Webber, Villanova, Sr., M
BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year
*John Galloway, Syracuse, Jr., GK
BIG EAST Coach of the Year
Mike Corrado, Villanova (fourth season at VU)
^All-BIG EAST First Team
Goalkeeper
*John Galloway, Syracuse, Jr., GK
Specialty Player
Jeremy Thompson, Syracuse, Jr., M
Long-Stick Midfielders
Brian Karalunas, Villanova, Jr., LSM
Joel White, Syracuse, Jr., LSM
At-Large
Zach Brenneman, Notre Dame, Jr., M
*Chris Daniello, Syracuse, Sr., A/M
Craig Dowd, Georgetown, Sr., A
Cody Jamieson, Syracuse, Sr., A
Scott Kocis, Georgetown, Sr., M
John Lade, Syracuse, Jr., D
*Jovan Miller, Syracuse, Jr., M
*Chris Nixon, Georgetown, Sr., D
Justin Pennington, Rutgers, Sr., M
*Paul Webber, Villanova, Sr., M
All-BIG EAST Second Team^
Goalkeeper
Scott Rodgers, Notre Dame, Sr., GK
Specialty Player
Chris Schuville, Georgetown, Sr., SSDM
At-Large
Andrew Brancaccio, Georgetown, Sr., M
Gerhard Buehning, Rutgers, Sr., M
Kevin Cunningham, Villanova, So., A
David Earl, Notre Dame, Jr., M
Stephen Keogh, Syracuse, Jr., A
Grant Krebs, Notre Dame, Sr., M
Harry Kutner, St. John’s, So., A
Tom Manes, St. John’s, Sr., M
Kevin Ridgway, Notre Dame, Jr., D
Ryan Riedl, Providence, Sr., D
Jeremy Thompson, Syracuse, Jr., M
Mark Scioscia, Villanova, Sr., M
* – unanimous selection
^ – Due to a tie in voting, two long-stick midfielders appear on the All-BIG EAST First Team; an extra member has been added to the All-BIG EAST Second Team, also due to a tie in voting
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