2010 All-Little East Men's Lacrosse Selections

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. – The Little East Conference office handed out its annual men’s lacrosse end of the season awards this afternoon after each of the eight conference coaches sent in a ballot. Keene State College earned two of the five major awards as sophomore attacker Griffin Meehan (Simsbury, Conn.) was named the Offensive Player of the Year and Mark Theriault was tabbed as the Coach of the Year. Salem State College junior goalie Brendan Gill (Chelmsford, Mass.) was selected as the Defensive Player of the Year, while his counterpart at Eastern Connecticut State University, freshman Donald Berube (Tewksbury, Mass.), was honored as the Rookie of the Year. The University of Massachusetts Boston was awarded the inaugural Team Sportsmanship Award. 

Meehan is the sixth Owls’ student-athlete in the 10-year history of men’s lacrosse being a conference-sponsored sport to be tabbed as the top offensive player. The sophomore attacker from Simsbury, Conn. is also making his second appearance on the All-Little East, first-team. Meehan has provided the offensive spark for the nation’s sixth-ranked scoring offense (15.24 gpg) by leading the country in points per game (5.71), and ranking second in goals per game (3.88). A prolific scorer, Meehan established two Keene State single-season scoring records this spring for goals (66) and points (97). He is just two helpers shy of matching the single-season standard for assists (31). Meehan has found the back of the net in all 17 contests this season, including penning a hat trick in his ledger 13 times. He used a balanced scoring attack—five goals and five assists—against UMass Boston to accounted for his season-high in points (10). Meehan registered the game-winning goal twice on the campaign, including delivering the decisive strike against the Warriors in the Little East Men’s Lacrosse Championship. He was honored as the most outstanding player of the tournament as the Owls raised their third conference championship trophy.

Gill backstopped the Vikings to the third-best man-down defense in the nation, killing off the penalty 88.2 percent of the time. The junior goalie from Chelmsford, Mass. is sixth in the country in save percentage (.651) and 27th in goals against average (7.58). Salem State boasts a 9-1 mark, when Gill held the opposition below his season’s goals against average. Gill allowed five or fewer markers seven times on the campaign, including shutting out St. Joseph’s (Maine). He stonewalled three opponents this season, making at least 20 saves in each contest. Gill posted a season-high 23 stops against Western Connecticut on April 20. Gill is making his second appearance on the All-Little East teams, and first on the top squad.

Berube is the fourth Eastern Connecticut player in program history to be honored as the top rookie. The Tewksbury, Mass. product is fifth in the conference circuit in saves per game (10.59), while ranking sixth in goals against average (10.68) and save percentage (.529). A starter in 16 of his 17 appearances, Berube earned his first collegiate victory against Montclair State on March 12. He limited his opposition to seven or fewer markers six times, including a season-low three against Plymouth State. Berube was consistent between the posts for the Warriors, registering at least 10 saves 10 times. He turned aside a season-high 16 against UMass Dartmouth.

Theriault led Keene State to its third NCAA Division III Tournament appearance after capturing the conference’s automatic qualifier. The Owls (12-5) enter the national tournament riding the momentum of a 10-game winning streak, and will host Castleton State in the first round. Keene State protected its home-field and top ranking in the conference tournament with a 2-0 record, including a 14-10 victory over rival Eastern Connecticut. The Owls earned the top-seed by sweeping the Little East regular-season for just the third time in program history and first since 2007. Theriault was tabbed the top coach in the conference for the fourth time in his career.

UMass Boston earned the team sportsmanship award after completing the campaign with an overall record of 4-11. The Beacons posted victories over Mount St. Mary, Emerson, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, and Mitchell College. UMass Boston used a balanced scoring attack as five student-athletes registered at least 30 points. Sophomore midfielder Pat Driscoll (Hingham, Mass.) paced the Beacons in goals (38) and points (44), while junior midfielder John Canty (Milton, Mass.) provided the lead in assists (19). Freshman Jake Gostanian (Andover, Mass.) played the lion’s share of minutes in net. The Beacons will welcome eight letter winners back into the fold in 2011.

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 and diving; men’s and women’s tennis; men’s and women’s indoor track and field; men’s and women’s outdoor track and field; and women’s volleyball.