NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. - Eastern Connecticut State University senior midfielder D.J. Simmons (Mystic, Conn.) and classmate Steve Lane (Groton, Conn.) were named the Little East Conference offensive and defensive players of the year, respectively, this afternoon when the conference office announced its annual men's lacrosse all-conference and major awards winners. Keene State College freshman attacker Griffin Meehan (Simsbury, Conn.) was tabbed the rookie of the year, while University of Southern Maine Malcolm Chase was selected as the coach of the year by his peers.

The Little East Conference honors an 11-person first and second all-conference team consisting of three attackers, three midfielders, a long-stick midfielder, three defenders and a goalie. The Warriors placed eight student-athletes on the top two teams, while Plymouth State University and the Owls each had four representatives.

Simmons is making his third consecutive appearance on the All-Little East teams, and second as a first-team selection.  The Mystic, Conn. native is the fourth Eastern Connecticut student-athlete to earn at least a share of the top offensive award since men's lacrosse became a conference sponsored sport in 2001. Simmons sits atop the Little East individual standings in game-winning goals (6), while ranking fifth in goals per game (2.53) and points per game (3.35). A consistent scorer, he registered at least one point in each of his 17 games, scoring multiple points 16 times. Simmons penned a season-high seven points in his ledger against Keene State, netting a season-high six goals and handing out an assist. He has had the knack for scoring the game-winning goal of late, tickling the twine for the decisive score in the past three games.

Lane is the fourth Warrior to be picked as the top defensive player in the conference and first since Andrew Handras repeated the honor in 2004. The Groton, Conn. product led the Little East's top-ranked defensive attack that allowed just 45 goals in seven conference games and killed off 77.4 percent of its opponents' man-up opportunities. Lane and his teammates held their oppositions to seven or fewer goals eight times, including a season-low three markers twice. The three-time All-Little East, first-team selection scooped up 69 ground balls, including a season-high eight at Keene State, while causing seven turnovers. Lane also contributed to the offensive rush with seven points, on four goals and three assists.

Meehan made an immediate impact in the Owls' starting lineup, earning all-conference, first-team honors as an attacker. He led the Little East in points per game (4.54), while ranking second in assists per game (1.69) and third in goals per game (2.85). The Simsbury, Conn. product recorded multiple points in each of his 13 games to raise his season totals to 37 goals, 22 assists, and 59 points. Meehan, a crafty playmaker, tallied at least five points six times, including a pair of eight-point outings. He matched his season highs in goals (5) and points (8) against UMass Dartmouth and Western Connecticut. Meehan also handed out a season-best four helpers against Wheaton (Mass.).

Chase guided the Huskies to the program's first season with at least 10 victories, sporting an 11-7 record and a 4-3 mark in the conference circuit. On April 5, Southern Maine defeated Western Connecticut, 14-12, to earn its first Little East win since the 2004 schedule. The Huskies won five of their last six games to claim the third seed in the Little East Men's Lacrosse Championship and host Salem State in the opening round. Southern Maine reached the semifinals of the conference tournament for the first time in the program's history before bowing out to Keene State. Chase mentored two All-Little East, second-team picks in junior defender Matt Morneau (Portland, Maine) and freshman attacker Tim Bryant (Peterborough, N.H.).  

Initially formed in 1986 as a six-team men's and women's basketball conference, the Little East Conference has since grown to its present eight-school membership, sponsoring championship play in 19 intercollegiate athletics: baseball; men's and women's basketball; men's and women's cross country; field hockey; men's and women's lacrosse; men's and women's soccer; softball; women's swimming; men's and women's tennis; men's and women's indoor track; men's and women's outdoor track and women's volleyball.